I see lots of posts on Nextdoor and other social media sites regarding parking in Fishers. Many are complaints about people parking in a driveway but blocking the sidewalk. There are those that argue that it is their driveway, and they are free to park in it however they please. If they have a shorter driveway, then their vehicle is likely to block the sidewalk, and they feel there isn’t anything they can do about it.
The reality is that it is a violation of State Law (Enforced Locally); specifically, Indiana Code § 9-21-16-5(1). You cannot block the sidewalk even if it is cutting across your driveway on your property. The white vehicle in the above picture is parked illegally, and local police could write you a ticket. It is more likely they will ask you to simply move the vehicle, and that seems to happen mainly when people call in a complaint.
There are a number of other rules that people are generally unaware of that can also get the police to show up at your door or a ticket to be written. Another that is not generally know is that it is illegal to park directly across from a driveway. Indiana Code § 9-21-16-5) explicitly prohibits parking directly in front of a driveway, and Fishers extends this with Fishers City Code § 72.10 (“Parking not to obstruct traffic”) which also prohibits parking directly across from a driveway on the opposite side of the road.
Fishers City Code § 72.10 is also good to keep in mind when you are attending that family gathering or that birthday party in the neighborhood where lots of people are parking on the street. The code also prohibits having cars on both sides of a neighborhood street if it leaves less than 18 feet of clearance. If there is less than 18 feet, then emergency and other vehicles might not be able to get through.
Finally, there are a few other more intuitive places you can’t park in your neighborhood. These include within 30 feet of a stop sign, within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, or within 20 feet of intersections and crosswalks.
Most of these rules are for allowing vehicles to maneuver, to allow for visibility, or to allow people to get down the sidewalks — especially kids and people with mobility devices.
If you notice a vehicle consistently blocking sidewalks, you can always ask that they move the vehicle. That is a great first step. If they don’t, then you can report them by calling the Fishers Police Department non-emergency number. Granted, calling the police on your neighbors doesn’t tend to make for good long-term relations, hence why it is better to talk to your neighbor fist. While most people will ignore these infractions, be aware that based on social media posts, there are a lot of neighbors that seem quick to call the police.
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