Need help - driveway laws!

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by tyovan4

No notification at all from the Borough prior to painting.
I've never been cited for this, never been towed, never had a cop come to my door to talk to me about this problem. My car's never been hit. I've lived there for 7 years. No history at all to justify this - it came completely out of the blue.

The Borough did in fact confirm that they did paint the curb, as they claim that there's a law about parking across the street from a driveway... but I can't find one. Has anyone ever heard of such a thing??

actually, yes, i have heard that.

they may have painted the curb, but was that because of the neighbor complaint?

i take it your house does not have its own driveway?

[tyovan4]

Originally Posted by szug-bot

actually, yes, i have heard that.
...
i take it your house does not have its own driveway?

No, I dont have my own.

So, here's what I found in state law:

Statutes of Pennsylvania / Consolidated Statutes / Title 75 / § 3353. Prohibitions in specified places

(a) General rule.--Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or to protect the safety of any person or vehicle or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or official traffic-control device, no person shall:

(1) Stop, stand or park a vehicle:

(i) On the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a street except that:

(A) A pedalcycle may be parked as provided in section 3509(b)(2) (relating to parking).

(B) Standing or parking for the purpose of loading or unloading persons or property may be authorized by local ordinance, but the ordinance shall not authorize standing or parking on State designated highways except during off-peak traffic-flow hours as determined by department regulations.

(ii) On a sidewalk except that a pedalcycle may be parked as provided in section 3509(b)(2).

(iii) Within an intersection.

(iv) On a crosswalk.

(v) Between a safety zone and the adjacent curb within 30 feet of points on the curb immediately opposite the ends of a safety zone, unless a different length is indicated by official traffic-control devices.

(vi) Alongside or opposite any street excavation or obstruction when stopping, standing or parking would obstruct traffic.

(vii) Upon any bridge or other elevated structure upon a highway or within a highway tunnel.

(viii) On any railroad tracks.

(ix) In the area between roadways of a divided highway, including crossovers.

(x) At any place where official signs prohibit stopping.

(2) Stand or park a vehicle:

(i) In front of a public or private driveway.

(ii) Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.

(iii) Within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.

(iv) Within 30 feet upon the approach to any flashing signal, stop sign, yield sign or traffic-control signal located at the site of a roadway.

(v) Within 20 feet of the driveway entrance to any fire station or, when properly sign posted, on the side of a street opposite the entrance to any fire station within 75 feet of the entrance.

(vi) Where the vehicle would prevent the free movement of a streetcar.

(vii) On a limited access highway unless authorized by official traffic-control devices.

(viii) At any place where official signs prohibit standing.

(ix) Within 30 feet upon the approach to a sign warning of the possible presence of a person with a disability in the vicinity of a roadway adjacent to the person's residence or the possible presence of a person with a disability frequently traversing the roadway at that location. This subparagraph shall not apply unless an enabling local ordinance has been passed. The ordinance may apply generally throughout the municipality or be site specific. The ordinance may specify the height of vehicles prohibited from parking in these locations. The enforcement of this subparagraph requires that a sign indicating the violation and amount of fine be posted at each applicable location. For purposes of this section, the term "disability" shall mean a hearing impairment or total or partial blindness.

(3) Park a vehicle:

(i) Within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing.

(ii) At any place where official signs prohibit parking.

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs...n=53&subsctn=0

So I was curious what a safety zone would be.. and it is:

"Safety zone." The area or space officially set apart within a roadway for the exclusive use of pedestrians.

https://law.justia.com/codes/pennsyl...chapter-1/102/

So I'm really, really at a loss as to this alleged law about parking opposite a driveway. The law is clear that you can't park in front of a driveway - but I'm parked on the complete opposite side of the street.

Any thoughts szug?

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by tyovan4

No, I dont have my own.

So, here's what I found in state law:


So I was curious what a safety zone would be.. and it is:



So I'm really, really at a loss as to this alleged law about parking opposite a driveway. The law is clear that you can't park in front of a driveway - but I'm parked on the complete opposite side of the street.

Any thoughts szug?

I have one, call the Town Attorney. I think what happened is that your neighbor read what you bolded and for some reason got a wild hair up his ass. He then called the Etna Public Works Department, maybe several times, maybe showed the boss what you bolded and became such a pest that the Department Head got tired of arguing, maybe he even came to believe the interpretation, and detailed a guy to paint the curb to make your neighbor go away.

[tyovan4]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

I have one, call the Town Attorney. I think what happened is that your neighbor read what you bolded and for some reason got a wild hair up his ass. He then called the Etna Public Works Department, maybe several times, maybe showed the boss what you bolded and became such a pest that the Department Head got tired of arguing, maybe he even came to believe the interpretation, and detailed a guy to paint the curb to make your neighbor go away.

Perhaps.
I may contact an attorney myself, but I'm not the type of person to put all of my eggs in one basket. With the diverse fountains of knowledge we have on this forum, I thought I'd ask in case anyone had ever experienced a similar situation or had knowledge to share.