Annoying Double Parking Honkers!

carnivore

Subject: Re: violence

communitybuilder wrote: It represents a deep disregard for the public realm, a lack of empathy with your fellow human being, and, essentially, a total disregard for anything that might exist outside the comfort of your own car. We may have come to take this behavior as normal but that doesn't mean that it's not a form of violence.

A statement that would apply equally well to those double-parking without leaving a note. Your outrage would ring truer if you wouldn't continue ignoring that simple fact.

anonymous

Subject: Re: violence

communitybuilder wrote: First off, the correct thing to do if someone is blocking your car for hours on end is to call the cops. They'll come and put a ticket on the car, usually, within minutes. Then you have the right to call a private tow company to get rid of the guy. If all goes well you can have the guy's car removed within 20 minutes along with the deep satisfaction of knowing that the shmuck will return to find his car missing and then have to go down to the Navy Yard and pay $300 along with a $95 ticket to get it back. It simply isn't correct (or even legal) to sit there for minutes blasting your horn on a neighborhood street. .

that doesn't much like community building to me. It sounds hostile and passive aggressive or overtly aggressive. Double parking is part of the car culture in Brooklyn. Everyone who has lived in Brooklyn for a while knows this. If you need your car in the morning on the day of alternate side parking--either move it, leave a note you need the car, take the subway or yes, honking a few times does usually work. But if someone doesn't respond after a minute of honking, they aren't around and you are screwed. I would never have my neighbor towed over that--that seems even more sociopathic then honking in frustration. At least honking in frustration isn't sneaky and mean spirited.

kosherdave

Subject: Re: violence

communitybuilder wrote: First off, the correct thing to do if someone is blocking your car for hours on end is to call the cops. They'll come and put a ticket on the car, usually, within minutes. Then you have the right to call a private tow company to get rid of the guy....

This I agree with, but I do not think the annoying honking is a form of sociopathic behavior. I think it is rude to honk and honk, yes, but we are missing the cause of this, and assigning blame on the victim.

I also do not agree one bit that if you're blocked in, you should seek other transportation. Why should you suffer because some shmuck breaks the law, unpunished?

If EVERYONE would just put the damn info in their windows, cell number, house number whatever, and come IMMEDIATLY when called, this would not be a problem, it is the people who not only selfishly break the law for their own convienence, but are too selfish to look beyond themselves and think about leaving some contact info, that get me.

And fuck to the "culture of brooklyn" making this ok. We can't write off illegal action just because "everybody's doing it" !!

rose

Honking sucks. I wouldn't go so far as to call it "violent" but it is definitely aggravating to be in your house trying to work or take a nap or whatever and have to listen to someone honking for ten minutes.

I agree that if no one comes after you've been honking for a minute, you're screwed because the person you're honking at isn't hearing you. But then that person deserves to have his car ticketed and towed. If you double-park someone in, then you should be available to move your car, period.

anonymous

Subject: Re: violence

communitybuilder wrote:
When you hear a motorist blast his horn, try to get a look at his face or at least his car and try to get an idea of what he's honking about. Then translate the monosyllabic honk into English language. Quickly you will find that only a miniscule percentage of the honks you hear on the street in Brooklyn translate as something like, "Watch out, pal! I just wanted to alert you to the fact that you almost caused a dangerous accident." Rather, virtually every horn blast you hear on a Brooklyn street translates as something like, "The light turned green one-tenth of a second ago, a$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$hole!" "Watch the f*&k out everyone, I'm ripping through a yellow light at 55 mph on a residential street. If I hit you, it's your fault." Or simply, "Get the f$*k out of my waaaaaaaaaay you f#@k."

You forgot, "I'm an earnest taxi/limo driver who hopes he can impress his customer by constant use of the beep!"