NOT FINE
My neighbor’s contractor won’t stop blocking my driveway – he got a fine for his parking & they want me to pay for it
Social media users were clear about who they believe is at fault
A HOMEOWNER is fed up after getting blocked in his own driveway multiple times — and then being asked to pay for the offender's parking ticket.
The man said the delays made him late to pick up his children from school and continued despite his polite requests to move the illegally parked vehicle.
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He shared his story and asked for advice about whether he should pay the fine on Reddit.
"AITA for calling parking enforcement on my neighbor's contractor?" user emanon256 titled late last year.
The homeowner went on to explain that the car belonged to a contractor hired by his neighbor and that he was in touch with both men about the parking issue.
"Two weeks ago my neighbor's contractor parked on the street blocking my driveway. I found him and asked him to move," the user said.
He said the contractor asked him for 30 minutes, to which the homeowner replied that he could give him 10 minutes maximum before he absolutely had to leave to retrieve his children.
Although the contractor agreed to 10 minutes, he was "upset" and did not move his parked car for 15 minutes.
The delay caused the Redditor to be late picking up his kids.
"I got to school 2 min after pickup and my daughter was waiting in the office. When I got back he was blocking my driveway again, I couldn’t find him."
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The user's neighbor was eventually able to track down the contractor, who moved his car an hour later.
STRIKES #1, #2, and #3
Emanon256 claims that the parking fiasco repeated itself just days later.
'I can't believe it,' fumes furious homeowner ordered to pay $1,500 in parking fines - she doesn't even own the car
"Early last week, he parked blocking my driveway again, fortunately, while I was out."
"I parked on the street and I couldn’t find him, I texted the neighbor again, who tracked him down and got him to move. It still took him an hour to move," the user recounted.
But the contractor still didn't learn his lesson.
"Then last Friday, I got parked in again, and the contractor was on the roof. He said he couldn’t come down until he finished things," emanon256 said.
And this time, the situation resulted in the homeowner having to call a friend to ask for help when he couldn't access his own car.
"I texted my neighbor and he said he was out and the contractor wasn’t answering. I had to get a ride from someone else to get my kids."
I think I am justified in calling parking enforcement after this happened multiple times.
emanon256
The contractor did not seem to care that there was a problem.
"The contractor was still there when I got back, so I called parking enforcement and they came and gave the contractor a ticket for blocking my driveway."
WHO'S AT FAULT?
The homeowner was frank when he asked others who they thought was to blame for the parking problem — and who should have to pay the fine.
"The neighbor is pissed and called me an a**hole for calling parking enforcement and since I was able to get a ride from someone else I should have let it go."
"He also said his contractor is pissed and wants me to pay the fine," he claimed.
"I think I am justified in calling parking enforcement after this happened multiple times."
Why is it illegal to block a driveway?
Blocking a driveway is illegal in the United States due to the limiting of access to emergency care.
Aside from being inconsiderate, blocking a driveway is a serious safety hazard, cops say.
Blocking the driveway of someone's home is illegal in all 50 states, with fines and penalties varying by state.
For instance, blocking a driveway in San Francisco, California can earn a driver a hefty towing $286 fee and a $110 ticket.
That's not including the feed to retrieve the vehicle from an impound lot, which averages over $600.
In an emergency, a blocked driveway can mean the difference between life and death for a patient.
"In the United States, it is illegal to block a driveway, even your own," reads Parklio's website.
"It's a matter of public safety: emergency services like fire trucks, ambulances, or police cars need that space to get in and out.
"An obstructed driveway might also prevent vehicles from pulling out onto the road to seek emergency services."
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ON THE SIDE OF THE HOMEOWNER
Many fellow Redditors agreed with the homeowner.
"You do realize that after the first time, this guy was most likely parking in front of your driveway on purpose, right? He was just being pissy because you told him to move his a**," one person commented.
"You're nicer than me. A ticket is nothing. I would've had him towed," another added.
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"My answer to how long could I wait would be 'Ask the tow driver when they get here,'" a third replied.
"Yeah far nicer to me. If a neighbor came to be ahead of time and said hey I gotta park here for a few because of this reason, I'd let them. That said there isn't much of a reason to block my driveway," a fourth suggested.
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