Parking next to a driveway

[Nage Waza]

What are the rules for parking next to a driveway? How far away do you have to be? We have a little feud going with a neighbor...

This is the story:

My wife leaves the Blue bin and garbage bags on the right side of the driveway, at the end of it on the road, just a foot or so to the side of the driveway (when looking from the house). The problem is the neighbor parks a car there for weeks at a time, so space is very limited. There is about a foot from her car to the driveway.
The other day my wife was pulling into the driveway and someone put the bluebin in the driveway, in her path to the garage. She got out of her car and moved it back to the road. Later when she was leaving someone moved the bin back onto the driveway. She had to get out and move it again. Remember, she has a baby with her. She got fed up with this 'game' and put a note on the car that is now parked (in the spot that our bin was) that asked them to stop moving the bin and to quit backing into our driveway (the driver does not do a three point turn, they would rather back into our driveway). The note was polite, my wife is not confrontational. She thought a note was the way to handle this. My wife thought they were moving the bin so they can park in that spot.
So the neighbors went off on me last night. I told them that the contents of the note do not justify their current behavior, and that kinda calmed them down. The wife was still pissed and got really angry a few times.
They claim that there will be hell to pay if our bin blows over and hits their car. I think it is their car that is the problem. The car might be small, but there is less than a foot on either side of it from my driveway and their driveway. I think the rule is 1.5 meters, is this true? Why are people such jerks? I tried to explain why the note was written and that because they might handle a situation differently does not make my wife's choice to write a note wrong, especially since it was well written and quite pleasant. At one point the neighbor got up and was yelling and swearing, I am not even sure what it was they were mad at.

What is the parking rule? Can you park a car without moving it for long periods of time on a public street a foot from a driveway?

[ken0042]

You may not park within 1.5 metres of a driveway

(Page 7)

[Barnes]

^^Yup. And in alleys, you need to leave room 1.5m for garbage bins as well. If you don't have an alley, I would assume it would be the same.

[Nage Waza]

Thanks guys, the car is about a 12 to 15 inches away. So if my bin blows over and hits their car, which is too close, is that their fault? What can I do about this? I certainly don't want to call the bylaw officer to ticket them. I simply want to put my garbage out. They neighbors somehow think we started this whole thing, I tried to tell them that is not the case, we simply are not left with a choice since they park there.

[Jayems]

Tell them not to move the bins again. If they're worried about their car, then politely inform them if they chose to park illegally, they suffer the risks associated with that. Those risks include ticketing and dents from flying recycling bins.

I think if you explained it properly, you wouldn't come off like you were threatening them and they might get the point to shut up and stop moving the bins or else they'll have to park elsewhere.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Nage Waza

Thanks guys, the car is about a 12 to 15 inches away. So if my bin blows over and hits their car, which is too close, is that their fault? What can I do about this? I certainly don't want to call the bylaw officer to ticket them. I simply want to put my garbage out. They neighbors somehow think we started this whole thing, I tried to tell them that is not the case, we simply are not left with a choice since they park there.

They sound like a couple of dipsh1ts. Can they not back up? Why not? Another driveway blocking them? Fine. Can they not understand that the way the garbage is collected interferes with their parking once per week? If not, I suggest parking in that spot. All the time. Buy a beater and park it there.

ps, if you need help "towing" a car out of your way, drop me a pm.

[Ryan Coke]

Couldn't find it in your link ken, but does anyone know if there is an actual law/bylaw about parking in front of supermailboxes? I haven't been able to find anything specific, but I thought I had seen something at some point.

[Nage Waza]

Thanks for all the great feedback! I think I might print this whole thread out and give it to them. Had it not been for their car, for them moving our bin, and for them reversing into our driveway several times a day (and we do have aggregate), none of this would be an issue. So why are they yelling at me? My wife basically had enough and wrote a letter (an extremely mild letter). Maybe printing this thread is the way to go.

[DOK]

WHAT? Sorry, bin or no bin, call by law and get a ticket written! Those laws aren't written for fun or for only when people get mad. They are laws like any other that need to be followed. It's not a snotty thing or overdoing it at all, it's the point.

Don't go figuring out if your bin hits their car when there is a completely valid bylaw on the books about parking 1.5m away from driveways. That solves all your issues right there without bothering about damage control from the bin.

I consider myself the local wacky by-law lady and have called 3 - 4 times in my neighborhood. Some guy though he could park his cab for his semi trailor on the street, which he did for a couple weeks until I called. Another time, these brats were climbing a tree, busting branches, and paiting the branches on the back path, again, a call, another was for someone dumping in a feild. To me, all legitamite issues! People will complain all day about these things going on in their neighborhoods but do nothing about it. OR they get into it with the neighbours, which generally doesn't help, drags it out, or causes more crap in the long run. By-law is confidential and legal.

To me, it's a rule as solid as a no parking sign sitting right on your driveway edge, "NO PARKING WITHIN 1.5M". You'd call in a heartbeat if there were a sign there, right?

[4X4]

Before you print it, hold on a sec... You make your wife take out the trash? Is that not the one chore that dudes are bound to?

Originally Posted by Nage Waza

My wife leaves the Blue bin and garbage bags on the right side of the driveway, at the end of it on the road, just a foot or so to the side of the driveway (when looking from the house).

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Before you print it, hold on a sec... You make your wife take out the trash? Is that not the one chore that dudes are bound to?

I don't take out our trash or set out our blue bin.

However, my wife parks in the back where the garbage goes and I park in the front. When our downstairs 'tenant' moves out and I am able to park in the back again I will most certainly be taking the responsibilities up again.

[SportsJunky]

Originally Posted by Daughterofkinger

WHAT? Sorry, bin or no bin, call by law and get a ticket written! Those laws aren't written for fun or for only when people get mad. They are laws like any other that need to be followed. It's not a snotty thing or overdoing it at all, it's the point.

Don't go figuring out if your bin hits their car when there is a completely valid bylaw on the books about parking 1.5m away from driveways. That solves all your issues right there without bothering about damage control from the bin.

I consider myself the local wacky by-law lady and have called 3 - 4 times in my neighborhood. Some guy though he could park his cab for his semi trailor on the street, which he did for a couple weeks until I called. Another time, these brats were climbing a tree, busting branches, and paiting the branches on the back path, again, a call, another was for someone dumping in a feild. To me, all legitamite issues! People will complain all day about these things going on in their neighborhoods but do nothing about it. OR they get into it with the neighbours, which generally doesn't help, drags it out, or causes more crap in the long run. By-law is confidential and legal.

To me, it's a rule as solid as a no parking sign sitting right on your driveway edge, "NO PARKING WITHIN 1.5M". You'd call in a heartbeat if there were a sign there, right?

Do you chase the kids away from in front of your house with a broom?

[Cowperson]

Nobody likes being told they're in the wrong and they don't like getting notes telling them that either. Some react better than others. They chose to react by trying to intimidate you.

Get a copy of the brochure. Circle the relevant line about 1.5 metres. Circle the picture of the car too. Attach a note to the brochure that reads:

"Regarding our conversation of the other day, please find attached a city brochure under the heading "Parking" indicating by-law fines of up to $75 can be applied to you in the instance we were discussing. We would rather not call the by-law people to resolve this but, if you are not willing to compromise and be in compliance, then we will have to. Please be considerate of our situation and help us out with this. Thank you."

Leave it on their car again.

Secure baseball bat for possible self-defence.

Cowperson

[Barnes]

You should add this portion to Cow's note.

'If the blue cart blows over and does damage to your car, please contact the owner of the cart at:

Calgary City Hall
P.O. Box 2100, Stn. M.
Calgary, AB Canada T2P 2M5
Mail Code #230'

[Flacker]

Originally Posted by Daughterofkinger

WHAT? Sorry, bin or no bin, call by law and get a ticket written! Those laws aren't written for fun or for only when people get mad. They are laws like any other that need to be followed. It's not a snotty thing or overdoing it at all, it's the point.

Don't go figuring out if your bin hits their car when there is a completely valid bylaw on the books about parking 1.5m away from driveways. That solves all your issues right there without bothering about damage control from the bin.

I consider myself the local wacky by-law lady and have called 3 - 4 times in my neighborhood. Some guy though he could park his cab for his semi trailor on the street, which he did for a couple weeks until I called. Another time, these brats were climbing a tree, busting branches, and paiting the branches on the back path, again, a call, another was for someone dumping in a feild. To me, all legitamite issues! People will complain all day about these things going on in their neighborhoods but do nothing about it. OR they get into it with the neighbours, which generally doesn't help, drags it out, or causes more crap in the long run. By-law is confidential and legal.

To me, it's a rule as solid as a no parking sign sitting right on your driveway edge, "NO PARKING WITHIN 1.5M". You'd call in a heartbeat if there were a sign there, right?

Do you talk to your NEIGHBOURS before calling in the law. People like you are destroyers of community, and if you lived on my street I'm sure I would have a pretty strong hate on for you. Talk to your neighbours politely or leave a carefully worded note, calling in Bylaw Bill just makes your neighbours enemies.

You and your ways madame turn neighbours into spatting little children. Are you also big on litigation!!

P.S. YOU SUCK!!

[Traditional_Ale]

Take off all their rims in the middle of the night while leaving it on bricks.

[Jimmy Stang]

Reminds of this past winter... I have a garage and park both cars in the back. I don't care who parks in front of my house.

However, when a car is parked there, the freezing and thawing of a Calgary winter creates a lot of ice as the sun can't hit the sidewalk, plus the front yard is sloped in such a way that the snow melts on the grass and flows onto the sidewalk, where it freezes. There were no cars parked in front my neighbour's house, yet every day he parked in front of my house. In the exact same spot so nothing would thaw.

Finally, after chipping ice away every day and spending a tonne of money on sidewalk salt this year, I went and asked if he'd mind parking in front of his own house as I am having a hell of a time with the ice from his car's shadow. His roommate replied "we know - that's why we park it there."

To his credit, he moved it for me and didn't make a big deal about it. But still - sitting there watching me through your front window while I chipped ice daily and salted it like crazy... kind of an ass move.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

Reminds of this past winter... I have a garage and park both cars in the back. I don't care who parks in front of my house.

However, when a car is parked there, the freezing and thawing of a Calgary winter creates a lot of ice as the sun can't hit the sidewalk, plus the front yard is sloped in such a way that the snow melts on the grass and flows onto the sidewalk, where it freezes. There were no cars parked in front my neighbour's house, yet every day he parked in front of my house. In the exact same spot so nothing would thaw.

Finally, after chipping ice away every day and spending a tonne of money on sidewalk salt this year, I went and asked if he'd mind parking in front of his own house as I am having a hell of a time with the ice from his car's shadow. His roommate replied "we know - that's why we park it there."

To his credit, he moved it for me and didn't make a big deal about it. But still - sitting there watching me through your front window while I chipped ice daily and salted it like crazy... kind of an ass move.

Black-out the front windows of his house.

EDIT: Holy crap I'm vengeful before first coffee!

[Nage Waza]

I think you guys nailed it, they responded to a very mild note with what they thought was intimidation. Says a lot about them. We left a note, they yelled. I think I will have a talk with the dad and reiterate my points and remind him that for several years we have had to deal with their car in front and adjust not only where we place our garbage but deal with difficult reversals out of our driveway and the lovely view of their car every day. Then the city throws the blue bin at all of us, we are just trying to do our thing and not bother anyone. Again, it is their car, their driving and their moving of our bin the resulted in a note. We are not complaining about the car and are not calling bylaw, but at least show us some respect and work with us here. Last night they were taking photos of our garbage! I should post them for everyone. I will do that next pic.

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by Nage Waza

I think you guys nailed it, they responded to a very mild note with what they thought was intimidation. Says a lot about them. We left a note, they yelled. I think I will have a talk with the dad and reiterate my points and remind him that for several years we have had to deal with their car in front and adjust not only where we place our garbage but deal with difficult reversals out of our driveway and the lovely view of their car every day. Then the city throws the blue bin at all of us, we are just trying to do our thing and not bother anyone. Again, it is their car, their driving and their moving of our bin the resulted in a note. We are not complaining about the car and are not calling bylaw, but at least show us some respect and work with us here. Last night they were taking photos of our garbage! I should post them for everyone. I will do that next pic.

Sounds like the gloves are off. Call the Bylaw officer. Or start parking your vehicle there so they have to park somewhere else. They must think that they are doing nothing wrong if they are taking photos of you putting your garbage just off to the side of your own driveway.