Backing into your driveway may soon be illegal in one US city

[kscarbel2]

Autoblog / July 6, 2015

Of all the pressing problems in the world, drivers might assume the manner in which they park their cars would fall pretty low on the priority list of any self-respecting municipality. But many recent news stories have shown otherwise.

The latest example of overzealousness in the parking-enforcement realm comes from Jacksonville, Florida, where city council members are mulling an ordinance that would make it illegal for residents to back into their driveways and park facing the street, unless their license-plate information was visible.

The proposal is intended to help city inspectors enforce rules that prohibit residents from storing cars that don't work on their property, reports The Florida Times-Union. Right now, the city's efforts to prevent such blight have hit a snag – with cars parked backward, they can't read the license plates and issue the citation.

So the current proposal would mandate that car owners either park their cars with their rears showing toward the street or, for cars backed into a driveway, the license-plate information must be displayed in two-inch-tall letters that can be seen from the street.

It's only one of several recent parking controversies. Two weeks ago, New Hampshire's highest court upheld the rights of a local group to feed strangers' parking meters before they expired. The city of Keene had argued the efforts of these vehicular Robin Hoods interfered with the city's contracts with meter maids. The group viewed the city's parking enforcement as a "municipal cash grab," writes TheNewspaper.com.

Earlier this year, a homeowners association in suburban Syracuse, New York, sued two of its residents who had the audacity to park their Ford F-150 pickup in their driveway. Provisions in the HOA's bylaws stated only "private, passenger-type pleasure automobiles" could be parked in driveways. Homeowner David Orlando said the pickup was a personal automobile and not used for any commercial purposes.

In late 2013, two men in Garden City, NY, were admonished by police officers as they prepared to wash their Volkswagen Golf in their home driveway. A local ordinance prohibits the washing of cars in public places. In a video of their encounter, the men tell the officers their driveway is not a private residence.

The officer responded, "It's still in public view."

[HeavyGunner]

Holy shit people have gone nuts! Glad to be out in B.F.E.

[hicrop10]

I think the state of New Jersey has a law that make it illegal to back your car out of your driveway onto a state road.

[HeavyGunner]

I think the state of New Jersey has a law that make it illegal to back your car out of your driveway onto a state road.

So they are supposed to stop in the state road then back into their driveway? Seems to be hazardous either way.

[Maddog13407]

New York State does also. its illegal to back your vehicle into any state road from a private road or driveway.

[41chevy]

I think the state of New Jersey has a law that make it illegal to back your car out of your driveway onto a state road.

Jersey City will fine you $50 for parking backed into your driveway or parking space. The City Consul and the J.C.P.D. got the law passed because " we cannot determine if a vehicle is is current on the registration as they have no registration sticker on the front tag...rear tag only.

[kscarbel2]

Jersey City will fine you $50 for parking backed into your driveway or parking space. The City Consul and the J.C.P.D. got the law passed because " we cannot determine if a vehicle is is current on the registration as they have no registration sticker on the front tag...rear tag only.

If one's car is parked on one's private property, the status of one's registration is none of the city's concern.

If and when the car departs one's private property and enters the public roadway, only at that time may the vehicle registration be scrutinized.

In whichever direction I park my car on my private property's driveway, is nobody's business but my own. Apparently, government officials in certain localities have too much idle time on their hands, and/or have pent-up dreams of attaining a draconian society within their jurisdiction.

[41chevy]

If one's car is parked on one's private property, the status of one's registration is none of the city's concern.

If and when the car departs one's private property and enters the public roadway, only at that time may the vehicle registration be scrutinized.

In whichever direction I park my car on my private property's driveway, is nobody's business but my own. Apparently, government officials in certain localities have too much idle time on their hands, and/or have pent-up dreams of attaining a draconian society within their jurisdiction.

BINGO!!! But most people will kowtow and drop into line. To much trouble to learn they are not wrong.

Now that said in Suffolk and Nassau counties in N.Y. you may not have any unregistered, damaged vehicles, boats or trailer. On my farm

I have antique tags and insurance on 28 vehicles...some of which have not rolled in 20 + years. Not thing one they can do about them. Kills them too.

[grayhair]

To busy with chicken sh1t pursuit of fines. No interest to work the dead case files, or investigate burglaries or muggings. Or, how about put down the friggin donut, get out of the car, and actually walk around the car if they want to see the license plate? Too much work I imagine.

If these stupid ordinances really bother you, maybe do a little research on the process, and then get with some like-minded citizens to get a recall petition going to remove your mayor and maybe some other city bureaucrats too. Could end up being more fun than not. Bureaucrats love a quite, compliant constituency. If they single you out for retribution, don't be afraid to sue them personally for malfeasance or abuse of power. Discriminating against you is a crime. If the discriminating parties supervisor knows about it and does nothing, then he too is a criminal, and so on right up to and including judges.

I do feel for you Northeasterners. City governments run amok. Fortunately we don't seem to have much of that bs down here in TX. Grew up in NJ and not going back...

[hatcity]

That's how you knew where the Volunteer fireman lived.

what if you are hooked up to a trailer?

[41chevy]

To busy with chicken sh1t pursuit of fines. No interest to work the dead case files, or investigate burglaries or muggings. Or, how about put down the friggin donut, get out of the car, and actually walk around the car if they want to see the license plate? Too much work I imagine.

If these stupid ordinances really bother you, maybe do a little research on the process, and then get with some like-minded citizens to get a recall petition going to remove your mayor and maybe some other city bureaucrats too. Could end up being more fun than not. Bureaucrats love a quite, compliant constituency. If they single you out for retribution, don't be afraid to sue them personally for malfeasance or abuse of power. Discriminating against you is a crime. If the discriminating parties supervisor knows about it and does nothing, then he too is a criminal, and so on right up to and including judges.

I do feel for you Northeasterners. City governments run amok. Fortunately we don't seem to have much of that bs down here in TX. Grew up in NJ and not going back...

Much goes through under "quality of Life" crap. Riverhead Township Code Enforcement told me one day that they are going to fly those little drones over properties looking for illegal sheds, additions, pools and "abandoned vehicles" The Deer in headlites look was priceless when my neighbor and I told him the camera on the drones last image from our properties will be the muzzle flash for violating our airspace and frightening our animals. Not as good a look as the woman whose going to let her dog into the field with my sheep "to Play" when I told her "if the dog goes in running, it will leave in a box. I'll shoot it". She called the town Sheriff who told her it is my legal right to shoot any animal attacking my live stock.

[grayhair]

And after you shoot her dog, drag her into small claims court for the vet bills and pet ambulance bill. And maybe a complaint against her for leash law violation. Jeez that would feel good I'd think.

[41chevy]

People here are stupid when it comes to any farm animal that's not a cow or horse. The neighbor has a dozen ir so goats. A local grade school teacher brings the class to see his goats. He see her handing out empty cans to the kids. When he asked the teacher why, she told him they saved them up to feed them to the goats. "They eat tin cans in the cartoons, so we brought them a snack" she said!

[Gmerrill0516]

We have front and rear plates around here so it doesn't matter really...still a joke to write ordinances on such matters...Our tax dollars at work!!

[41chevy]

We have front and rear plates around here so it doesn't matter really...still a joke to write ordinances on such matters...Our tax dollars at work!!

Jersey has the renewal sticker on the rear plate only. Just a way to legally steal money is all.

[Freightrain]

It's been 25 yrs ago, but there used to be "cruising" at the local city park. About a mile of road and lots of parking. We young'uns would cruise/park and hang out for the day. The police started issuing tickets for backing in. It used to be a big shuffle every time someone saw a cop turn into the park road. Ohio has plates on both ends, but ya, you can only see the renewal sticker on the back. Money hungry is all that is.

[grayhair]

Going back to the 60's and lots of us young drivers at the city park, the cop (1 of only two in town) would drive into the park to look us over and generally be a pain in the ass. When he left we would follow him, 20 or 30 or so cars in a row following him wherever he went. Driving slow and legally. Through town, back to the station, wherever. He stops, we stop. He goes, we go. Agitated the hell out of him. These days, would probably throw us in jail on some trumped-up charge.

Of course we weren't exactly saints either... Like throwing a chain around a porta-potty and dragging it down Main St. through town. One kid swiped the driveshaft out of the cops Chevy patrol car. Young, dumb, and time on our hands...

[Maddog13407]

the big rip of state of New York has two plates, yellow ugly ones and old white ones. coincidentally we VOTED down the new yellow ones and the following year we got them shoved down our throat anyways. if they wanted to save money, only issue one plate,, and our sticker are on the windshield for registration AND INSPECTION which is another scam.

[41chevy]

the big rip of state of New York has two plates, yellow ugly ones and old white ones. coincidentally we VOTED down the new yellow ones and the following year we got them shoved down our throat anyways. if they wanted to save money, only issue one plate,, and our sticker are on the windshield for registration AND INSPECTION which is another scam.

You do not like King Andrew? He eliminated our Public Utility Company and replaced it with PSEG. Privately owned with stock holders. (He and his girl friend own a few large blocs of stock in it.)

[Gmerrill0516]

I hadn't considered the registration sticker on the rear plate only...makes sense now. Same practice in Mass. I was thinking about the people who have camps in NH just accross the border and register their cars in the other state to save money on excise tax and insurance costs...That's another scheme they clamp down on from time to time. I follow the law.

Still nuts to tell someone how they can and can't park..