Home › Forums › WSB Reader Recommendations › Fauntleroy Parking Etiquette
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February 13, 2008 at 7:26 pm #586388
felicialhMemberRecently a car has been parking in front of our house, taking up a parking place for our car. We tolerated it for about 2 weeks but just found that it was a commuter from Vashon. This has really been bothering us, especially since we have kids and now have to park on the other side of the street. Are we in the wrong for being frustrated? Should we leave a note?
February 13, 2008 at 7:51 pm #615234
JanSParticipantWell, I would leave a note to begin with. Aren’t there zoning things in the Fauntleroy area that prevents people from long time parking like that? If they are moving their car every day, I think it would be difficult to do anything about it. Do you have a driveway? a garage? There probably aren’t any easy answers here.
February 13, 2008 at 7:53 pm #615235
AnonymousInactiveHow frustrating!!! I don’t think you’re in the wrong. I think you should leave a note. People park in front of our house too. They are not commuters, but our neighbors and I wouldn’t mind that, generally, but they have their own garages and driveways that will be empty and then they are parked right in front of our house. We have only one small driveway and no garage and two cars. I think you definitely would be in the right to leave a friendly note. Then see what happens.
February 13, 2008 at 8:01 pm #615236
felicialhMemberyes, we have a driveway and a garage but one of those real small ones from the 50’s that only a mini would fit in! The car is moving everyday, so hard to get them for long term parking. It’s hard because we are not confrontational people but it is really starting to get to us. Thanks for the feedback… leaving a note seems the best idea.
February 13, 2008 at 8:06 pm #615237
felicialhMemberby the way, new resident, our good friends in the Admiral District had the same problem with the neighbors parking in front of their house, even though they had a driveway. They finally said something causually one day while doing yard work and the nieghbors got the hint… now they park in front of the other neighbors yard! Some people just don’t really get it.
February 13, 2008 at 8:23 pm #615238
AlkiKmacParticipantThis isn’t a parking space you own, right? Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the curb parking in front of your home available for anyones use? Unless there’s a sign restricting how long or when a person can park there, it’s open parking. Yes, perhaps this person could spread the love and park in front of a different house each day, but I don’t think it’s illegal for the car to park in front of your house each day. I live in Alki, and there are certain inconveniences and “lack of etiquette” situations I have to live with, but I knew that when I moved into my apartment. If a friendly note or in-person conversation doesn’t result in a compromise, then you might have to accept this as par for the course where you live.
February 13, 2008 at 8:46 pm #615239
felicialhMemberboy do I understand what you mean living in Alki, but no, this is a quiet, resident only neighborhood that has never had parking issues, so this car sticks out like a green thumb and everyone has noticed… spreading the love would be more tolerable at this point. I am told things used to be really bad with Vashon commuters until a couple years ago when signs were posted on Barton restricting overnight parking.
February 13, 2008 at 9:00 pm #615240
PrayingMan-tis-iMemberNo, you’re not wrong in being frusturated, but you are about thinking they cannot park there, unless, as others have sated, it’s posted.
Too bad rude people just don’t get it. Sorry you’re having to put up with this situation.
February 13, 2008 at 9:12 pm #615241
felicialhMemberno… we understand that legally there is nothing they are doing wrong, we were hoping with the long standing relationship with Fauntleroy neighborhoods and Vashon commuters there was some unwritten rule of etiquette that everyone knew (we have only lived here for 1.5 years, so the history is new to us). Again, our neighbors have given us horror stories on how it used to be thus the hesitancy with wanting to leave note… it frustrates us but are we being petty? As AlkiKmac said, spreading the love would be better.
February 13, 2008 at 9:38 pm #615242
BernickiMemberOn the very day we moved into our Genessee Hill house, we got a visit from our new next-door neighbor abruptly informing us that the curb space just past our property line was HIS and THAT’S WHERE HE PARKED so stay out of that space and don’t let your friends park there either. Welcome to the neighborhood! What a dick.
(p.s. it was also my birthday and I was 8 months pregnant)
February 13, 2008 at 11:06 pm #615243
JeraldParticipantThe area surrounding the ferry dock has restricted parking, for which we residents have to purchase a permit. Otherwise, there’s a risk of getting a ticket in the middle of the night (as if they ever check). I left a note on a car that often parked in front of my house, pointing out that they might get caught. They moved off our block, at least.
Anyway, it wouldn’t hurt to leave a note. They probably have no idea they’re bothering anyone.
February 13, 2008 at 11:30 pm #615244
felicialhMemberthanks everyone for the feedback… we will try leaving a nice note and hopefully that will work. Sorry Bernicki for your experience… people can be very insensitive and that sounded like all around bad luck!
February 13, 2008 at 11:39 pm #615245
acemotelParticipantWhat about parking your own car there? Do it for three or four days in a row and this person might get the idea. Surely there is a window of time when he/she parks (before getting on the ferry or before catching the bus?) and you only need to park during that time.
February 13, 2008 at 11:56 pm #615246
KenParticipantThis is also a long term issue for the Dept of poor planning in the future.
The ferry dock permit parking area is limited and I belive signs indicating the confines are posted in most of it.
Everywhere else in seattle that is not either posted or metered is open parking subject only to the 72 hour tag n tow rule.
Beware when a condo project, apartment building or SHA project is built, the Design review board and the city will allow the builder to supply only a fraction of the parking on site (so as to reduce the amount of paving) and force most residents of the developement to use on street parking.
This means you might never be able to park in front of your own house except by the luck of the draw unless you work third shift.
I had to create a fenced parking area from part of my backyard to park off the ally when the DRB/City allows SHA to reduce it’s on site parking from the original 1.5 to less than 1 per unit.
This is one reason why each time one drives along any street in highpoint, you wait at each end to see who will yeild right-of-way to the end of the block.
Remember. This is not bad luck or poor planning, this is by design.
It will be Mayor Nickle and Dimes legacy.
February 14, 2008 at 1:34 am #615247
BonnieParticipantI find that so frustrating! We live off of Barton and 39th and it is right where the No parking signs stop. (or no parking from 2-5pm) So when I pull out of my alley I can’t see anything because there are tons of cars parked there. Do they leave their cars overnight? Very frustrating.
February 14, 2008 at 2:00 am #615248
JenVMemberas someone who lives on the same street as a busy Thai restaurant in the middle of a residential area… I feel your pain!
February 14, 2008 at 3:12 am #615249
barmargiaMemberI used to live over by an elementary school, if I came home during the pick up time I would be unable to park anywhere near my house, and if I tried to leave during pick up time then I would be blocked in by those wonderful parents/guardians. So I understand what a hassle it is to not be able to park near your house, but it’s public property and you can’t claim it as your own unless you have a permit.
February 14, 2008 at 3:31 am #615250
MrJTMemberWhy don’t you figure out what time the guy is parking there, and just make sure that your in the spot when he arrives. Couple of missed boats, and they’ll get the idea.
February 14, 2008 at 4:28 am #615251
felicialhMemberwe tried that… he/she leaves sometime in the morning after we leave for work and is always back before we get home. Hopefully a nicely worded note well encourage them to park down the street a bit where many of the residents are seniors and do not own cars… there is not a lack of parking, its just where they continue to park that is a little frustrating. But as someone mentioned earlier, they probably have no idea they are causing a stir, by the time they are leaving in the a.m. and coming in the p.m. none of us our back from work. Crazy how many of us have these parking challenges! Thank you everyone for the advice & insights into the city planning!
February 14, 2008 at 5:12 am #615252
SueParticipantWhen I lived in NJ we had to drive to the commuter station. Every block within about 3 blocks of the station was restricted to 1 hour parking. So, naturally, every street spot on the next few blocks was taken by commuters. (The lot held about 10 cars, so that was not an option.) The neighbors whose houses we parked in front of got really annoyed. Personally, I tried to park in front of a different house every day, so I didn’t bother the same person. However, I could never understand why some of them got as angry as they did – if you’re going to live near something busy, be it a bus or train or ferry or a church or restaurant, you need to expect that people will park there. It’s like saying you don’t like the sound of the fire alarm when you live next door to the fire station.
February 14, 2008 at 7:33 am #615253
AnonymousInactiveI have a day time parker right now that walks a block away to work with open spots the whole distance but for some reason likes my house. Leaves for lunch everyday too and then right back to my house. I have a driveway, but I keep thinking, why? In the past when I needed the spot and there was plenty of other parking down the street, I left a nicely worded note to the effect that I have kids, groceries, it’s always raining, it would be super nice if I could get closer to my house….The overnight every night parker (is that a word?), I again explained in a note, if at all possible could you park near the house you’re staying at so that I’m able to keep an eye on my car. It’s not the safest neighborhood, yada, yada, yada….In each case with long term parking (3 times ) I understand it’s anyone’s legal spot, but there was not a shortage in other areas and when I explained nicely why I would like the convenience of parking in front of my own home, they were accommodating and I don’t think I pissed anyone off.
February 14, 2008 at 4:14 pm #615254
CMPParticipantI think some people have a bit of OCD when it comes to parking. In their mind, it makes sense to park in the same place every day, even if it’s not logical. Maybe they’re not smart enough to remember where they’ve parked so by leaving their car in the same place every day, they won’t have to worry about it.
While we’re on the parking topic, I wish people would learn how to park properly to maximize as many cars as possible in parallel parking situations. My neighbors always park like idiots and it makes me crazy. There’s a sign posted saying “no parking north of here” right in front of my building and without fail, someone will park 2/3 of a car length south of the sign, completely wasting a perfectly good space. Then another neighbor has left their motorcycle about 7 feet from the edge of a driveway so that’s another wasted space. I should call that thing in since it’s been parked like that for a month now on a busy street. Anyway, you can fit five cars in this area but we usually only manage three b/c of inconsiderate drivers. Oh yeah, park within your lines too…it’s not that difficult!
February 14, 2008 at 5:31 pm #615255
AnonymousInactiveCMP… I 100% concur!!! It’s funny how, unless something similar has happened to you, you don’t think about certain things. The maximizing parking spaces on a particular part of the street is a big deal to me. We have a curb in front of our and our neighbors and right when we moved in, the neighbors car would always be parked right smack in the middle of all that space, leaving no room for a second car. We started parking right in front of our own driveway and very close to the neighbor’s car (it looked kinda ridiculous, which is the effect we intended) and they finally got the hint. Maybe, felicialh could try something like that. We never left a note, but now both our neighbor’s and our car fit happily together in that space!
February 14, 2008 at 6:02 pm #615256
felicialhMemberHa! Funny thing about that is we tried it and because they leave after we do they never got to see the effort we had gone through to parallel into that spot… if you have ever seen Austin Powers you can laugh at how that was pretty much what we had to do!
February 14, 2008 at 6:04 pm #615257
AnonymousInactivefelicialh, Since it is a new day, I’m curious if you have left a note? This thread has gotten a lot of attention and I think we all want to know how it turns out. Keep us posted!
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