[vintageogauge]

It might have been better if you just pushed the mowers away from your driveway and out into the street, left with your wife and allow them to deal with the cars that could not get through. And always remember that bleach on rubber tires will destroy them.

[Shimpy]

I would find it impossible for me to push one of those suv size mowers up a ramp into a trailor. You must be in good shape.

[Velvet]

It’s amazing what you can do when you’re angry enough. Adrenaline.

Also police officer don’t quite get things right sometimes, they are only human. Sometimes it is worth going to their supervisor with photos. There is a story but it would take the thread off topic.

[TomSwango]

My only intent was to move the mowers out of the way so could get her car out of the driveway.

[TomSwango]

Your are welcome to review the video recording of the interaction with the lawn people and the police if you want to. Just let me know when you want to come by. best wishes, Tom

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by TomSwango

My only intent was to move the mowers out of the way so could get her car out of the driveway.

I still don't get why you didn't just ask them to move the mowers. Not in a challenging way, or accusatory way, but as a request from one civilized person to another.

"Hey there - my wife needs to get out of the driveway, mind moving your mowers please?"

If they say no, make a fuss. If they move them, problem solved, no police needed at all.

Even if it was against the law for them to block the driveway - it is also not lawful for you to move THEIR property without their permission.

[graciegirl]

Has anyone reading this had their driveway blocked by someone? We haven't, ever. Once in awhile it may be inconvenient to back out because someone working at someone's house is parked across the street from our driveway, but just some patience is required and careful backing is required.

[TomSwango]

According to the police who responded I had "no right" to touch (move) the equipment. When my wife called the police to complain she was told by the "supervisor" that the police do not have time to issue citation for everyone who blocks someone's driveway. While this may be true it is also true that one can not expect people to stop blocking driveways when there are no consequences for their actions. In this situation the police were already here and there was a video recording. However, the police made a conscious decision not to issue any type of citation or warning. I would suggest there is no reason to expect an individual to obey the rules we all live by, when there is no consequences for not ignoring the rules we find inconvenient or do not like. For one to picking and chose which rules they will obey is tantamount to not having any rules at all.

[B-flat]

Originally Posted by 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.

Love it!

[ThatOneGuy]

Below is directly from Florida law. The important items are that parking in front of a private driveway is prohibited. Doing so is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation.

316.1945 Stopping, standing, or parking prohibited in specified places.—

(1) Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or official traffic control device, no person shall:
(b) Stand or park a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except momentarily to pick up or discharge a passenger or passengers:
1. In front of a public or private driveway.

(3) A law enforcement officer or parking enforcement specialist who discovers a vehicle parked in violation of this section or a municipal or county ordinance may:
(a) Issue a ticket form as may be used by a political subdivision or municipality to the driver; or
(b) If the vehicle is unattended, attach such ticket to the vehicle in a conspicuous place, except that the uniform traffic citation prepared by the department pursuant to s. 316.650 may not be issued by being attached to an unattended vehicle.
The uniform traffic citation prepared by the department pursuant to s. 316.650 may not be issued for violation of a municipal or county parking ordinance.

(4) A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.

Statutes & Constitution
:View Statutes
:

Online Sunshine

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by TomSwango

According to the police who responded I had "no right" to touch (move) the equipment. When my wife called the police to complain she was told by the "supervisor" that the police do not have time to issue citation for everyone who blocks someone's driveway. While this may be true it is also true that one can not expect people to stop blocking driveways when there are no consequences for their actions. In this situation the police were already here and there was a video recording. However, the police made a conscious decision not to issue any type of citation or warning. I would suggest there is no reason to expect an individual to obey the rules we all live by, when there is no consequences for not ignoring the rules we find inconvenient or do not like. For one to picking and chose which rules they will obey is tantamount to not having any rules at all.

If you were dropping your wife off at the doctor's office and parked in front of the wheel chair ramp of the sidewalk and was walking your wife to the front door a few steps away, and someone with a wheelchair was trying to come down that ramp, would it be okay if the person pushing behind the wheelchair to get into your car and move it out of their way?

Or would you prefer it if they simply asked you to move the car?

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by Jazuela

If you were dropping your wife off at the doctor's office and parked in front of the wheel chair ramp of the sidewalk and was walking your wife to the front door a few steps away, and someone with a wheelchair was trying to come down that ramp, would it be okay if the person pushing behind the wheelchair to get into your car and move it out of their way?

Or would you prefer it if they simply asked you to move the car?

Sometimes the analogies in here drive me crazy. Yes, we have had lawn companies park blocking our driveways several times and they weren’t our lawn cutters. We asked them nicely to move once, so we could keep an appointment. After walking up the street 3 houses and locating them, they barely pulled ahead and we had to maneuver carefully to back out of our drive. Passive/aggressive.

Why should anyone have to be put through that in this heat or if they are sick or elderly? We ended the nonsense by parking our vehicle in front of our driveway on lawn mowing day.

Having to defend opening up your own driveway is ludicrous. What’s wrong with people defending that behavior?

[graciegirl]

Because people can come on here and "say" anything. Sometimes an important part is left out or downplayed.

I sort of determine what is the is the right thing to do by what my husband would do, and he would NEVER move someone's equipment. He would probably jump in the golf cart, go over the curb, I think the OP is on a corner lot if Tom Swango is his real name, and drive me to my appointment if it was golf cart accessible, or take the golf cart and drive up to the landscaper and wave his hands and say..."Hey bud, I can't get out of our driveway and my wife is having a baby". Or something like that. Or call the business owner and tell him that he has to have his tonsils removed and his dumb fanny grass cutter is blocking the driveway. Most people would use language to solve this.

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by Aces4

Why should anyone have to be put through that in this heat or if they are sick or elderly? We ended the nonsense by parking our vehicle in front of our driveway on lawn mowing day.

Having to defend opening up your own driveway is ludicrous. What’s wrong with people defending that behavior?

Your solution is the best!! Creative. Too bad though that you have to go to that trouble.

[Midnight Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by TomSwango

Your are welcome to review the video recording of the interaction with the lawn people and the police if you want to. Just let me know when you want to come by. best wishes, Tom

I hope you got the name of the officer with whom you spoke.
Even if you don't know his name, it might be worth it to speak to that officer's superior and show him your video.