Silly car question #40: is it the height of rudeness to park in somebody's driveway?

Thursday, 9 August 2018

Would you park in somebody's driveway without asking?

OPINION: There's endless expert advice available on etiquette when visiting somebody's house. Digital device manners, shoes-on-or-off manners, table manners, can-you-look-in-somebody's bedroom manners.

But to our knowledge, the single greatest etiquette issue in modern life is almost ignored: whether it's okay to park in somebody's driveway when you're visiting.

The answer is of course no. No, no, no. But let's take some time to explore why.

Some new-age cars here. But some old-fashioned driveway etiquette is missing.

A driveway is precious and private space. Especially in the city, where not everybody has one.

**READ MORE:

* Should I 'share' my car?

* How fast can I go on an on-ramp?

* Why can you run on the road but not cycle on the footpath?**

Mystery stains on the driveway: was this you?

So conceptually, rolling right up somebody's driveway and leaving your car there without being invited is the same as going straight through the front door of the house without knocking, and making yourself at home.

There are more practical reasons why you should keep not-your-driveway completely clear. Apart from the fact that it's not your driveway to park in.

For a start, you're potentially blocking somebody else in. Or if the driveway happens to be empty, you're potentially going to be blocked in yourself - which is totally deserved as far as I'm concerned, but the problem is you're going to have to ask the owner of that second car to move when you want to leave. That's bad guest behaviour because you're inconveniencing somebody else who has every right to be there.

That's just the being-a-good-guest part of the equation. But what about the being-an-actual-menace aspects?

Lots of people take great pride in the pristine concrete on their driveways, and if you happen to have an older vehicle that leaks a bit of oil or other fluid when you park it after a journey… well, that could put a stain on your friendship.

An even more grim thought is that pets (especially cats) free-range on their home territory.

Many have quite an attitude and not much road sense, (cats again) and won't always move aside straight way as an unfamiliar car approaches. It's a terrible thought to imagine a moment of inattention as you roll up somebody's else's driveway towards that somebody else's family pet. Why risk it?

It's likely that a good host will invite you to bring your car down their driveway of course - when the invitation is made or when you arrive. That's great.

But it's up to you to be a good guest first and respect private space.

Is David right? Do you agree or disagree? Tell us in the comments below!