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Southie space saver of the day: Take some candy and leave
By adamg on Mon, 01/08/2018 - 3:06pm
A roving UHub photographer spotted this space saver on F Street around 12:30 p.m. today: Would-be parkers are invited to take some candy - and a noisemaker - and then just keep on circling.
And what innovative space savers are you seeing?
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Comments
Alas
They are legal where I live but nobody plays this silly automotive Game of Thrones.
I used one recently
A friend was coming to help us move, and there was nowhere for her to park. So I shoveled out a space and stuck a chair in it, since I wasn't *precisely* sure when she was going to arrive. An hour later, we were done, and the spot was up for grabs! I think this particular usage pattern is hard to argue with.
Maybe it's worthwhile from an ethical standpoint to distinguish between short-term and long-term (workday?) space-savers. But then, what about someone coming home after a workday, and not finding a place to park. Do they leave the car in the middle of the road while they take the 10-20 minutes to shovel out a spot? That sucks in a *different* way.
Beyond the city using a fleet of snow compacting and removal equipment, I'm not sure I've actually heard a plausible suggestion that would actually meet everyone's needs.
Simple Answer
No off street parking where you live? No car.
Ya, that’ll happen.
Ya, that’ll happen.
Well ...
It will if people keep misbehaving, keep demonstrating how the current system doesn't work, keep bringing cars into the city when there are already too many to fit, etc.
Some world class cities have already started requiring proof of parking before letting you register a car.
World class my a**
We’ve got a long way to go. The current mayor/BPDA are allowing so much housing to built at this point, there won’t be much off-street land for parking. Lots of people are arguing against parking minimums with new developments, if parking minimums are eliminated that means more vehicles on the street. On street parking in Boston will not be eliminated in the near future, hopefully there are systems put in place for improvement, but I’m not holding my breath.
I wish that were true. The
I wish that were true. The nicest parts of cities are the ones with a lot of housing or other activity, and not a lot of parking lots.
Unfortunately the city keeps approving massive developments with massive parking garages in neighborhoods like the Fenway and Sullivan.
Define “nicest”
Define “nicest”
This is easy
Parking meters everywhere, no free parking. If you want to pay the day rate for your beach chair, go right ahead.
Oooh, I actually like this
Oooh, I actually like this one, I think. But I wonder if the economics work out, or if you'd just have the more well-off folks reserving them 24/7.
your argument is self contradictory
You say "
What about the person who comes home after a workday and has no place to park BECAUSE ALL THE EMPTY SPOTS ARE TAKEN BY SPACE SAVERS. If you live in a place where parking is scarce, then snow does not change the usual pattern - sometimes you have to park further than you want. If that isn't what you want, then move someplace else or advocate for different parking rules.
Where did they park before
Where did they park before going to work?
But then, what about someone
What is this "coming home after a workday and finding a place to park" of which you speak? Sounds like some suburban paradise unknown here on my home planet.
When there are 1100 spaces on the street and 6,000 cars with valid resident stickers, what would a plausible solution actually look like?
I have off street parking AND
I have off street parking AND a resident sticker. So I can park and get coffee when BC is playing. Or I can park on the street when we have guests coming. Or I can park over in Allston to pick up takeout.
I agree that residential parking is likely oversubscribed (especially in South Boston etc) but there are plenty of reasons to have a sticker even if you only park on the street SOME of the time.
I can't blame you for making
I can't blame you for making use of the options available to you. But it is an unfair system that lets you park to go shopping using a sticker which is intended to allow for parking at your house, while someone from a different neighborhood cannot.
Bob, Bob, Bob. You have to get out
No, the entirety of Boston is not like Beacon Hill, the North End, or the Back Bay. In places like Dorchester there are usually enough spots to park, outside of when there is a lot of snow which is compacted into big, heavy snowbanks on the sides of roads- you know, where people park their cars.
And no, I don't want to jump and say that South Boston is devoid of parking problems, but back when Mayor Menino declared that saving a parking space you shoveled out is okay for a limited period of time, parking was not that bad in Southie.
I've been saying this to you for years, a Beacon Hill solution won't work in Dorchester, and a Dorchester solution won't work on Beacon Hill. Different issues.
We don't disagree.
We don't disagree. But if you look at population numbers, car registration, availability of street spaces, I think more of the city is in the "ain't no spaces nohow" category than in the "anyone who wants a space can have one by shoveling" category.
This is not an issue in West Roxbury, because there are plenty of spaces. And it's not an issue in the downtown neighborhoods because parking has been so tight for so long that hardly anyone is clueless enough to try to use space savers there.
It seems to be an issue in neighborhoods that used to be like West Roxbury (i.e. plenty of space) but are now more like Beacon Hill / Back Bay / Chinatown etc. (i.e. no space)..... with the problem being that the old timers haven't quite caught on to the change and still think the old system is workable.
I’d love to be a fly on the
I’d love to be a fly on the wall (snow?) when it takes that person a few minutes to dismantle the set-up and everyone behind them is laying on the horn.
Things will calm down when twix are distributed
Though a snickers bar has been known to work better.
I know some people hate these things, but whoever set this up should get credit for originality. I mean, check out the spray paint on the snow.
Totally! A for effort, les
Totally! A for effort, les hope those party horns are picked up before Paddy’s Day.
Party horns?
Them are champagne bottles!
I'm afraid they've gone flat...
That cardboard is probably
That cardboard is probably mush by now! The horns sticking out of the snow bank.
Yeah, selfish, illegal
Yeah, selfish, illegal behavior is great when you're original about it.
OMG cry about it.
OMG cry about it.
Well, yeah
I mean, there have been many crimes I’ve heard of over the years where I’ve read or heard about it and thought “sure, that’s illegal, but it’s still awesome.” And those have been real crimes, as opposed to something like this, which some people are more concerned about than murder or the opioid trade.
parking
When does the Mayor's 48 hour parking space rule expire? After that it's free candy and a parking spot!
In March
In March
lol!
At least they have a sense of humor about it!