[TomSwango]

Today when my wife got ready to leave for an appointment she found our driveway blocked by several large lawn mowers that had been unloaded from a trailer parked in front of our house.
Neither my wife or I saw the workmen so I pushed the lawn mowers back up onto the trailer.
After my wife left one of the workman can to my door. He said that he was calling the police because I touched his lawn mowers. I explained that his equipment was blocking my driveway. However, I considered him so upset, agitated and threatening that I closed the door and called the police.
I had video and audio of the entire exchange from my ring doorbell.
However, when the police arrived I was told that, It was illegal for me to "touch" the equipment blocking my drive but it was not illegal for the workers to block my drive with their unattended equipment.
When I said that made no sense to me one of the officers offered that there was no criminal intent when the workmen blocked my driveway with their equipment and left.
This makes absolutely no sense to me. Am I to believe that if I park on the street and block another owner's driveway so that the owner can not get his car out that I have not broken a law. Would someone please explain to me what I am missing?

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by TomSwango

Today when my wife got ready to leave for an appointment she found our driveway blocked by several large lawn mowers that had been unloaded from a trailer parked in front of our house.
Neither my wife or I saw the workmen so I pushed the lawn mowers back up onto the trailer.
After my wife left one of the workman can to my door. He said that he was calling the police because I touched his lawn mowers. I explained that his equipment was blocking my driveway. However, I considered him so upset, agitated and threatening that I closed the door and called the police.
I had video and audio of the entire exchange from my ring doorbell.
However, when the police arrived I was told that, It was illegal for me to "touch" the equipment blocking my drive but it was not illegal for the workers to block my drive with their unattended equipment.
When I said that made no sense to me one of the officers offered that there was no criminal intent when the workmen blocked my driveway with their equipment and left.
This makes absolutely no sense to me. Am I to believe that if I park on the street and block another owner's driveway so that the owner can not get his car out that I have not broken a law. Would someone please explain to me what I am missing?

Did you have criminal intent when you moved the mowers? I’m not impressed with that cop from the info provided.

[graciegirl]

I am thinking that something is being left out of this narrative.

Calling the police is done a lot, but this whole situation seems far fetched. We have been here for more than a dozen years and no landscapers ever "blocked our driveway" so that we couldn't back out, and no way would we have tried to muscle their equipment onto their carrier. We would have found them and asked them to move if they were obstructing our way. And they would have I am sure. Why didn't you read the name of the business and call the owner??? Were these riding mowers? Share your pictures so we can better understand.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I agree there's something not being represented in the OP.

Basically - if something is not on YOUR property - and the thing that is not on your property, is also not your property, then you have no legal right to touch it. So a lawn mower (not your property) is on the street (not your property) then you have no legal right to touch it.

HOWEVER

If that lawn mower is blocking your legal access from your driveway to a public road, you DO have the right to confront the owner and have him move the lawnmower. If he refuses, you can call the police, who will order him to move it and probably issue him a citation for blocking your access to the road.

[Nucky]

There are times that the Old Tri-State Attitude would come in handy. This might be one of them. The Landscaper did not use his head Twice. Blocking Your Egress is Numero Uno, Calling the Police Numero Dos. The Landscaper was lucky that the Officer was his Brother or Sister in Law.

The Temperature is about 5000 Degrees today, the Landscaper is working on Sunday and or behind the Eight Ball because of the resent rain adding to his or her frustration. Still no excuse for being inconsiderate.

One thing that may have not set The Landscaper on Fire would have been if you moved the lawnmower to the side of the Trailer instead of inside The Trailer. It is about 5000 Degrees Today, did I mention that? Entering the trailer or coming close to move the Lawnmower probably set them off.

I feel your pain and feel bad for you having to go thru this. I know it can be unnerving. It may have been in your best interest to call Community Watch immediately. They usually come running quickly when needed.

I side with you totally.

[Velvet]

I know someone in my family (not me) who would have backed right into the lawnmower and then sued the guy for damages to his car.

[Marathon Man]

Yea. I think this comes under the old "taking the law into your own hands". By taking action, you became the person who was in the wrong.

[Velvet]

Probably, but he would have done it anyways. Usually, a very considerate person. There are limits. Unless there was absolutely no place on the street to put that equipment, or it was there for a minute....

[EdFNJ]

Whoever said it never happens they are wrong. It does happen. My entire double wide driveway is blocked by a landscapers superlong truck and extra wide trailer that mow properties on either side of me once a week. Fortunately it is usually before we need to use it. One time we did need it and they were upset they had to stop mowing to move down 1 house (to the one that they were mowing).


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[Bogie Shooter]

The only one who can answer your question is the officers boss. Responses here are just opinion........

[Blackie]

Statutes & Constitution
:View Statutes
:

Online Sunshine

Section 12.b.1

This statute appears to cover vehicles but maybe not the mowers.

[Polar Bear]

It’s not legal to block a driveway.

Statutes & Constitution
:View Statutes
:

Online Sunshine

As Blackie said, who beat me to it. (Although I’d bet a nickel the mowers would be just as illegal. )

[Velvet]

Would it make a difference as to whether the street is owned by Developer (private) or municipality? Are the rules the same? In any case it takes a very rude person to block a driveway IF they have alternatives and so they should expect consequences.

One thing that occurred to me is that in the summer many people are gone and the contractor may have expected the property to be vacant unless there was a car in the driveway or something.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by Velvet

One thing that occurred to me is that in the summer many people are gone and the contractor may have expected the property to be vacant unless there was a car in the driveway or something.

All our homes have garages. Most folks park their cars in their garage so, no, one can not expect a car in the driveway as an indication that someone is home.

Any contractors who block someone's driveway is WRONG!

[Villagevip]

This incident, one of the many reasons I do my own lawn.. From the mower peoples I've experienced, the hostility, bad attitudes towards villagers is omnipresent.. Ergo, I bought the complete set, of EGO battery powered, lawn equipment..This, makes the labor easy, and effortless, nice little workout... But, I digress....