[Nucky]

Wouldn't it be something if that contractor had nowhere to park when they show up this week because your neighbors backed you up and parked legally in front of their homes? Maybe the Landscaper would end up parking a block away. Maybe the Landscaper will come this week knowing they did you dirty and apologizes and corrects their behavior. I wonder if the contractor has shown proof of insurance to the customer they were servicing? I wonder if the registration on the Truck & Trailer are up to date.

It was a great idea to go find the contractor of course that is if the Blockee is physically capable of doing so.

[karostay]

Lets hear an explanation from someone who's retired from law enforcement
Any retired policemen here ?

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by karostay

Lets hear an explanation from someone who's retired from law enforcement
Any retired policemen here ?

I would like to too.

My reaction is based on my belief that if a law enforcement officer says something, that something should be respected, direction followed and that is that. They have no reason in this instance to be "against" the OP. I still feel we are missing some valuable piece of information, or some valuable part of the conversation or something.

I will continue to have faith in law enforcement until something valid changes my mind.

[anarick]

I’ve had to tell my landscaper to move his car from in front of my neighbors driveway once or twice.
Maybe speaking with the neighbor who’s getting serviced asking them nicely to have their contractor to move would work better.

[Jackie vohs]

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?

it is illegal as if you have a medical emergency and can't get out or the paramedics can't get in to transport from your home to the vehicle, you can sue the landscaping companies.

[BobnBev]

Originally Posted by 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

Note the word VEHICLE in the law. A lawnmower is not a vehicle.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by Phil_Linda

Why would one be so mad about this? I have had my driveway blocked a bit and all I did was find the landscape guy and ask him to move the mower, he said he sure would and said he was sorry for leaving it there. Said he was all backed up and just unloaded another mower before he needed it.
I have found that just being nice is the best way to handle most situations. Heck we are all retired here and should be the happiest people on earth.
Now, I have to add this I am sure glad that I don't have a neighbor like one mentioned here that he would intentionally back into the equipment then sue, that in my opinion is not a very good person.
“For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.”

I think if you would read through the posts, you would see where the lawn mowing personnel was asked nicely to do just that.

Perhaps it would be best if that message was shared with the landscapers.

As a side note, we were the only home out of many who did not have a contract with that company since we had contracted with the landscaping company who designed and maintained our beautiful yard.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by WalkerLoop

It is illegal to block access to a public street in Florida. The police officer was correct, in that you cannot touch/move the lawn mowers equipment, but the lawn mowing company is legally required to move their equipment or they can be fined and potentially arrested if they decline the officer's request.

Best solution we found is to park one’s vehicle on the street in front of your driveway.

By the time the cops get down their call list and swing by an hour later, they’re gone. It’s not high priority.

[Aces4]

Originally Posted by kcrazorbackfan

Good god, quit making a mountain out of a molehill. Go find the owner - HE CAN’T BE FAR AWAY - and just explain that your wife is needing to leave and ask him to move the mowers. Problem solved. From a retired LEO’s standpoint, do not touch another persons possessions.

BTW, what part of the US did you move from?

I find dissing this issue by law enforcement, in one form or another, remarkable. I only hope an officer shortly has the same issue week after week so he could develop insight to the situation.

Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill, what’s wrong with simply pushing the “in the street mower” out of the way? Weird law to enforce, in my mind.

I also don’t understand the shot asking the OP from where he originated.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by kcrazorbackfan

Good god, quit making a mountain out of a molehill. Go find the owner - HE CAN’T BE FAR AWAY - and just explain that your wife is needing to leave and ask him to move the mowers. Problem solved. From a retired LEO’s standpoint, do not touch another persons possessions.

BTW, what part of the US did you move from?

[tophcfa]

I have to side with the OP on this based on his story. I would have done the same thing, look for the landscapers, and if I couldn't find them, push the mowers out of the way to a safe location. No harm, no foul. No intent to harm the equipment and my driveway is no longer blocked, seems like a no brainier.

[NoMoSno]

Hats off to the OP if he was able to push a zero turn up the ramp and onto a trailer without getting a hernia.

[Marathon Man]

OK. Everyone agrees that they should not have parked there. But, the OP did not have the right to move the mower. It was on the street, not on his property. That is the question he is asking - "Was I wrong for moving the mower". Yes it is an inconvenience that many of us have gone through. But you just have to go looking for them to move it.

When someone does something wrong, that does not give you the right to do something wrong back. We all taught our children that.

[GrumpyOldMan]

I agree OP should not have touched the mower. Never touch anyone elses property regardless.

But, and there is always a but. He if the person that came to his door was not the owner of the company, he should start a campaign to blast the company on the interest.

I have no problem with them parking on the roads. They have to park somewhere. But they do NOT have to block driveways. PERIOD. The people should be aware of that companies actions and and they should pay for being rude with negative publicity.

Frank

[wielen]

I would think that the people that dropped them mowers off should be smart enough to not put them at the end of someone’s driveway! That is not a good move to begin with!!! What if an emergency would have occurred?? Use your head people!!!