How to Stop Jerks From Blocking Your Driveway

As anyone who drives regularly knows, owning a car can be an exercise in deep frustration, especially when it comes to a lack of parking spaces. As a person who used to spend literal hours hunting for street parking in my crowded little town, I know that a driveway literally makes your life better. No matter how frustrating your drive home was, at least you know you won’t have any trouble parking the car.

Unless people decide to park in front of your driveway and block it. Driveways can become targets, especially when street parking is slim in your neighborhood. Some folks think it’s totally okay to block your driveway for “quick” stops, as if you could never possibly have an emergency and need to go somewhere right away. Sometimes it’s people who don’t live in your neighborhood at all and just don’t care. Whatever the reason, if it starts to happen all the time you’re being deprived of a huge benefit that you’re paying for. Here’s what to do (and not do) if people are constantly blocking your driveway.

Don’ts

First and foremost, there are a few things you shouldn’t do:

• Don’t touch their car. Daydreaming about slashing some tires or smashing a few windshields might feel good, but vandalizing someone’s car will not make the situation better for you in any way.
• Don’t call a tow yourself. Technically you may be able to have their car towed; in most jurisdictions it’s not permitted to block a private driveway (though it’s typically a civil offense, not criminal). But most tow companies won’t come out unless a ticket has been issued by the police, and even if they’re willing, calling for a tow can open you up to liability issues if the offender’s car is damaged. And someone’s going to have to pay for that tow, and without police intervention that someone might be you.

You can probably contact law enforcement using the non-emergency line, but you should check on the laws in your local area before making any phone calls. The police usually can order a tow and issue a ticket, but it can take police departments a long time to show up, and they will often advise you to resolve it yourself because the police usually have more important matters to worry about.

The basics

Calling the authorities shouldn’t be your first step, anyway—it only escalates the situation. Your first steps should stick to the basics:

• Signage. Make sure your driveway is clearly marked. If you don’t have painted lines and curbs, consider calling your local parking authorities to see if they paint driveway curbs. If not, you might be able to do it yourself—but check to make sure it’s allowed. Some towns forbid painting curbs without city approval. You can also install signage clearly marking the driveway so there’s no way for people to mistakenly park in front of it.
• Communication. If it’s neighbors blocking your driveway, start by approaching them in a calm, polite way and pointing out that they’re blocking access to your property. If you don’t want to have a personal confrontation, polite notes left on their car might do the trick.If you have repeat offenders, it can be helpful to gather some data: The make, model, and license plate number of their cars, plus the date when they’ve blocked your driveway. Including that information in a note communicates that you’re paying attention, and can identify friends or family members of neighbors who might be blocking your driveway without your neighbors’ direct knowledge.
• Leave open. People often block driveways because they assume you won’t be using it—if it’s late at night, for example, and they think they’ll be gone before you need to leave in the morning. Leaving the driveway lit up and open (if it’s gated) can give the impression that it’s an active driveway, which can deter some folks.

Block it yourself

If polite discourse and clearly marking the driveway doesn’t do the trick, your next best step is to take matters into your own hands and block your driveway yourself.

The easiest way to do this is to simply park your own car in your driveway. This obviously removes some of the benefit, especially if you have covered parking or a garage that you’re now not using, but it prevents others from blocking you in, at least.

You can also invest in removable barriers that can warn people off or even prevent them from parking in the space. Good old-fashioned traffic cones create a bright, obvious barrier that can be easily removed. Or get a little fancier with movable bollards that can be placed in front of your driveway, warning people off.