A HOMEOWNER is begging for answers about how to deal with a neighbor who constantly parks in front of her garage.
Joyce Gale, who lives in Los Angeles, California, called for solutions, but city officials were unable to give a straight answer.
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Gale wrote to The Press-Company to ask for advice about the neighbor who blocks a few meters from your driveway.
She told the local newspaper that the driver does not completely block the road, but usually takes up enough space to make it difficult to remove the trailer or boat.
Parking is an important asset in his neighborhood, according to Gale, which is why cars are always lining the streets.
The question left her wondering if there are specific laws about parking in neighborhoods.
Under California state law, blocking someone’s entry is illegal and police have the right to tow the offender’s car.
There are also clear rules about parking in front of fire hydrants, blocking fire stations, or illegally occupying wheelchair-accessible spaces.
In general, drivers are encouraged not to encroach on sidewalks and to leave ample space without regard for property owners.
However, the issue of partially blocking a large driveway is less clear, according to city officials.
Some driveways have large side slopes that can take up a large area of space on residential roads.
It is up to the police to discern whether these side slopes count as part of a driveway.
According to Riverside Councilman Mike Soubirous, it’s a question of the letter of the law versus the spirit of the law because each municipality applies the rule differently.
Overall, it is up to a parking enforcement technician to evaluate the design of a driveway and determine whether a driver prevented the owner from exiting.
What to do if your car is towed
Unfairly or not, recovering a towed vehicle can be a hassle.
If your vehicle is towed after parking in a “No Parking” zone or other legitimate reason, there are some steps you can take to get it back.
Steps to follow when your car is towed:
- Try to find out why your car was towed. Haven’t you seen a “No Parking” sign? Did you miss your car payment? Have you returned to a lot where there were unpaid citations? Finding the reason may restrict the phone numbers to be dialed.
- Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some type of contact information via a posted or mailed sign.
- Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but these times will be posted on the website or may be provided by a representative.
- Pay the fees. Be careful to be as quick as possible, as some towing yards may charge per-day storage fees.
If you believe your vehicle was improperly towed, you can dispute the action by following these steps:
- Be quick – many states have a small window of time in which it is acceptable to file a claim against a company that improperly towed your vehicle.
- Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements, if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
- Familiarize yourself with local laws, as laws for towing companies vary by state.
- Try talking to the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight and the matter can be resolved quickly.
- Contact your local Justice of the Peace as they may have more information or resources to help. They are often used for towing cases.
- Speak to a lawyer. Many lawyers offer free consultations and, depending on the case, it may be worth calling on a lawyer.
Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak law firm
MORE PARKING DRAMA
Parking on public streets is generally legal, even in spaces in front of someone’s house.
However, it is important to note subdivisions operated by an HOA have unique rules to follow.
“Generally speaking, an individual citizen does not ‘own’ or have any continuing exclusive right to use a parking space on a public street,” he wrote Nolo Legal.
“These spaces are open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.”
The parking drama comes as another resident said her car had been towed four times in six months.
Shaquanta Dixon, who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, pointed the finger at a towing company that reported towing nearly 200 times from her apartment complex in the past two months.
And another driver had her car taken despite a flat tire that prevented her from moving.
Despite informing local authorities about the matter, she was still hit with $25 daily fines.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
