Do stuff with and for your neighbors
Snow & Parking Wars
I used to have my own little parking space when I was renting, but now I have to compete for street parking in JP. I think this is usually no big deal, but it's quickly become a pain with all of the snow. I had no idea what a pain this could be.
I realize that the official rule for marking your parking space is now 48 hours following the end of a snow emergency. I think that makes sense... people should be able to use the spot they spent hours shoveling out for a bit of time. I've seen people try to mark spaces for a week or more and it's a bit ridiculous. What I don't get is why people have been moving the spot-markers lately - not to take the parking spot for themselves after the 48-hour period, but just to remove them to be jerks to their neighbors.
Doesn't this just further complicate the existing issues? If I marked a parking spot somewhere and someone else has taken it, I assume they moved my marker in order to do this... but it seems that they may have innocently taken a spot that someone else has unmarked. I don't understand the reasoning behind this - it's not your place to remove someone elses' marker unless you're taking the spot. Furthermore, we get 48 hours to use that spot. I spent 3 hours shoveling out a spot only to have it taken, and I'm assuming someone down my street is removing markers because I've seen them on the side of the road without cars parked there. It's so obnoxious.
If everyone cleared snow parking spots properly, stopped piling snow in the street which makes parking spots more scarce, and stopped messing with other people's parking spot savers within the allowed 48-hour period following a snow emergency, I think crazy snow-filled winters like these would be less stressful for everyone.
Comment
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Comment by Matt on February 24, 2011 at 11:36am
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Whoah.. before you start insulting and get un-neighborly, you should know that I get annoyed by markers in the street too. Calm down.
Don't call them "your markers" because it's not me you're directly having an issue with when it comes to parking. I also do not vandalize cars in any way so you have no right to accuse me of anything like that. In fact, I just posted a few weeks ago about my friend who had her tires slashed and how horrible it is.
I wonder more why people feel the need to insult others when we should be able to talk about it civilly in a neighborhood forum. I also wonder more about why people can't responsibly shovel the street in the first place, avoiding BOTH sides of those who mark spots and those who remove them. Furthermore, if you're going to remove markers, why not do it all over JP and more consistently? I say if you're going to do something like that, go for the gold. :)
It's interesting that those against marking spots seem to get more riled up and accusatory than anyone else online. Now that the snow is (finally) melting, I was hoping this topic would melt away with it.
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Comment by keith barton on February 24, 2011 at 11:23am
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Matt (with beard),
You wonder why people would move markers even if they don't use spot. Here's why:
You've probably already heard all the great reasons why space saving is ignorant, self-centered and wasteful.
Those of us who shovel and do not claim public spaces, don't think our spot should be taken just because there's a half-dozen a-holes putting their crap in the street. We take your markers covertly, to confuse you s-heads. You deserve losing your crap or have it tossed in your yard or broken. If we took your marker, and actually parked there, half you self-entitled jerks think it gives you the right to slash a tire, break a window etc. Very likely you are vandalising a perfectly innocent person who thought they might use an open space for a while. Sounds like you might be dealing with a little guilt yourself. Good for you. Welcome to the community.
The 48-hour rule is a political compromise the mayor came up with. Actually it is illegal to place debris on the street anytime. It is just very difficult to enforce. That's why some of us have to enforce it ourselves.
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Comment by Matt L. on February 6, 2011 at 4:59pm
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As a parent to a young child, when you lose consistency, you're screwed. Take a look a Brookline - whether you're a resident or visitor; owner or renter; there IS NO OVERNIGHT PARKING. It's black and white. No exceptions. We in JP should be lucky that we even have permitted overnight parking. This whole vague, "not real" 48 hour rule is causing more damage than good. The irony in this whole thing is the amount pride that JP residents take about being a progressive and liberal community. I guess when push comes to shove (or shovel) it's ultimately "every man for themselves". No wonder why the talk of sweeping progressive "change" never results in anything but "watered down what could have beens."
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That would be awesome, Todd. I know they do that in some states.
I also think if the Snow Crew is removing markers (as someone just mentioned in an email), they should also shovel out the piles of snow that eat up parking spots. Only, of course, if there's no one in need (disabled, elderly, etc) at the time. I'd totally help do that on my street!
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Comment by Todd on February 2, 2011 at 9:02am
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It'd be nice if the city were able to go street by street and have people move their cars, and fully plow the streets. Like street cleaning.
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Comment by Whit on January 31, 2011 at 9:43pm
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Right on, Quinn. I don't have a dog in this hunt but I think it does only help to spread anger and resentment amongst neighbors when we claim public space exclusively for ourselves--whether it's 24 hrs or 48 or 72.
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It's also fine to move other people's space markers within that 48 hour period based on your own personal belief system. There really isn't a "right or wrong" answer here. Some people think you're being rude by taking a spot and you think the people who take space savers are rude.
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That is true, I didn't mean to insinuate otherwise. I should also reiterate that I think it's fine to move space markers if you plan on actually taking a space after that 48-hour period since they aren't allowed to be out there longer than that.
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Let's clarify one point...the 48 hour "rule" is not a law. It was not passed by the Legislature and it doesn't establish any property rights to anybody.
It mainly relates to whether or not the city will direct the DPW to move space savers within 48 hours of a snow emergency. If someone takes your space saver or your parking space you have zero legal recourse.
That being said, anybody can remove any space saver for any reason on the street. You may feel otherwise but what the city is essentially allowing you to do is to keep garbage out on the street without recourse and that's it.
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If we're on the same side, we shouldn't be fighting :)
All I'm saying is please don't mettle in other people's parking. It's already a sensitive. I don't claim to say I know you, and you obviously don't know me. Please stop with the insults as well.
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