Man, I don’t even have an opinion.
The cops here in Chicago absolutely instruct us to call 911 for anything suspicious. I go to monthly CAPS (community policing) on average every other month in a medium-crime area, and it’s a repeated mantra that when in doubt, call 911. I was surprised myself, this being an urban area with lots of activity, but, nope, every meeting I’ve been to, cops say call 911 if you see anything suspicious. Unknown car in driveway would definitely qualify to call in.
It’s happened. I left a note saying they were blocking my garage and I’d have them towed if they were still there in the morning. They weren’t, so it all worked out.
But I live in a condo complex with a bunch of very similar-looking driveways, so it was almost certainly some neighbor’s visitors. I’ve had company do the same thing, though never for more than a few minutes since I check on where they parked.
This assumes I actually know my neighbors…
What’s ASAIR?
Better Protip: Not sure if its ‘stealing’ the wheels if they are in my yard. And you fuck up the car much worse dragging it once they’re gone. 
[quote=“Shodan, post:6, topic:839259”]
Call 911, I guess. Make a note of the license number first and tell the 911 operator.
Don’t call 911. It’s not an emergency that someone has parked their car in your driveway. It’s annoying as hell, but your life isn’t in immediate danger as a result. Call the police and let them deal with it.
I remember I called the non emergency number to the police once. The lady that answered told me to hang up and dial 911.
Not all cities are strapped for resources when it comes to keeping up with 911 calls.
[quote=“dolphinboy, post:46, topic:839259”]
Did you read any of the above posts? In many areas, the only way to get the police is to call 911.
I supported the state police for a bit, including the 911 call center. It not only served 911, but also the highway help truck number, and even as overflow for the agency main number. In the event that lines started filling up, the other calls were held or dropped.
From what I can recall, even with all of those responsibilities, the only time our 911 center filled completely with calls was when there was a big enough emergency that everyone was calling about the same thing.
[quote=“dolphinboy, post:46, topic:839259”]
As I mentioned above, if you call the non-emergency number after hours in my city, you get voicemail*. 911 is the only way to talk to a human. It’s also the same person, sitting in the same spot that would answer the phone if it was turned on.
I still find it odd though, there’s plenty of non-e things that people don’t want or shouldn’t wait until morning to deal with. A car parked in your driveway is a good example. If I saw that, it certainly doesn’t feel like a 911 issue, but I’d also rather not have to wait until morning to deal with it.
*I did learn that if you hit 0, it’ll ring and she’ll pick up, but that’s one of those things you just have to know, there’s no option mentioned on the recording.
If I don’t need to leave, nothing probably. Might call the police. If I need to leave and it’s still there in the morning – see below.
This happened to us several years ago, but it was one of those giant contractor trailers. Something was wrong with a wheel and they left it partially blocking my driveway. I could get around it but wasn’t happy. I talked to the neighbor who’d hired the contractor and was told it couldn’t be moved until repaired and it wasn’t his problem anyway. I (see username) tow fairly large trailers frequently and have a vehicle for that purpose. After arriving home the next day, said neighbor discovered it could in fact, be moved. Although it left substantial marks in the street from the broken wheel/axle, it had been dragged in front of his driveway and parked in exactly the same manner (he could still get out, but it was difficult).
So, if it’s a normal sized car, I can easily push or drag it out of my way if I need to leave. It wouldn’t be the first time.
Car parked along the curb in front of my house? Look out the window, shake my fist at it, yell at some clouds while I’m at it.
Car parked in my driveway? 1 am? Car hasn’t moved in a few minutes… Call the police and request that they bring a tow truck.
I use to live next to a drag strip that hosted a national event once a year. Parking use to be a bitch around the track and my neighborhood would be flooded by the vehicles of the race fans. Came home once and found the neighborhood full as expected but also found 3 cars in my driveway. Parked my old Dodge truck behind them and waited. About 7 that evening long after the racing had ended, the cars were still there so I called the county sheriff’s office. An officer showed up a few minutes later, documented the issue and called for some tow trucks. Two tow trucks and the vehicle owners showed up about the same time. One guy jumped in his car and attempted to get around my truck and got stuck in the ditch. The other two guys apologized profusely and I moved my truck. The guy in the ditch left to find someone to pull his car out, the tow truck driver wanted $150 to do it and he didn’t want to pay. Half an hour later the tow truck that was left hooked up the guys car and towed it away. Never saw any of them again.
Ah, goldens…all about love and can’t stand conflict.
Ours loves visitors, workmen, etc. She loves them all. Greets the garbageman joyfully every time. Was jumping up and down happily the one time a Policeman visited us to help file a report (some doofus driving a semi past our house at midnight cut the corner and dragged a decorative boulder clear across the street, flattening our mailbox in the process. Yeesh.)
She only barks or freaks out about 1/100th as often as your average dog. In those rare cases, it really makes us wonder why she’s barking. Who is that bad person out there? In her whole life, there have been only, like, 3 people she was afraid to approach. She’d be an ideal TSA employee! Automatically detects ill intent.
Yes and it many areas you absolutely are not supposed to call 911 I was chewed out by an operator in San Diego County for calling 911 when I witnessed a drug deal in progress. I was told to hangup and call the regular number.
[quote=“cochrane, post:48, topic:839259”]
In NYC and some other places, you can dial 311 for “non-emergency” police matters.
[quote=“steadicam, post:55, topic:839259”]
Yes and it many areas you absolutely are not supposed to call 911 I was chewed out by an operator in San Diego County for calling 911 when I witnessed a drug deal in progress. I was told to hangup and call the regular number.
I had the same thing happen to me when 911 first started in our area in 1984. I saw there was an accident on the other side of the street that had just happened. I was close to my house and it wasn’t safe to walk across that wide street so when I got home I called 911. I was scolded quite soundly and told I could face mischief charges because I didn’t know extent of injuries and had more detail when I called 911. Fortunately I haven’t called 911 since.
Yes, we have 311 here in Chicago, as well, but the cops tell us to call 911 for the stuff like in the OP. 311 would be for graffiti removal. 911 would be for graffiti in progress. A strange car left in your driveway would be 911. A drug deal in progress would absolutely positively be a 911 call. I can’t imagine something like that being a 311 call. And this is in a city like Chicago, which is pretty active with all sorts of police calls. I had thought they didn’t want us to bother them with stuff like that but, no, time and time again at community policing meetings, we have been explicitly instructed to call 911 for that kind of stuff.
Somehow you misattributed my post to dolphinboy. This is what you meant to quote:
I’ll stand by my post. We don’t have a non-emergency number where I live. If we did, it certainly hasn’t been publicized. I’m completely baffled why you would get chewed out for calling 911 for a drug deal, much less an unfamiliar car in your driveway. These situations absolutely scream out for a police response.
I to am baffled by the “don’t call 911” crowd. Around here calling 911 gets you a dispatch person who then decides who to contact. May be police, fire, ambulance, other. You don’t get chewed out calling 911, you get chewed out calling them every 15 minutes about how awful your relatives in another state are.
If you need prompt help, call 911. Let them sort it out. Just don’t abuse the service.