What to Do If a Car Is Blocking Your Driveway

No one loves finding that their driveway is blocked by another car. When a car obstructs your driveway, there are several steps you can take to resolve the situation. Here’s your guide to dealing with a car that is blocking your driveway.

Parking is at a premium in most cities. Downtowns weren’t designed with cars in mind. Older residential neighborhoods can be woefully lacking in driveways. Streets are often too narrow to allow for curbside parking. Underground and multi-story lots can ease the pressure but at an increasingly expensive cost.

And if you happen to have a dedicated driveway or parking spot? You’re often at the mercy of someone either stealing or blocking it. A car blocking your driveway can be frustrating at best, or can disrupt your day at worst.

A vehicle blocking your driveway is frustrating and maddening. But when it happens, you do have options to fix the situation. Read on to learn more.

Is it illegal to park in front of someone’s driveway?

Municipalities have rules and by-laws on the books regarding where you can and cannot park. So is it illegal to block someone’s driveway? Absolutely. Law enforcement officers can issue a parking ticket and/or have the car towed and impounded at the owner’s expense.

Even parking too close to a driveway may be enough to get a ticket (but not a tow). In most places, you can’t be within a few feet of one. (And that includes parking too close to your own driveway, too!)

Contact your local government to learn about the specific rules in your area. You can also likely find information online through city and municipal websites.

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What is considered blocking a driveway?

Blocking a driveway means parking in a way that stops vehicles from getting in or out. This includes parking right across the driveway or taking up space needed for maneuvering. Look out for “No Parking” signs or painted lines on the road. It’s crucial to notice these signs and make sure your car doesn’t block driveway access. Ignoring these rules can lead to fines, towing fees, and annoyance for the property owner. Always park responsibly and be mindful of the areas around private and public driveways.

How close can you park to a driveway?

It varies from place to place, but typically you need to be at least a few feet away (usually 5-10 feet). This allows enough room for larger vehicles, such as emergency vehicles or moving trucks, to easily pass through. Remember, it’s not just about avoiding a ticket — it’s also about being considerate of others and their property.

What can I do if someone is blocking my driveway?

The most important thing to do when someone is blocking your driveway is to remain calm. It’s understandable to feel angry or frustrated, but taking aggressive actions could lead to dangerous or costly consequences.

Here are some steps you can take:

1. Knock on their window or door: In many cases, the driver may not realize they have blocked a driveway. Politely ask them if they could move their car so you can access your driveway.
2. Leave a note: If the driver is not present, leave a polite note on their windshield asking them not to block your driveway in the future. For most people, this will be enough to prevent it from happening again; sometimes people simply don’t realize when they’ve inconvenienced someone else.
3. Call local authorities: If the car is blocking your driveway for an extended period of time or you are unable to reach the driver, contact the police. They can issue a parking ticket and have the car towed if necessary. Read on to learn how to report this.

How to report a car blocking your driveway

There may be minor differences in the legal details from place to place, but it’s a safe bet that parking in a way that blocks your driveway is illegal. If you’re unable to resolve the issue alone, you are within your rights to notify the proper authorities.

As a rule of thumb, call the police via the non-emergency number. That’s 3-1-1 in more than 100 cities and towns across the States, including San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, and Oakland. The operator will forward your call to the appropriate department. Some of the bigger locations like Los Angeles and New York City also have 3-1-1 mobile apps to make it even simpler and more convenient for citizens. You’ll need to provide your location, the make and model of the vehicle, and the license plate number. Have that information ready.

You could call a tow company directly to remove a car parked in or blocking your driveway, but it’s better to first contact the authorities. Why? Because it removes you from the equation and protects you from potential liability if the car is damaged. Besides, many tow providers won’t remove a vehicle until officials has ticketed it.

And if the car is parked illegally, the total towing cost involved is the responsibility of the owner. You’re not on the hook for a single penny.

That said, the best option is to first try to locate the driver and ask them to move their vehicle. It’s often all you need to do. Give them a minute. Look around. Maybe ask a neighbor or two. You can often find them nearby. Remain civil — as the last thing you need at that moment is a combative confrontation — but firm. And if you face any hostility or aggression, remove yourself from the situation and call the authorities.

How to prevent unwanted parking in front of your driveway

A car blocking your driveway can instantly ruin your day. Imagine you’re running late for work, to pick up the kids, or to meet up with some friends. You complete a mad scramble around your home getting ready, dash out the door, and meet a 4,000-lb roadblock.

If only it could be avoided in the first place. Sadly, there’s nothing that will completely erase the possibility, but you can take proactive steps to reduce the likelihood.

Hang a sign

Never underestimate the power of the humble “NO PARKING” sign. By and large, folks tend to follow instructions posted on an official-looking sign.

If for no other reason, the sign removes the driver’s ability to plead ignorance. “I didn’t know I couldn’t park there” doesn’t carry much weight when there’s a “NO PARKING” or “PARKING PROHIBITED” sign clearly visible. It’s hard to argue against a ticket or tow when nearby signage explicitly explains the consequences.

You can purchase ready-made signs from most hardware and department stores, plus online retailers like Amazon. Even a homemade sign is better than nothing. To really cover your bases, you might include a line to mention “violators will be ticketed and towed” or something similar beyond the basic “Do Not Park” or “Do Not Block Driveway.”

Depending on where the driveway is located, you might even be able to get something more official from your local council.

Use traffic cones

If the problem persists, you might consider purchasing a few orange traffic cones and placing them across the end of your driveway.

Cones are readily available, cheap, and portable. A few cones spaced across your driveway create a physical barrier that must be removed before someone can illegally park there. It’s hard to argue your case when you had to actively remove bright orange deterrents beforehand.

You can quickly remove or replace them every time you come or go. Toss them in your trunk and they’re always at the ready. Just make sure you’re not accidentally blocking a legal parking space.

Ask your building or local government for painted lines

Sometimes, a driveway is unmistakably clear. But in certain cases, it might not be as obvious. Driveways located behind properties, in alleys, or in less visible spots can often be blocked because they aren’t recognized as driveways.

In this case, some proper payment paint — bright yellow or otherwise — can clearly indicate your space. Ask your local government, building, or property management to get it done.

Hang a rope or chain

Similar to using traffic cones, this solution is a little more robust and difficult to ignore. If you have (or can install) a few low posts on either side of your driveway, you could drape a heavy rope or chain a foot or two above the ground.

This prevents a vehicle from entering and acts as a deterrent from parking in front of it. If a driveway looks used and protected, most drivers will avoid blocking it. You can really hammer home the message by hanging a NO PARKING sign on the chain in the middle.

Install a gate

This is a more permanent and expensive option, but nothing works quite as well as an actual gate — locked or not — at keeping people out of areas where they shouldn’t be. Gated driveways not only increase the security of your home but also keep parking pirates from stealing your spot. Your gate can be fancy with an automatic opener or a manual version secured with a padlock and opened by hand.

Use security cameras

When video security cameras are an excellent deterrent against unwanted parking, especially when paired with remote video monitoring.

Cameras alone will capture the vehicle and driver, which may come in handy should you need to identify or track down the culprit with the police or other law enforcement personnel.

But cameras with 24/7 monitoring can actively prevent someone from blocking your driveway. That’s proactive and real-time. Deep Sentinel’s security cameras with professional monitoring can see the action happening in real-time and intervene on your behalf.

Here’s how it works: Two-way audio allows live surveillance guards to talk with the driver. The guard can inform drivers that they’re blocking a driveway with their car and warn them of the consequences if they don’t move it. Not enough? The guard can also record footage of the interaction, capture the license plate number, and notify you via an app, text message, or phone call. And, if the situation escalates, they can also contact the proper authorities.

That’s all in addition to stopping would-be car thieves, vandals, and others lurking around your car or property, 24 hours a day.

Security cameras with live monitoring save you the hassle of having to deal with the situation and save drivers the expense and time of recovering their towed vehicle. Everyone wins.

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Avoid the hassle of cars blocking your driveway

Parking infractions are big business in major centers. San Francisco alone collects about $99 million each year in parking ticket revenue. That may sound like a lot, but it’s nothing compared to the likes of Chicago ($264 million/year) and New York City ($545 million/year). The revenue generated is appreciated, but every city spends a disproportionate amount of time, energy, and resources on policing parking regulations, administering tickets, collecting fees, and dealing with related complaints. Yet, there are about eight parking spots for every car in the US.

In a perfect world, we’d never have to face the headache of a car blocking our driveway. But we don’t live in a perfect world.

So let Deep Sentinel do it for you. Proprietary AI, live surveillance guards, and HD wireless cameras with two-way audio and night vision guarantee you’ll never be unexpectedly trapped again.