A MOTHER blocked a man’s entrance, stopping him from leaving – she said she had the right to because she was picking up her son from school.
He took matters into his own hands and people couldn’t decide who was really at fault.
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An elementary school in Saugus, Massachusetts, a town halfway between Boston and Salem, made headlines earlier this year for having no parking available for parents.
Desperate, parents resort to parking in the neighborhood around the school, which tends to generate tension between parents and local property owners.
In April, a woman went viral after parking her Ford F-150 Raptor in front of a man’s home, blocking his driveway and a fire hydrant.
The owner confronted the woman and asked her to leave, but she insisted that she had the right to park there as a mother.
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“Do you have the right to block my entry just because you’re picking up your kids?” he asked her in the video.
The owner chose to remain anonymous and said this has been an ongoing problem for years.
“[Parents] do this literally every day and it’s really out of control,” the owner told the CBS affiliate KCAL.
“This is an ongoing problem that has been going on for four or five years.”
The vehicle owner refused to move his truck, and in anger, the owner drove his work van forward and banged on the passenger door of his truck.
However, she decided not to pursue him legally.
“I’m not doing anything with this damage because I don’t want to cause him any more problems, but I don’t know if the situation has escalated as much as it has now,” she said.
USER REACTION
Ugo Lord, a popular lawyer on YouTube, reacted to the video and said blocking a driveway and fire hydrant is illegal — but the owner could be held liable for damage to her truck if she sued.
The original footage was also posted on Crime Liquid in Xsparking a serious debate among users about who was in the wrong.
One user demonstrated empathy but did not agree with the owner’s method.
Why is it illegal to block a driveway?
Blocking a driveway is illegal in the United States due to limiting access to emergency care.
In addition to being reckless, blocking a driveway is a serious safety hazard, cops say.
Blocking someone’s entryway is illegal in all 50 states, with fines and penalties varying by state.
For example, blocking a driveway in San Francisco, California can net a driver a hefty $286 towing fee and a $110 fine.
This does not include food to recover the vehicle from an impound lot, which costs on average more than $600.
In an emergency, a blocked entrance 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,” says Parklio’s website.
“It’s a matter of public safety: emergency services like fire trucks, ambulances or police cars need this space to enter and exit.
“An obstructed driveway can also prevent vehicles from getting out onto the road to seek emergency services.”
Source: San Francisco Police Department, Parquelio
“If that was my house and EVERY afternoon someone parked in front of my driveway when they came to pick up their kids, I would be REALLY pissed off too,” one user wrote.
“I can see how that would put pressure on someone. She was absolutely wrong to park there. HOWEVER, he himself should NOT have gone that far. He should have called the police to report him.”
Another sided with the mother, saying that while her actions were infuriating and illegal, that doesn’t absolve her of responsibility.
“Just because someone parks strangely doesn’t give you the right to hit their car,” they wrote.
“Legally he is in the wrong because of the last clear chance doctrine. He had the opportunity to avoid an accident and didn’t take it.”
Someone wrote that they both deserved to be reprimanded.
“You can’t hit the truck, they’re both wrong,” the comment said.
“She gets a ticket for blocking the driveway and for parking next for a fire hydrant. He also gets his for hitting her.”
Another person wrote that the owner shouldn’t have been surprised.
“Life happens,” they wrote.
“Let the woman take the kid. You bought property near a school and that’s the reality. This guy needs to relax.”
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
