Blocking a driveway - a ticketable offense? (Dallas: neighborhood, buying)

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by Texan in Virginia

I would think that anyone who would park blocking a driveway would simply remove the cones or whatever else is placed there!

Lori

Well, actually, I don't think people go to that much effort for the space. I think they tend to park there because it looks like an unused driveway or they just don't pay attention. There is usually more parking a couple of blocks down (and the 'hood isn't so scary looking these days that people won't go into it).

We do have one of those big city orange cones used to block roads that the city guys tossed in our yard when they finished resurfacing the streets (I've just left it there assuming they'll come back for it sometime). I could use that I guess, though I'd need more. Part of my reason for using the car is that I can block the entire driveway. Cars also tend to park along the curb, but being monster SUVS, don't realize their backend sticks out into my driveway. So it may look open, but they don't leave enough space for going in and out

[scuba steve]

Solution - large orange cone thing or whatever zero-value object tied to another one across the driveway. With a "Do not block driveway" sign hanging on the rope. If someone is determined to be a jerk and parks there anyway, show no mercy and tow 'em. They clearly deserve it.

[momof2dfw]

When your car is parked IN your driveway don't pull all the way up. Only pull in as far as need be for your car to be off the street. This way the people coming can plainly see a car IS parked IN a "driveway". Do NOT park in the street yourself even IF it is your own driveway. A tow truck driver that the city COULD hire to tow away illegally parked cars could just as easily tow yours and they WILL NOT look for any kind of "note" left in the window of it. Anyone can put a note in their car window saying they "own" the house right there.

The orange cones are the best bet. I'd get the small soccer ones and you can find those at any sports store like Sports Authority, Academy along w/ Walmart & Target in the sporting goods section. Get a pack of them and make a small box in the street around your drive going past it for several feet to allow enough clearance on either side of your drive. You could also get a "yard sale" sign at Lowe's or Home Depot but cover it up w/ your own sign made of poster board and put it right at the curb to the entrance to your drive. Put on it in BIG BOLD BLACK LETTERS:
PRIVATE DRIVE!
DO NOT BLOCK!
Cars will be towed
at OWNERS EXPENSE!

Good luck.

Oh, don't use a bicycle or wagon or such. Someone could just steal that. If your city has the big monster garbage cans that you wheel to the curb for garbage pickup you could also put that out right smack in the middle of your driveway at the street and put a sign on it as well.

[Texan in Virginia]

Originally Posted by Chaka

Well, actually, I don't think people go to that much effort for the space. I think they tend to park there because it looks like an unused driveway or they just don't pay attention.

Yet another good reason to move because in NoVa, the person would simply run over the cones and park there or the really nice person would get out and toss the cones into your yard before parking there. I am NOT kidding.

Lori

[TexHwyMan]

Originally Posted by Chaka

If you block a driveway, can you be ticketed or is it only if the owner complains or has a sign?

To answer your question directly, yes, it is illegal to park in front of a driveway:

§ 545.302. STOPPING, STANDING, OR PARKING PROHIBITED IN
CERTAIN PLACES.
(b) An operator may not, except momentarily to pick up or
discharge a passenger, stand or park an occupied or unoccupied
vehicle:
(1) in front of a public or private driveway;
(2) within 15 feet of a fire hydrant;
(3) within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection;
(4) within 30 feet on the approach to a flashing
signal, stop sign, yield sign, or traffic-control signal located at
the side of a roadway;
(5) within 20 feet of the driveway entrance to a fire
station and on the side of a street opposite the entrance to a fire
station within 75 feet of the entrance, if the entrance is properly
marked with a sign; or
(6) where an official sign prohibits standing.

[shenane]

TexHwyMan
Good info!
For the fire hydrant, is that 15 feet from any side or just 15 feet in front of it, (where it is completely blocked)

Originally Posted by TexHwyMan

To answer your question directly, yes, it is illegal to park in front of a driveway:

§ 545.302. STOPPING, STANDING, OR PARKING PROHIBITED IN
CERTAIN PLACES.
(b) An operator may not, except momentarily to pick up or
discharge a passenger, stand or park an occupied or unoccupied
vehicle:
(1) in front of a public or private driveway;
(2) within 15 feet of a fire hydrant;
(3) within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection;
(4) within 30 feet on the approach to a flashing
signal, stop sign, yield sign, or traffic-control signal located at
the side of a roadway;
(5) within 20 feet of the driveway entrance to a fire
station and on the side of a street opposite the entrance to a fire
station within 75 feet of the entrance, if the entrance is properly
marked with a sign; or
(6) where an official sign prohibits standing.

[PopsGuysRule]

Originally Posted by TexHwyMan

To answer your question directly, yes, it is illegal to park in front of a driveway:

§ 545.302. STOPPING, STANDING, OR PARKING PROHIBITED IN
CERTAIN PLACES.
(b) An operator may not, except momentarily to pick up or
discharge a passenger, stand or park an occupied or unoccupied
vehicle:
(1) in front of a public or private driveway;
(2) within 15 feet of a fire hydrant;
(3) within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection;
(4) within 30 feet on the approach to a flashing
signal, stop sign, yield sign, or traffic-control signal located at
the side of a roadway;
(5) within 20 feet of the driveway entrance to a fire
station and on the side of a street opposite the entrance to a fire
station within 75 feet of the entrance, if the entrance is properly
marked with a sign; or
(6) where an official sign prohibits standing.

I would print this post out, take it to Kinko's or Ofc Max, have them blow it up to poster size, hang it on something you can set at the end of your driveway..... something portable..... and I would call the police department and ask if they can add extra cruise-by's on your street, tell them your address, what you're doing and why..... and I would put a title at the top, TX Veh Code.... I think that is where this is from..... office max will probably do it for you fairly cheaply... you can keep it and over the course of time get your $$$ worth.......

[ShaneSA]

There are lots of cones and barrels all along 410 and 10. Maybe you can drive by and "borrow" a few. LOL. Actually you can get them at Lowes. I use the yellow caution tape (Lowes also) and string it up across the trees and accros the drive. People seem to honor the tape.

[Chaka]

Thanks TxHwyman, that's exactly what I needed!

Now I'm confused about the intersection tho - we live on a corner, there's a stop sign on one road, not the other (2 way stop). No crosswalk.

On every corner, people will park right up to the very edge. I see they must be 30 ft from the corner with the stop sign, but what about on the street that has no stop sign? I'd think the same would apply to the intersection, but the wording only indicates a stop sign, not any old intersection. From personal experience it's very dangerous! Every Sunday (and many nights) we deal with this thanks to the JW Hall across the street. No amount of asking them not to park there has helped. And the cops don't care on regular days, only on KW Fair days.

Good idea Popsguys to post these laws - I may just do that.

In the end, I parked my car on the street just at the edge of the driveway (but not blocking it) and left the big orange city cone in the street at the driveway.

As it turned out, parking wasn't as insane as it usually is, although it did get filled up. The Fair and Parade were great! We had so much fun being in the parade. I love our community!

[TexHwyMan]

Originally Posted by shenane

TexHwyMan
Good info!
For the fire hydrant, is that 15 feet from any side or just 15 feet in front of it, (where it is completely blocked)

It means 15 feet on either side, for a total of 30 feet centered at the hydrant.