What are Driveways For Anyhow?

[gardengirl]

Houdini you cant be serious. I thought this post was some sort of joke at first. Since when cant someone park in front of their own house? I have known people that lived in front of schools and the people that park in front of their house could care less if they block you in your own driveway, even if you are leaving, they leave trash all over your front yard, be rude and disrespectful. I dont blame anyone trying to keep a$$e$ picking up their kids from parking in front of their house.

I think you are missing the point. It is much the same on my street.
These vehicles are parked there all the time. Some of them have no insurance. Parts of the road are very narrow as it is.
They are in the way when the snow plow comes past and cause a hazard as vehicles have to manoever around them to get down the road.

There are no sidewalks, so the kids walking to school have to step out onto the street to get around them.

There is plenty of space in the driveways. Most homes have long and double wide driveways. There is no reason for them to be parked on the street all the time.

[NAB]

Hmmmm, interesting thread. I am of the opinion that no one should be allowed to park on the street. All parking should be off-street, i.e. on the homeowners or business property. Streets, provided by the general tax base, should be for movement of vehicles, not for subsidizing homeowners or business parking.

Nabcom

[Fancy]

I am of the opinion that no one should be allowed to park on the street.

Nice in theory but if you ask anyone not to park in front of your house you can imagine the response. I see your point but what about people visiting friends - that's still considered parking no matter how long your are. Downtown the local residents got upset with employees parking in front of their residence so there were "no parking" or 2 hour parking signs put up so now people just park a little further away. Would be nice if people didn't park in homeowners' driveways or blocking it for that matter
when they're picking up their kids from school (they'll only be a minute). Respect seems to have been lost on some parents and that certainly trickles down to their kids.

[gardengirl]

I am of the opinion that no one should be allowed to park on the street.

Nice in theory but if you ask anyone not to park in front of your house you can imagine the response. I see your point but what about people visiting friends - that's still considered parking no matter how long your are. Downtown the local residents got upset with employees parking in front of their residence so there were "no parking" or 2 hour parking signs put up so now people just park a little further away. Would be nice if people didn't park in homeowners' driveways or blocking it for that matter
when they're picking up their kids from school (they'll only be a minute). Respect seems to have been lost on some parents and that certainly trickles down to their kids.

I'll say. That is the same attitude of the people who park in Handicapped spaces. "I'll only be a minute." Sometimes these people leave their kids in the car, as if that makes it ok.

There are also these parents who rip through the school zone so junior won't be late.

It's all about ME and MINE.

[Fancy]

And while we're at it, love the parents who smoke and leave their butts all over the yards - or little junior who throws their drink container on the street - who do you think cleans up after you!! The home owners of course.

[CountryAtHeart]

Ummmmm............people are missing my point here. This area is not in front of the school and is not being used by parents picking up their kids This is about about a 1/2 km from the school but is the main road to a) the massive subdivisions b) right on the corner of a major intersection. c) the main road to the elementary school as well as the school bus stop for the middle and high school students.

Nobody wants to park in these areas...we are just people who are trying to get by safely. It is a dangerous area and these people who are using the taxpayers roadway as their personal parkade are only adding to the confusion.

[Fancy]

these people who are using the taxpayers roadway as their personal parkade

That's the same scenario in every subdivision and not likely to change unless the homeowners petition for 2 hour parking and they're not going to do that because they want to park there all day too.

[krusty]

Nice in theory but if you ask anyone not to park in front of your house you can imagine the response. I see your point but what about people visiting friends - that's still considered parking no matter how long your are.

It should depend on the street. Some streets have room for parking, some don't even have sidewalks and there's just enough room for two lanes to go by each other.

[crash 99]

A couple of points that I would like to make..

#1, IF someone has their vehicle even slightly on any portion of the roadway without current insurance, it can, and most likely will be towed. (sometimes it takes the neighbours to point it out to By-laws)

#2, Homeowners are "supposed to" supply off street parking for all tenants etc, of their property. In saying that, Home owner's can apply to City Hall for 1 parking pass in 2 hour parking zones, as well as "Visitor Passes." (**At least in the downtown area. I am not sure on any others.)

#3, I'd be pretty irate if someone took it upon themselves to block my driveway, while they did anything.

#4, I am not sure whom to contact, as I gather your issue is on the Westside, but I would be finding out. Find out the agency responsible for your area, explain your concerns regarding the safety factors, and demand that they look into it.



Good luck..

[dragsterdude]

I believe there is a limit, to how long you can park on the street, regardless of insurance.
I think it is 48 or 72Hrs,. but dont quote me. Contact the City Bylaws dept.

My friend used to park his Motor-home on the street, in front of his house; he recieved only a couple notices (2?), before the tow-Truck showed up. There IS a bylaw concerning this.

Todd/Dragsterdude

[Cool2bme]

these people who are using the taxpayers roadway as their personal parkade are only adding to the confusion.

Um... two points I would like to make.
First, these people who are using the taxpayers roadway as their personal parkade.... ARE the taxpayers! So what your saying is they are using their road as a personal parkade. Well, guess what, roads are for driving and parking, and its not their fault the road is too narrow for both.

Secondly, what did you have in mind if the cars were moved? Race down the street at mach 10 with your hair on fire? You complain you have to drive cautiously, avoid "obstacles" as it were, weave through cars? I hope to God this is not an unusual thing for you, if it is, please let me know when you are on the road, and I will stay home. When I drive, thats all I do, drive carefully, avoid "obstacles" and weave through cars. At least for you, the cars you are weaving through are not moving... mine are!

If you have ever been down in Vancouver, specifically Kitsilano area, the roads are so full of parked cars, there is BARELY room for one car to pass through some residential areas. Its so tight in fact, on both sides with parked vehicles, some residence actually take the time to pull their mirrors in flat (probably cause they have learned the hard way!) So I highly doubt anything in Kelowna is anywhere near that! So drive slow, carefully and pay attention just like you should be driving any other place or time, and everything will be fine

[NAB]

On my (residential) street (5 blocks long) there are two lanes (one each direction), no sidewalks, no back lanes, and no on street parking. Most houses have driveways that will accommodate 4 or more vehicles (mine will park 6 - more if all small cars). One guy if he has more than that will park em on his front lawn before parking on the street, while one other is constantly oveflowing onto the street - even both sides and often narrowing the travelled portion to to one effective lane. "Me and mine first" type, no consideration for anyone else - even tho he has a driveway that will accommodate 4 - 6 small vehicles but doesn't like to block the two that might be there by parking vehicles behind them.

Most new residential developments require ample off street parking, and street parking is frowned upon for other than short stops or deliveries. I even lived in one small community in Alberta that had by-laws against unlicensed vehicles or trailers being parked on the streets at all, and even licensed vehicles or RV's/trailers could not be parked beyond the property line. Here, there is even a bylaw that regulates how many total and unlicensed vehicles one can have - even within the boundaries of their own property!

The "main drag" business area has been revamped to make it vehicle UNfriendly for the most part. Very limited as to parking spots, hard to navigate, mostly loading zones or short stop spots, only 2 lanes, but wide sidewalks, wheelchair ramps at impeded corners - making it very pedestrian and disabled friendly and vehicle unfriendly. And no parking meters either - no need for them - people for the most part are considerate enough not to park there for longer than it takes to transact their immediate business, while no one with a crew cab dually or full sized Hummer would even bother - since they couldn't get it into any of the parking spots even if one were open.

Most locals in their cars avoid that area like the plague, and most visitors will only go there in their cars once. More and more businesses and towers are required to provide their own parking for their employees and their customers/visitors as new replaces the old. New parking stalls are quite small, making it virtually impossible to park larger cars and still open your doors... More "big car" unfriendliness. To me these are all things a forward looking community core can do to gradually invoke necessary change in peoples habits. It is being done by creating "inconvenience" for those still stuck in the time warp, not higher taxes to accommodate them.

But there are many communties who still follow the stuck in time model of new or re-development. Horse and buggy stuff - every home or business has to have taxpayer provided space in front with a hitching rail and a water trough

Nabcom

[CountryAtHeart]

these people who are using the taxpayers roadway as their personal parkade are only adding to the confusion.

Um... two points I would like to make.
First, these people who are using the taxpayers roadway as their personal parkade.... ARE the taxpayers! So what your saying is they are using their road as a personal parkade. Well, guess what, roads are for driving and parking, and its not their fault the road is too narrow for both.

Secondly, what did you have in mind if the cars were moved? Race down the street at mach 10 with your hair on fire? You complain you have to drive cautiously, avoid "obstacles" as it were, weave through cars? I hope to God this is not an unusual thing for you, if it is, please let me know when you are on the road, and I will stay home. When I drive, thats all I do, drive carefully, avoid "obstacles" and weave through cars. At least for you, the cars you are weaving through are not moving... mine are!

If you have ever been down in Vancouver, specifically Kitsilano area, the roads are so full of parked cars, there is BARELY room for one car to pass through some residential areas. Its so tight in fact, on both sides with parked vehicles, some residence actually take the time to pull their mirrors in flat (probably cause they have learned the hard way!) So I highly doubt anything in Kelowna is anywhere near that! So drive slow, carefully and pay attention just like you should be driving any other place or time, and everything will be fine

Being that this is a main arterial roadway there should be room for 2 vehicles (1 in each direction) to pass each other safely. Being that one lane is blocked by parked vehicles on the road you have now created a dangerous situation where you have 2 lanes of traffic trying to get through a one lane stretch of roadway. Being that this is a busy section it is not uncommon to have 8-10 vehicles in each direction stacked up to take turns plus the vehicles trying to turn to and from a busy intersection.

Going up the hill I do the posted limit of 50km. Once I coming into this bad stretch I slow down to a max of 30km... So, if you don't understand what I am talking about don't try to make me out to be some kind of jerk.
I would never complain about someone having a visitor park in front of their house occasionally. I am talking about vehicles that have not moved so much as an inch in at least 4-6 months.

[NAB]

Cool2bme wrote: " Well, guess what, roads are for driving and parking, and its not their fault the road is too narrow for both."

******************************************
That's to me what has to change C2bme, and it is relatively easy to do so in most cases (not all as yet). Roads are NOT for driving and PARKING, or at least should not be. Driving and STOPPING briefly yes. I do not accept the idea that a home or business has a "right" to tie up the stopping space in front (particularly if by doing so they protrude onto the travelled portion of the roadway), or feel they somehow own it (As is often the case in some single family residential neighbourhoods) . To me, "No Parking" on the street at all is the way to go, with parking defined as a vehicle of any kind left unoccupied for more than a short specified amount of time.

I do empathize with the specific situation surrounding the hospital in Kelowna however, but not as it relates to residents there feeling they have some right to limit street parking to local residents only, totally inconsiderate of the fact that staff and visitors to the hospital have to be able to park somewhere and adequate provisions are not made in that regard.

Edit to add: Actually, the more I think about it that comment is rather ludicrous IMO. The rule is that a stopped/parked vehicle must have all four wheels off the travelled portion of the road, and no extensions (such as load, mirrors, etc) protruding into the travelled portion of the road. Any vehicle stopped or parked otherwise is an obstruction and illegally parked.

Nabcom

[Fancy]

So what happens with overnight guests?