People who own driveways parking on the street- VENT

amother

Khaki

Wed, Apr 25 2018, 10:35 pm

Don’t want to create a whole spinoff, just a quick opinion. Am I correct in getting annoyed with my neighbor that has a handicap permit and a designated parking spot- and DOESNT use it. he parks in the spot before his reserved spot (I guess to save that spot in the event that a guest or family member would need a parking spot)

I always get annoyed when I see this and ther is no parking - am I being too selfish?

amother

Wine

Wed, Apr 25 2018, 10:56 pm

Why don't I like parking in my spot in the back? Some reasons off the top of my head:

1. The back door of the house leads into the basement, which means the driveway is on a slant. Dh is concerned that leaving the car like that puts too much pressure on the transmission and will wear it out.

2. Dh comes home late and I don't want him to have to spend an hour circling for a spot late at night, so I try to leave the back open for him.

3. If I have groceries, I have to shlep everything, plus baby, up the flight of stairs from the basement.

4. When there's a heavy rain, the back driveway tends to get flooded, and I can't move or use the car until it's all drained. Same for snow, it's never shoveled.

5. I don't know if the next time I need the car I will have a bunch of kids along or we'll be in a rush. Much easier not to have to walk around to the back, if there's a spot right out front.

6. I HATE making the turn out of the community driveway onto the street. The visibility is terrible; you need to accelerate because it's up a steep hill, which means that if there is chvsh a pedestrian or car coming quickly that you didn't see.....Actually this should probably be my first reason.

All that said, in my area there aren't really any renters, so the only people who are parking on the street are shoppers, people going to local shuls, etc.

amother

Amethyst

Wed, Apr 25 2018, 10:56 pm

amother wrote:

That is rude unless there is another reason for how he parked. Maybe the handicapped spot is hard for him to get into? I have a relative with one and sometimes there is a tree, a hard curb to walk up, uneven street etc that makes it hard to park right there.

anon for this

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 7:28 am

amother wrote:

Anyone who parks in the designated spot must have a handicap placard or license plate. Most designated spots that I've seen also list a license plate number, in which case only the vehicle with a matching plate may park there. So anyone else who parks in the spot may be violating the law.

watergirl

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 8:01 am

amother wrote:

I agree it all has to be done with a balance.
I have a neighbor who if you used to park in front of her house. She would call and say- “please move your car, your in my spot!” Thats not ok.
But overall, I think in a place where there is no driveways, its nice to be respectful of the spots.

My kids were in a (legal) daycare in a womans home on a residential block. Everyone had driveways. One man refused to park in his driveway and only wanted to park on the street. Often, I would park in “his “spot in front of his house. He would lay his hands on the horn entire time I was inside getting my child and then scream at me while I come out. He would call the owner of the day care if somebody parked in front of his house on the street as well. I understand his frustration at the number of cars that came and went. But we didnt do anything wrong and I wouldnt let him bully me. The owner asked us not to park there but that was often the only option. She ended up closing.

animeme

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 8:31 am

anon for this wrote:

When you save like this, when your guests come, you move your car into the spot and the other person takes the spot you were in on the street.

amother

Sienna

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 10:31 am

amother wrote:

I don't think the op was suggesting that the owner of the driveway doesn't have a legal right to a spot on the street. She was questioning if perhaps it's inconsiderate for those with private driveways to take spots on the street in areas where parking is very difficult.

OP here.
Thank you. That's what I was trying to say, and some Imas gave some very valid reasons and I appreciate those. There are definitely many circumstances that would make it hard to park in your driveway.

amother

Saddlebrown

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 5:03 pm

amother wrote:

Where I live parking is a nightmare. Often we need to circle several times before finding parking, and that can be anywhere between down the block and 2 blocks away.

There are people who have driveways- but don't use them when they find a spot on the street. After all, it's way simpler not to back into your driveway. I find that rude and inconsiderate. Having a driveway is a luxury, and it's not fair to use up the very limited parking space available for those without a driveway. And I'm not talking about blocking their driveway, that's ok since I anyhow can't park there, because many people have shared driveways. It is so so frustrating!!!!!!

This is a vent, but also curious to hear what others think. Driveway owners and nondriveway owners alike. Do you think it's fair to park elsewhere in a place where parking spots are so desperately needed?

I have a driveway and park on the street whenever possible for several reasons. 1) I have a steep driveway and parking on such a deep slant ruins the car mechanically (proven fact and I damaged one of my cars that way) 2) my next door neighbor whose driveway is right next to mine has a daughter who is a horrific driver and she has terrible trouble getting into her driveway, and I fear she will hit my car if it’s in my driveway. So don’t be so quick to judge. Perhaps try renting a driveway if it’s such a hassle for you to find parking.

amother

Coffee

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 8:38 pm

I agree with ventor.

All you with all your excuses, when there’s nowhere to park u squeeze into your narrow, wrecking shared driver, family visitors .... driveway.

Be kind and considerate do chesed with the general public. Use your driveway.

In BP, insurance gives a better rate if you park in driveway.

amother

Papaya

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 8:52 pm

amother wrote:

I literally would have no way of getting out of my car now that I'm pregnant. Still think it's excuses? When we have to park in the driveway, I have to get out before backing in and my husband has to park. It's enough of a hassle that I'll take the spot on the street if it's available. But if I had a relationship with my neighbors and they asked (like someone upthread said they sometimes do) to park in my driveway when they see the car on the street, I would happily say yes.

pause

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 9:43 pm

notshanarishona wrote:

Just because someone paid money to build a drive way doesn't make them lose the right to public property. It's frustrating but they have a right just as much as you if they decide it's more convenient for them.

It should make them lose the right. Their driveway takes up a parking spot. Then they also use another parking spot. That's two spots for one car. When spots are limited, mentchlichkeit dictates that you take only what you need and leave over for someone else.

amother

Chartreuse

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 10:12 pm

Interesting thread. I have been on both sides of this. I rented for 10 years and the parking on that block was miserable and ppl had long private driveways and would still park on the street. Yes, it was frustrating. My plan was to only park in the driveway as a chessed to others and never take a spot on the street. I did that for 2 years and then I guess my yetzer harah got the better of me and I park on the street for convenience sometimes. Pulling into my driveway is very tight and requires me to leave a few extra minutes just to have time to carefully pull out.

Optione

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 10:49 pm

Squishy wrote:

What did they say?

1 said that her father was leaving in a few minutes (meaning I should wait and take his spot from the street), another said yes (I was only home for 30 min and told her I only needed to park for that short amount of time.) A 3rd time someone said yes.

33055

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 10:59 pm

Optione wrote:

Good for you to be assertive.

solo

Thu, Apr 26 2018, 11:27 pm

I live on a busy block, near shopping, where only 50% of the homes have private driveways. Initially I Parked in the driveway as a courtesy to my neighbors without one. After a while I realized that if I leave a spot open, chances r that someone who doesn’t live on my block will park there anyway. So I park on the street when possible and leave the driveway for my husband or guests.
I understand the frustration of searching for a spot when u just wanna get home, but street parking is for the public.
Should I perhaps plant the flowers I like in my neighbors garden because mine is paeved?

HonesttoGod

Mon, Apr 30 2018, 9:06 pm

This irks me too.
And I live on a block where there isn't always parking (not from people who live there but from neighboring blocks etc) and the driveways aren't steep or narrow or small or hard to get in and out of.

It makes me CRAZY when my neighbors just pull up at a spot and take the public street parking for no reason at all. I have seen neighbors just pull out their driveway and take a spot as I am pulling up. Again, no reason.
It makes me NUTS.
This isn't a legal issue this is just a think-about-others issue. Some people are just selfish.