Driveway Etiquette???!?!?!? Hmmmmmm...

[TiffanyA]

I personally do not like using someone else's driveway unless told to. There is usually a garage in front of the driveway and I fear that I am blocking people in. There could also be multiple people living in the household and I do not want to block them from be able to park either. Unless it's for strictly drop-off/pick-up, I will always opt for street parking if it's jsut as convenient.

That said, I don't find it rude per se either and have parked in the driveway if I can find no convenient street parking. There have been couple of instances where I did park in the driveway and been asked to move - usually because a person who lived in the home was arriving and needed to park in the garage. When I park in the driveway now and will be there for an extended period of time, I mention it on the way in. If it's an issue and there is no street parking, they usually tell me I can just re-park when access is needed for the garage, but I prefer to re-park as I dislike having to go out and re-park once I've relaxed.

But let me say, no one has ever been offended! I really don't understand the "rude" thing.

Uh oh, zombie post!!

 

[Chocolate Cake]

Our HOA does not like cars on the street. Besides, if you have a guest over, of course they should park in your driveway. Why on earth wouldn't they?

 

[Chocolate Cake]

Ooooh! I got ZOMBIED! LOL!

Oh well. I like a good Zombie Post. No harm

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I usually just pull into their driveway. I've never thought about not doing that. Several of my DD's friends live on busy streets where there is no street parking so I have to.

When her friends come here, their parents pull into our driveway as well - it's a narrow street and much safer to do so.

LOL - Just noticed this was a very old post. Oh well............

 

[PrincessShmoo]

 

[Stacy's a freak]

Ok - continuing with the Zombie stuff - but this is SO timely for me! Well, about 11 months ago we bought and moved into a new house. We had a few get togethers with friends and family and some parked in the driveway and some in front of our house on the road - we are fine with either. In one instance, I hosted a baby shower for my sister in law and I did not personally know some of the people invited. One of the unknown guests and her young daughter were accosted by this neighbor saying that she was very rude to park on the street in front of the neighbor's house even though our driveway was full. This car did not block the neighbor's driveway.

Well this across the street neighbor sent an "anonymous" letter shortly after that stating in the most condescending tone that people should not be parking on the road and certainly should not park in front of her house. She also said that people turning around in her driveway was against the law and copied her supposed attorney on the letter. Well, I wanted to respond in a sarcastic way but cooled off and never responded. It is now 9 months later and there have been no more letters (and we warned our friends to steer clear) but she routinely parks her own car at a 90 degree angle across the base of her driveway to dissuade others from using it AND she has even laid snow shovels end to end on the base of her driveway to make people avoid it. Truly, I have never seen anyone use her driveway but her. So odd!

 

[Pembo]

I never thought about it being rude to park in someone's driveway but I guess that explains why some people park in the street. We have a 3 car driveway that is very long. We could probably fit 9 cars and yet people do park in the street even when they are the only one coming over.

My personal pet peeve is when someone does park in your driveway, they park in the middle blocking both cars in the garage. However that usually is one of our kids friends.

 

[Kitty 34]

Have you guys noticed that a lot of these "Zombie" threads have to do with being rude or not??? Just saying........

 

[MissManda]

If I'm going to a house and staying for a while, I will usually park on the street (if street parking is available). I don't want to worry about blocking someone in or myself being blocked in by other's guests that might be over. If I'm pulling up just long enough to run in, pick up a kid, drop something off, and not really staying for a visit, I will either park in the driveway. (I may also park on the street, depending on what's the easiest). I had no idea it would be considered rude to park in someone's driveway.

 

[pryncess527]

Besides, if you have a guest over, of course they should park in your driveway. Why on earth wouldn't they?

Agreed!
and who cares if they are blocking me in! If I have guests over, it seems safe to say I'm probably not also running errands . . . If I need to leave, they are probably leaving too . . .

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I don't park in other people's driveways. That's rude.

Damn it, did it again!

 

[rndmr2]

Have you guys noticed that a lot of these "Zombie" threads have to do with being rude or not??? Just saying........

I have noticed that but also notice that I come across them in the first place by clicking on those things at the bottom of the page where it gives a thread title and whoever the OP is Avatar pic..

 

[Jeff_G]

Zombie thread for sure; but don't you find it funny we park in a driveway and drive in a parkway?

 

[marius97]

No matter how hard I try...I can't find the rudeness in parking in someone else's driveway (assuming that you aren't knowingly blocking someone in.) We've been hosting the family Thanksgiving?Christmas dinners for a number of years now and it confounds me how no one parks in our driveway. We could easily get a number of cars in our driveway, but no one ever parks there. My policy has always been if I have little kids or old people, park in the driveway. If not, park in the street so those with little ones or old people could park closer.

 

[nkereina]

We have alternate parking so there isn't much room on the street typically. But even so, it would never even occur to me to NOT park in someone's driveway as a visitor. If I knew my car was leaking, that would be different, but otherwise I see no reason why someone shouldn't park in the driveway if there is enough room and no one is being blocked that needs to leave right away.

 

[emma'smom]

I think its rude when neighbors have guests over who park on the street instead of telling them to park in their driveway as it just makes it more difficult for those of us living in the area to back in and out of our own driveways. Why have your guests clog the streets? Why make it hard on your hosts by ticking off their neighbors?

 

[tzolkin]

I think this is completely a "where you live" type of thing.

It would never have occurred to me to not park in someone's driveway (and I can't fathom how it's "rude"). Where I lived before was a very rural area so there was no way you could park cars on a two lane road with no shoulder where people drive 55+, then there was also the hike from the road to the house. It also snowed an average of 15 feet, so even if you were visiting someone in a town, you would still use their driveway so the plows could get through.

We moved to NC last year and I noticed that everyone parks on the street. I can understand if you're having a large gathering and you need the extra parking, but I noticed even if just two people are visiting someone they will still park on the street even though there is plenty of driveway space. My neighborhood is actually designed for guests to park on the street, since the driveways are behind the houses. Probably since it's the norm here anyway.

 

[mom2rtk]

Have you guys noticed that a lot of these "Zombie" threads have to do with being rude or not??? Just saying........

The only thing better than a good zombie thread is a good zombie conspiracy thread!

 

[mjkacmom]

I think this is completely a "where you live" type of thing.

It would never have occurred to me to not park in someone's driveway (and I can't fathom how it's "rude"). Where I lived before was a very rural area so there was no way you could park cars on a two lane road with no shoulder where people drive 55+, then there was also the hike from the road to the house. It also snowed an average of 15 feet, so even if you were visiting someone in a town, you would still use their driveway so the plows could get through.

We moved to NC last year and I noticed that everyone parks on the street. I can understand if you're having a large gathering and you need the extra parking, but I noticed even if just two people are visiting someone they will still park on the street even though there is plenty of driveway space. My neighborhood is actually designed for guests to park on the street, since the driveways are behind the houses. Probably since it's the norm here anyway.

It's considered rude here. Parking in someone's driveway without permission would be using the master bathroom, instead of the guest bathroom. In both cases, sometimes it's necessary, so you ask. On occasion, if I'm just dropping something off, or picking up a child, and there is limited street parking, I'll pull into the driveway, and apologize.

One of the early signs of my dads ahlzeimers was when he started parking in my driveway for no reason, even when I asked him not too (tons of street parking in front of my house, driveways are in back).

 

[tzolkin]

It's considered rude here. .

I acknowledge that it is considered rude in some places, I just don't really get the logic behind the sentiment.

I don't argue with anyone who feels that way. I just go along with it as a local custom. The first time I went to someone's house for a meeting and noticed the two other people had parked on the street instead of in the empty driveway, I followed suit. (I do find it funny that I constantly hear people complain about how many cars are parked on the street, yet no one would dream of being "rude" by parking in the empty driveways instead.)

I also accept that people here wear shoes inside so I have no issue with my guests doing so, but that was unheard of (and would have been considered extremely rude) where I lived before.