The sight of someone’s car parked in your private driveway or in front of your business’ property is a common pet peeve of many business owners. When people park their vehicles in your driveway, they may impede the entrance of your business from potential customers or inconvenience guests who need to squeeze in between the property and the car.
Whether the car owner is an annoying neighbor or a visitor who thought they could park anywhere, they’re not doing your business any favor. Here are five ways you can deal with the problem to ensure that your entrance and driveway are free.
1: Talk to the driver politely
Approach the owner of the car and discuss the issue with them respectfully. Make them understand why you don’t want a car parked in front of your property. Direct them to other parking spaces, if any, and let them in on inside tricks if they have a hard time finding a parking spot.
2: Put up signs
“No Parking” signs discourage drivers from parking in your space. Make sure, though, that the sign you put up needs to meet the state’s standards. Arizona has these guidelines:
- A sign at the entrance of a parking area must be at least 12 inches x 18 inches in size and mounted at least 3 feet to 10 feet above the ground. A sign within the parking area must be at least 6 inches x 9 inches in size.
- The sign must be clear and visible from any location of the parking area.
- The sign must have a white background and must have red lettering.
- The sign must include the following information:
- Parking restrictions
- What happens to vehicles violating parking restrictions
- Penalties resulting from a violation of parking restrictions
- Phone number and address where the driver can retrieve their vehicle
- The relevant city code and section
3: Paint a line for your driveway
Paint a line on your property’s driveway to remind drivers that the area is private. Contact your city’s building department and have them examine if the driveway near your area is private property. If it is, you get permission to have someone paint a marked off section in the area with the label “Tow Away Zone.”
4: Install security cameras
Investing in security cameras not only prevents theft and vandalism, but it also deters cars from blocking your property. Although it won’t stop people from parking in your driveway, cameras will give you video evidence for future investigation. Make sure to add a sticker stating that there’s a 24/7 surveillance system in the driveway to make drivers think twice before parking their car.
5: Have the vehicle towed by a towing company
When you’ve exhausted all means to deter unwanted parking in your property, call a towing company like Zip Tow for help. These companies use heavy-duty equipment to remove the car from your driveway. The owner can get their car back by calling the number shown on the sign you’ve placed, and the towing company will handle the rest.
Towing Services You Can Trust
Manage your parking space and get rid of cars blocking your business’ driveway. At Zip Tow, we offer professional towing services for all types of businesses, apartment complexes, and homeowner associations in Arizona.
Our team has up-to-date and heavy-duty equipment to manage all types of vehicles hindering your business. Give us a call and we’ll dispatch a team to your site and take care of the problem right away.
If you need a car towed away from your property, call us at (480) 407-6650.
