Tickets For Blocking Sidewalk

[Hartmann]

I received one of these this morning. I know that I was in violation and will pay the fine but I have a serious problem with the law. The "reason" that is given for this law is that it allows the handicapped in wheelchairs to use the sidewalks. Not where I am in the Heights. Where my street's sidewalk intersects the cross street it is a curb drop-off (no ramp). Good luck if you're in a wheelchair.

So I get a ticket for directing those in wheelchairs to a safe path and in a few weeks we'll hear about some poor soul going off the curb on my street.

I'm sure someone on the street reported that multiple cars were parked down the block who were in violation. The city's answer for people going 50mph down my street is to ticket the parked cars.

Now for an actual question, is there any ordinance out there that would keep me from blocking my own driveway with my car?

Edited November 24, 2009 by Hartmann

[kylejack]

Who told you the reason was wheelchairs? What about regular pedestrians as well? The law is fine, don't block a public right-of-way.

[Urbannomad]

No offense, but I'm glad to hear they are starting to ticket for blocking sidewalks in the heights. It's hard enough to try and walk on our patchwork sidewalks without cars blocking them as well!

I'd have to research the actual ordinance, but yes it's very common to get a ticket for blocking the sidewalk in Houston or any other city for that matter. It's more common in Montrose and the more "urban" areas of Houston, but glad to hear it's being enforced in the Heights as well. I'm sure you would be ticketed for blocking your own driveway as well, because I "think" there has to be a buffer distance to all curb cuts, not just intersections. Plus how would parking enforcement know it was your car? You would probably be pretty upset if it was someone else doing it and like them to get ticketed/towed?

Quick search of the city's website (not the ordinance but has some basic info):

"Sidewalks are for pedestrian use: City of Houston Code prohibits parking a vehicle on any portion of the sidewalk at any time. Many driveways in Houston include the sidewalk, considered the public right-of-way. Avoid a citation for this violation by leaving the sidewalk portion of your driveway clear."

http://www.houstontx.gov/parking/parkingtips.htm

fyi... My neighbor got a parking ticket in front of his house ('No Parking' signs posted) so they are actually enforcing all the parking rules in the Heights now so be careful. The sign has been there for years, but they never ticketed until now. Probably because the streets are starting to get crowded.

I'll be right there with you paying the $65 parking ticket I got in Montrose this weekend.

Edited November 24, 2009 by Urbannomad

[Hartmann]

http://abclocal.go.c...ocal&id=6168534

"But Alvin Wright the City of Houston Public Works Department said that isn't good enough. State law prohibits drivers from blocking sidewalks.Wright explained, "A person in a wheelchair... You're forcing a person who has their baby in a stroller to actually use the street to get through. That's not fair. That's not right."

If the idea is to not block the public right of way then people who have shrubs, trees, debris, etc. blocking it need tickets as well. Then there are the places where the sidewalk is in complete disrepair. Most of the sidewalk on my street is not walkable and one street over is completely blocked by low hanging tree limbs. A hypothetical, if someone's car is blocking the grass where a sidewalk would be had the city built one (but stopped one driveway short) are they in violation? If so, I've gotta tell my neighbor to move his car

Again, I understand that I was in violation, there is just a lot of problems with the justification of the law. Part of it is me just being frustrated with the city in their inability to handle issues that my neighbors and I have brought up to them multiple times. Just needed to vent. Of course this happens on my day off and while I was inside for a couple of hours before running more errands.

Edited November 24, 2009 by Hartmann

[RedScare]

I received one of these this morning. I know that I was in violation and will pay the fine but I have a serious problem with the law. The "reason" that is given for this law is that it allows the handicapped in wheelchairs to use the sidewalks. Not where I am in the Heights. Where my street's sidewalk intersects the cross street it is a curb drop-off (no ramp). Good luck if you're in a wheelchair.

So I get a ticket for directing those in wheelchairs to a safe path and in a few weeks we'll hear about some poor soul going off the curb on my street.

I'm sure someone on the street reported that multiple cars were parked down the block who were in violation. The city's answer for people going 50mph down my street is to ticket the parked cars.

Now for an actual question, is there any ordinance out there that would keep me from blocking my own driveway with my car?

I am quite sure your neighbors or a nearby dog walker reported you. Until a couple of weeks ago, I partially blocked my sidewalk nearly every night for 3 years. It was still passable, which may have kept anyone from calling on me, but illegal nonetheless. I guess I am lucky to have nicer neighbors.

I am curious, though, why speeders and crumbling infrastructure makes you feel that you should have been given a pass?

[Urbannomad]

It's not a crime when it's something I do!

Just giving you a hard time

[Hartmann]

I am curious, though, why speeders and crumbling infrastructure makes you feel that you should have been given a pass?

I don't feel like I deserve a pass, I was just pointing out that I think the law/enforcing the law is kind of dumb while the sidewalks crumble. I was attempting to be funny at the same time. I see I failed on both fronts.

Also, I do think it was someone walking a dog or a neighbor. There are four or five houses very close that have cars blocking the sidewalk.

[Urbannomad]

If you are still interested here is a link to the city's "CODE OF ORDINANCES." Pretty boring stuff but you can use the search to find what you want.

http://library7.municode.com/default-test/home.htm?infobase=10123&doc_action=whatsnew

Bottom line though... you, like me, will still have to pay the ticket. Though technically my wife parked the car so it's her ticket, even if I did tell her the sign said it was okay to park there.

[BryanS]

I once got three tickets, in three consecutive days:

Day 1: Parking the wrong direction. Paid it, on line the same day. Got pissed.

Next Day: Blocking the sidewalk... but just barely. Paid it, on line the same day. Now I'm really pissed.

The Next Day: Parking more than 18 inches. Got my measuring tape. Depending on how you measured... 17 3/4... or 18 1/32. Screw'em. Didn't pay it. Still haven't paid it.

Eventually that parking cop stopped harassing the neighborhood. This was near the Hawthorne apts at the Westheimer curve...

All this happened about 8 years ago. No blocked registration. And apparently no warrants for my arrest, because I've been stopped several times since then...

My advice: pay the first two tickets, but no more after that.

[TheNiche]

I am quite sure your neighbors or a nearby dog walker reported you.

That's just what I thought when I saw the title of the thread. There's a reason certain blocks seem to get special attention for minor infractions.

My advice: pay the first two tickets, but no more after that.

My advice: don't take his advice.

[Dan the Man]

Interesting...while some of the houses on my street have sidewalks, my house doesn't have a sidewalk in front of it, nor do the two houses on either side of me. My immediate neighbors and I all park in our driveways in such a manner that we would be blocking the sidewalk, if there was one. Are we in violation of the law, or do we fall in a loophole? Could someone circumvent the law by removing the sidewalk in front of their house?

[kylejack]

You can't remove a sidewalk in front of your house, but you're not required to maintain that sidewalk either, so perhaps some latenight sledge hammering if you're a socially-reactive jackass.

[RedScare]

That's just what I thought when I saw the title of the thread. There's a reason certain blocks seem to get special attention for minor infractions.

Yeah, I don't mean a next door neighbor. More like one from a block or two away who walks down your street and gets annoyed at the 4 or 5 cars blocking the sidewalk until they finally call it in.

My advice: don't take his advice.

True. They boot after the 3rd ticket, so the better practice is to not pay the FIRST 2 tickets. They do not issue arrest warrants, no matter what Heard, Linebarger says, and they do not block registration for parking tickets. Only the boot, and if they don't find you on city streets, they don't boot you.

[Original Timmy Chan's]

"But Alvin Wright the City of Houston Public Works Department said that isn't good enough. State law prohibits drivers from blocking sidewalks.Wright explained, "A person in a wheelchair... You're forcing a person who has their baby in a stroller to actually use the street to get through. That's not fair. That's not right."

Interesting quote.

Am I reading this correctly? Is it the City's stance that it's not fair and it's not right that people with baby strollers and the elderly and disabled are FORCED to use the street in our neighborhood, since there are no sidewalks? Or does that only apply in neighborhoods with sidewalks?

That's it, I'm calling the Texas Hammer: Jim Adler.

[musicman]

Interesting...while some of the houses on my street have sidewalks, my house doesn't have a sidewalk in front of it, nor do the two houses on either side of me. My immediate neighbors and I all park in our driveways in such a manner that we would be blocking the sidewalk, if there was one. Are we in violation of the law, or do we fall in a loophole?

if there's no sidewalk, then there's no problem. Not sure i would call that a loophole.

Edited November 24, 2009 by musicman

[SilverJK]

There is a house on studewood that has a truck blocking the sidewalk almost everyday. Its really close to antidote. Its really annoying because at one point their yard had long grass and overgrown shrubs and etc. so you had to walk through it, which was really annoying( especially in the summer wearing sandals and shorts).

This really bugs me when i'm illegally riding my bicycle on the walkway.

[kylejack]

This really bugs me when i'm illegally riding my bicycle on the walkway.

Agreed, me too.

[Pumapayam]

I received one of these this morning. I know that I was in violation and will pay the fine but I have a serious problem with the law. The "reason" that is given for this law is that it allows the handicapped in wheelchairs to use the sidewalks. Not where I am in the Heights. Where my street's sidewalk intersects the cross street it is a curb drop-off (no ramp). Good luck if you're in a wheelchair.

So I get a ticket for directing those in wheelchairs to a safe path and in a few weeks we'll hear about some poor soul going off the curb on my street.

I'm sure someone on the street reported that multiple cars were parked down the block who were in violation. The city's answer for people going 50mph down my street is to ticket the parked cars.

Now for an actual question, is there any ordinance out there that would keep me from blocking my own driveway with my car?

I saw that happen on an episode of Parking Wars. Seems legit. Same situation, and the lady complained to no avail.

[rsb320]

In my neighborhood, they ticket if you're parked less than (15' I think) from a stop sign. They also ticket for blocking sidewalks, even if it's your spare tire on the back. Parking in front of the hidden fire hydrant will result in immediate towing.

[ricco67]

I wonder if the city has just gotten aggressive with ticketing and booting as of late.

Perhaps people have gotten so out of control on the limited parking spaces they have, that perhaps they had to put more manpower behind it. I'm starting to see the COH Parking enforcement at all hours and neighborhoods for in increasing amounts over the past few months.

[SilverJK]

how far does someone has to be from your driveway for street parking? My driveway opening is very narrow so when someone parks right next to my driveway, it makes it difficult to get out, my parents got wedged in onetime in their F250 because between the car next to the driveway and the one accross the street blocking a fire hydrant they couldn't get the angle to turn.it required a 10+ point turn and driving over the curb a few times. I know street parking is open, and i don't care if people park there, just stay a few feet away from my driveway!

[sevfiv]

^That happens at my folks' place sometimes - they have a narrow driveway and there had been a lot of construction nearby so big trucks and trailers were all over the place. Add the people across the street with the enormous driveway yet still street parking directly behind their driveway and it made for some creative exits.

[Marksmu]

Agreed, me too.

We should get the cops out in force on the bikers using the sidewalk illegally! For as much as the bikers complain about the cars, us lowely pedestrians really ought to raise a stink about the bikers running us pedestrians off the sidewalk.

And I can third the getting blocked in on a narrow street one. One of my neighbors ALWAYS has folks over and they always park behind my driveway, and it makes for an interesting turn. On more than one occasion I have had to intentionally back off into the ditch and then use 4wd to pull myself back out...its annoying, but there is no law against it...just common courtesy, which appears to be out the window now a days.

[kylejack]

We should get the cops out in force on the bikers using the sidewalk illegally! For as much as the bikers complain about the cars, us lowely pedestrians really ought to raise a stink about the bikers running us pedestrians off the sidewalk.

Never seen a cyclist run a pedestrian off the sidewalk yet, but I basically agree with you that bikes should stay on the street. Very rarely it just makes more sense to hop up on the sidewalk.

[Zippy]

I wonder if the city has just gotten aggressive with ticketing and booting as of late.

Perhaps people have gotten so out of control on the limited parking spaces they have, that perhaps they had to put more manpower behind it. I'm starting to see the COH Parking enforcement at all hours and neighborhoods for in increasing amounts over the past few months.

Nah.. It's MONEY!

[SilverJK]

i'm not certain, but i don't think its actually illegal to ride bikes on most of the sidewalks in the heights because there has to be like 300 collective feet of business buildings on both sides of the street within a 600 foot stretch to qualify as a business district, otherwise its legal (i think).

Of course you are also supposed to register your bicycle...

[kylejack]

i'm not certain, but i don't think its actually illegal to ride bikes on most of the sidewalks in the heights because there has to be like 300 collective feet of business buildings on both sides of the street within a 600 foot stretch to qualify as a business district, otherwise its legal (i think).

Right, so you're okay in some neighborhoods.

Of course you are also supposed to register your bicycle...

Which is actually impossible. Trust me, I have tried. The fire departments are supposed to have a form (they don't) and they can't even produce the form if you go to City Hall.

[Daniepwils]

i'm not certain, but i don't think its actually illegal to ride bikes on most of the sidewalks in the heights because there has to be like 300 collective feet of business buildings on both sides of the street within a 600 foot stretch to qualify as a business district, otherwise its legal (i think).

Of course you are also supposed to register your bicycle...

I thought they got rid of the bicycle registration ordinance.

[kylejack]

I thought they got rid of the bicycle registration ordinance.

Have seen no evidence of that. There was a Chronicle article a while back with some officials saying "we should get rid of that" but I don't remember seeing confirmation that they actually did.

[musicman]

Have seen no evidence of that.

BICYCLE REGISTRATION - This Ordinance is no longer effective and no longer required in the City of Houston. HFD no longer offers this.