San Francisco drivers respond: To tow or not to tow?
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
A "no parking" sign usually means they're not messing around. Photo: Nadia Lopez/Axios
Few parking missteps trigger backlash in San Francisco faster than a car blocking someone's driveway.
We asked readers to weigh in: When someone's blocking your driveway, do you tow or give the driver a chance to move? And street parkers, what's fair game?
- Here's what you said.
🚫 Chase R. has zero tolerance: "Tow them. No mercy for those who knowingly do something that has negative consequences for others."
⛔ David H. takes a similarly hard line. On his narrow one-way street, even partial blockage traps his car completely. He doesn't hesitate to call for a ticket and tow.
- "I don't have any patience for it... Sorry, folks, but don't block my driveway."
😤 Ranjit S. calls driveway blocking "the ultimate in rude, no-one-matters-but-me behavior," though he will typically wait for the offender to return to avoid wasting a tow truck driver's time.
- Exception to the rule: delivery drivers and those who wait in their car and have a key.
📢 Kevin B. says a tow is justified if a car is completely blocking the driveway and a driver isn't "within yelling distance."
- He acknowledges a gray area where a car might partially block a driveway while parked in a spot but there's still room for someone to squeeze out.
📝 Miriam M. leaves a firmly worded note on the driver's windshield if she doesn't need to leave immediately but won't hesitate to call a tow after four hours.
⏱️ Noah P., a street parker, argues it is "100% okay" to block a driveway briefly as long as it's less than 5 minutes or if someone stays in the car ready to move.
🚘 J.T., a fellow street parker who drives a compact Mazda Miata, says he's careful not to block driveways and can fit into tight spaces others can't, like a space with two red marked curbs between driveways.
- Still, he's had to deal with "a jerk who has threatened me... He can leave his spot but has to turn too tight for his liking. Rich, entitled and vindictive — they're out there."
🤝 Kyra G. describes a neighborly workaround: exchanging contact information so people can text if they need to park late or temporarily block a driveway. Towing, in her view, is reserved for unfamiliar cars.
🔍 Nicole F. doesn't buy the idea that parking here is a constant battle. She approaches conflicts calmly and will honk, walk the block or check nearby businesses before escalating. Towing, she says, is rare.
👀 Janice B. deals with constant blockages off Union and Steiner streets, but she says she has never called a tow. She tracks down drivers herself by scanning nearby storefronts, often recognizing repeat blockers.
- "I mentioned to one woman who pulled out of the dry cleaners that she got a new car. She was embarrassed that I noticed the car was different!"
💭 My thought bubble: I've seen both sides — as a former street parker and now active driveway owner living next to a busy coffee shop in Cole Valley, where blockages are routine.
- I've definitely lost my cool before, but I do admit I could work on my patience.
The bottom line: There's no clear consensus, just a sliding scale of tolerance.