How far do you have to be parked away from a driveway? (Los Angeles: house, tenants)

[Miss Pip]

I'm trying to find a specific law on how close you can park to a driveway. I can't seem to get an answer via google search. My neighbour is always trying to fit his car into small spaces and has had his car sticking into my driveway many times. I mentioned to him that I've noticed he's been doing it a lot and he needs to stop as my tenants can't come in and out. He moved his car but then the other day he did it again. I get that he's trying to find parking but that's really not my (or my tenants) problem.

[cyberfx1024]

Originally Posted by Miss Pip

I'm trying to find a specific law on how close you can park to a driveway. I can't seem to get an answer via google search. My neighbour is always trying to fit his car into small spaces and has had his car sticking into my driveway many times. I mentioned to him that I've noticed he's been doing it a lot and he needs to stop as my tenants can't come in and out. He moved his car but then the other day he did it again. I get that he's trying to find parking but that's really not my (or my tenants) problem.

If he is parking on the street and it is sticking out in then you can inform your city and they can ticket that car if you live in a decent city. If not then inform the driver that if your car is sticking out my tenants won't be held liable for any damages.

[Xanathos]

In most states, it's either 3 or 5 feet. I'm not sure what it is here, but I do know that you can't block any part of the driveway at any time. So the easiest way to handle this situation is to tell your tenants that any time the guy is blocking their driveway by even an inch, to call for a dispatch to either give the offending individual a ticket or to have the vehicle towed.

Haven't run into this issue here, but in my old house this was a problem that got solved after 2 40-some-odd-dollar tickets and a towing. Sure, they hated us, but they stopped blocking our driveway.

[simbared]

This just says you can't park in front of a driveway.

Can I Park There? | City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation

[Miss Pip]

Originally Posted by simbared

This just says you can't park in front of a driveway.

Can I Park There? | City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation

Yeah, that doesn't answer my question. I came across that in my google search too. As I said, I'm trying to find a specific law on how close you can park to a driveway. Thank you though.

[Miss Pip]

Originally Posted by Xanathos

In most states, it's either 3 or 5 feet. I'm not sure what it is here, but I do know that you can't block any part of the driveway at any time. So the easiest way to handle this situation is to tell your tenants that any time the guy is blocking their driveway by even an inch, to call for a dispatch to either give the offending individual a ticket or to have the vehicle towed.

Haven't run into this issue here, but in my old house this was a problem that got solved after 2 40-some-odd-dollar tickets and a towing. Sure, they hated us, but they stopped blocking our driveway.

Wow you even did a towing? I've thought about it too. I just don't want to deal with the drama but this is already drama. Thanks, I was thinking 3 or 5 feet but I wanted to be sure.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by Miss Pip

Wow you even did a towing? I've thought about it too. I just don't want to deal with the drama but this is already drama. Thanks, I was thinking 3 or 5 feet but I wanted to be sure.

Well unfortunately people like your neighbor don't get it(which I frankly don't get), you spoke to him already and it doesn't seem to stick. He is still blocking the driveway after you spoke to him nicely about it. So either he is a complete moron or arrogant or both.

It's like people who think they can have their dogs bark all night, or park on an LA city street for weeks on end without moving it, You have to take action, sad but true. Because talking to them in the days of "all about me". doesn't stick, but a fine, a ticket or a tow will.

I would just call parking enforcement and say the car is blocking your driveway.

[Cloudwalker]

California Vehicle Code 22500(e) says you can't block a public or private driveway (this is the provision under which the city would ticket). Case law says the driveway starts at the curb cut, that point at which the parkway starts to curve down to the driveway flat. If they are in that area (sloping curb cut) at all, you can call LADOT to ticket and/or tow. My understanding is they will happily ticket, but generally won't tow unless access is actually blocked.

[DabOnEm]

Originally Posted by Miss Pip

Wow you even did a towing? I've thought about it too. I just don't want to deal with the drama but this is already drama. Thanks, I was thinking 3 or 5 feet but I wanted to be sure.

I highly doubt it's 3-5ft here or else everyone would be getting tickets. If I had to guess, it'd be between 1-2ft. Maybe some of the smaller cities have more stricter guidelines.

[Exitus Acta Probat]

Originally Posted by Cloudwalker

California Vehicle Code 22500(e) says you can't block a public or private driveway (this is the provision under which the city would ticket). Case law says the driveway starts at the curb cut, that point at which the parkway starts to curve down to the driveway flat. If they are in that area (sloping curb cut) at all, you can call LADOT to ticket and/or tow. My understanding is they will happily ticket, but generally won't tow unless access is actually blocked.

That's true. I tried to get a car towed for blocking the curb cut and a bit of the part flush with the street, but the 311 operator said towing is at the discretion of parking enforcement and the violator only got ticketed.