Cars parked on the wrong side of the road

[GraysonLights09]

We do two shows in my neighborhood, with 10 houses in total, and it has become a VERY popular tourist attraction in our area. With so many people, the lines tend to get very long, and people start to park on the wrong side of the road, which obstructs the view for other watchers. We do include an announcement in the show asking people to stay on the correct side, which usually helps. 
Just out of curiosity, what do you do to keep traffic on the correct side?

[Mr. P]

I have the same issue so I put out "No Parking" signs.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086TX3LMY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

[dgander]

I use a bazooka and tank, usually deters everyone and makes them follow rules. :)  I don't have that problem, mine is that people don't turn off their headlights.

[k6ccc]

My house is on the outside corner of a just over 90 degree turn on a very quiet street.  People stop all over the place - including the middle of the street.  It's insane.  Best view is parked across the street in front of my neighbor's RV trailer (where there is a car parked as I type this).  For show time, I move my big blue pickup out of the driveway or else it does block the view somewhat.

I agree with dgander about people not turning off their headlights.  I now have that announcement on my TuneTo matrix in every song (twice if it's a long song).

http://www.newburghlights.org/photos/Street_view_in_daylight.jpg

[dibblejr]

Luckily I’ve never had an accident at my home. 
 

People learn to drive slow in between the cars.

If not my area is self cleaning.

The one time I thought someone hit my neighbors mailbox it turned out to be the neighbors wife, I was prepared to purchase a new mailbox but when I approached him he told me the story.

She actually had hit the mailbox the morning before.

JR

[roknjohn]

I created two backlit WrongWay signs in order to encourage folks to only travel in one direction.  Found 24" wall clocks at Dollar General on sale for $10.  Painted and added a string of mini incans.

 

[Mr. P]

On 1/1/2024 at 12:11 AM, dibblejr said:

Luckily I’ve never had an accident at my home. 
 

People learn to drive slow in between the cars.

If not my area is self cleaning.

The one time I thought someone hit my neighbors mailbox it turned out to be the neighbors wife, I was prepared to purchase a new mailbox but when I approached him he told me the story.

She actually had hit the mailbox the morning before.

JR

I've never had an accident but every year I get a few dead batteries as some will sit and watch the entire show which is 1.5 hours. I always keep my jump battery pack charged as just this year I had to jump two.

[bdwillie]

1 hour ago, Mr. P said:

I've never had an accident but every year I get a few dead batteries as some will sit and watch the entire show which is 1.5 hours. I always keep my jump battery pack charged as just this year I had to jump two.

I worry about dead batteries too!  So far we have not had one, but some of these folks have those high falootin subwoofers and amps, and kill the engine so their headlights will shut off.  We have debated on getting a jump pack just for this reason.  I also try to keep the rotation to about 30-35 minutes.

[Tim Fischer]

I think I'd have to see a map of your area to understand. Are you on a one-way road? Assuming not, is there anything preventing people from driving the other direction and then being on the correct side of the road (but still what you're calling the wrong side)?

My short answer is you don't control the road, so can't really tell people how to drive on it. If they're doing anything illegal that's up to law enforcement. 

Longer answer: For years I took a "the road isn't my responsibility" attitude. I always said that if my display got to the point where I had to stand outside and "direct traffic" then I knew it was time to shut down. I feared that anything I did as far as telling people where to drive or park could come back to haunt me. 

But there's a natural traffic pattern for our display. I'm on a corner, right off of a busier (but not terribly busy) road. People usually turn in, drive past my display, turn around at the next corner, (or in a neighbor's driveway which drives me and probably them nuts), and then parks on the opposite side of the street. If things back up that direction, it's no problem. as it's just a residential street. However, if people turn in and stop in front of our display, it not only blocks people doing it the 'right' way, but traffic backs up on the busier road. If traffic backs up on that road, it's not good because right across from me on that road is a fire station. We don't want to be blocking fire trucks. 

So a few years ago, after being really frustrated with people 'doing it wrong' without them realize it, I made up a couple signs that say "NO STOPPING - Please watch display from other side of street". I then use 6 cones a couple feet from the curb to drive home that point. I only do this on the busiest nights - generally the couple weekends before Christmas. It works remarkably well... sometimes I get a limo not following it, but they tend to "creep by" and not technically stop, and in any case they don't stay long usually. But most people abide by them. 

Again I don't control the road and if someone complained, I'd have no right to keep them from parking there. But it's worked for me.