Week in and week out, some of the most popular posts on the Melrose Village Blog concern what to do if a car is blocking your driveway. That tells us that driveway-blocking is a problem for many homeowners in Los Angeles.

Here are some of the reader comments we have received in response to our posts:

Thanks for this. Sometimes I’ll see someone park partially blocking a driveway and point out that they can be ticketed for that. Often they will say “Oh, they can get out.” Maybe they can. Maybe they can’t – due to the narrow street, the width of their car, a car on the other side of the driveway. In any case, blocking ANY part of the driveway can result in a ticket. By the way, at the Parking Enforcement number, the menu selection for reporting someone blocking the driveway is “2.”

I have used this service a couple of times. They are prompt. And I was very happy to have an unobstructed driveway again.

Thank you so much for this post. I found the number to call much quicker here than trying to navigate the city parking website. I, too get many repeat offenders blocking my driveway and it is exactly as you all above have said, it’s difficult if not dang near impossible to get out. Please keep this article posted! I’m sure many others will appreciate the help, as well! Cheers.

Thanks for the information. I did indeed find this article because I thought I’d better get a number as this happens a lot in our area. The latest incident occurred when someone down the street lent her car to a (former) friend who brought it back at night, couldn’t find a spot, and so decided to almost entirely block my neighbor’s driveway. Cost: $295. Somehow people think it’s okay to block a driveway at night, figuring they’ll move before anyone needs to get out in the morning. Guess they don’t think about people doing shift work, emergencies, or someone coming home late.

Thanks so much for the info! It’s now 11:15 am on a Sunday and the car that decided to completely block our driveway last night, still hasn’t gotten their lazy arse up. So now they are getting towed.

Thanks for the info! The driving to my apartment building is currently blocked and I just gave this number a call. They are sending someone out right now!

For the record, here is what you should do if a car is blocking your driveway:

Blocking someone’s driveway is not just rude, it’s illegal. If it happens to you, you can get the car towed. Just call L.A. Parking Enforcement at (213) 485-4184. When the recorded message starts, press 2 to reach a live operator.

We have found that Parking Enforcement is very prompt and effective. (Perhaps because they generate revenue for the City, which is very much needed, especially these days.) On the few occasions we have called to get a car towed, Parking Enforcement officers have arrived in less than an hour.

If you don’t want to have the car towed, but you do want the offending parker to know that they should not have blocked your driveway, you can ask that the car be given a ticket.

You don’t need to be there for Parking Enforcement to give out just a ticket. But you do need to be present to get a car towed, so that you can show you are a resident, and that your driveway is being blocked.

We are sometimes asked if we have any qualms about getting someone’s car towed. The answer is No, Not At All. That obnoxious parker is preventing someone from getting to work, a meeting, or an appointment. And what if there were an emergency, but you could not even get out of your own driveway?

If a car is blocking any part of your driveway, get it towed – immediately.