What should I do if someone blocks my driveway?

If we were to ask drivers in the Philippines what their pet peeves are, driveway blocking will probably always be somewhere on the list. It's an annoying occurrence, to say the least, but there are ways to overcome it amicably with your dignity intact.

In congested urban sprawls like Metro Manila, it's all too easy to find erring drivers who insist on parking their vehicles in the wrong spaces. The size of the car doesn't matter—be it a small crossover like the GAC GS3 or a large pickup truck like the Ford Ranger Raptor, parking in the wrong spot causes inconvenience for all parties involved. So, what should you do if someone blocks your driveway?

Imagine you're going off to work, and you find a vehicle blocking your garage or home parking space. It can easily ruin someone's day, but you have to try and stay calm.

First, you need to check out the vehicle and find its owner. If they're in the car with the engine started, politely ask them to move so you can be on your way. On the other hand, if there's no one inside and the car is visibly in park mode, you should find its owner immediately.

Ask around the block and see if you spot the person. If not, try and gather information on who the owner is. It could be a neighbor, or it could be someone not familiar with your area. Once you've exhausted your options, it's time to move on to more drastic measures.

The prospect of someone blocking your car is concerning, but don't do anything you might regret later. For example, don't try to do anything to the vehicle if the owner is not around. If the parked vehicle lies within your property lines, you may have the right to get it towed.

Should you have limited options left, you may proceed with calling a towing service. Promptly explain to them your situation and give all the information you've gathered. Towing services encounter situations like this on a daily basis, so they will likely know what to do.

While waiting for the tow truck to arrive, keep your eyes open for the owner. It may not be too late to resolve the issue without resorting to such extreme measures.

You never know what might happen in times like these, so be prepared to call the relevant authorities if worst comes to worst. Even if you're not at fault, some people could try and start a problem that you likely want no part of. In this situation, your best bet would be to contact people who can help you, such as the police.

The police may come in and try to resolve the problem between you and the other party. If the blocking car is indeed sitting on your property, the authorities would have no choice but to force the owner to move their vehicle.

In most cases, things will not escalate to public feuds. When you're left with no choice, however, asserting your rights is perfectly within reason. As always, keep your cool and find your way out of trouble the right way.