Hero Parking
A friend of mine lives next to a fire department in Prospect Heights. He has called 311 numerous times in the past months and complained about the firemen parking their personal use cars on the sidewalk in front of his apartment. Their vehicles block access to his apartment and make it hard to load/unload heavy items, makes it cumbersome for people with strollers, etc.
Personally, I too think this is wrong. Most NYers have to take public transportation to work, or, if we do drive, pay a lot of parking or park where we can on the street. We don't get to just pull up on the curb and park where we please. It would be one thing if it wasn't a personal use vehicle. I think this shows no respect to the community and is indicative of the attitudes many of these so-called heroes have on and off duty.
Is there a law out there that allows these so-called heroes to park wherever they please?
Does anyone else have a problem with this?
Personally, I too think this is wrong. Most NYers have to take public transportation to work, or, if we do drive, pay a lot of parking or park where we can on the street. We don't get to just pull up on the curb and park where we please. It would be one thing if it wasn't a personal use vehicle. I think this shows no respect to the community and is indicative of the attitudes many of these so-called heroes have on and off duty.
Is there a law out there that allows these so-called heroes to park wherever they please?
Does anyone else have a problem with this?
Comments
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Subject: Re: Hero Parking
Oiseau wrote:
Do firefighters make enough to live in the city? Where do they come from to work at that firehall?
Personally, I too think this is wrong. Most NYers have to take public transportation to work, or, if we do drive, pay a lot of parking or park where we can on the street. We don't get to just pull up on the curb and park where we please. It would be one thing if it wasn't a personal use vehicle. I think this shows no respect to the community and is indicative of the attitudes many of these so-called heroes have on and off duty.
I'd say the Law doesn't enforce the law because of a solidarity deal.
Is there a law out there that allows these so-called heroes to park wherever they please?
Does anyone else have a problem with this? -
I used to live accross from the precinct on 6th ave and the cops would park their cars wherever they wanted. It worked out for me though because I had a '76 El Dorado and it was impossible to park, so I just parked it near the precinct and never got a ticket
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Subject: Re: Hero Parking
metulj wrote:
I'd say the Law doesn't enforce the law because of a solidarity deal.
Really, so what other "deals" do they get, like getting to drive drunk and not get charged, assault and battery and not get charged. I hate to say it but there will always be a minority who will blatantly abuse the priveledges given to them, ruining it for those that deserve it. I'm sure the sidewalk thing started out when they were just getting to work and did'nt have time to park and had to get to a fire. The laws should apply to all regardless, they should not be allowed to park on the sidewalk. -
Subject: Re: Hero Parking
Captain M wrote: I'm sure the sidewalk thing started out when they were just getting to work and did'nt have time to park and had to get to a fire.
Do you really believe this? It's all a matter of convenience. Although it may be convenient to one, it may inconveniece many. And one really has to be a pig-headed moron not to realize this. Instead of thinking what is best for me, we should be thinking what is best for all. Unfortunately, there is a "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" attitude out there. -
salut, oiseau! has anyone tried contacting the block's block committee? keep calling 311 & document. ...and i guess if your friend accidently scratches the car(s) with oversized cargo --- oh, WELL.
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vanilla wrote: keep calling 311 & document. ...and i guess if your friend accidently scratches the car(s) with oversized cargo --- oh, WELL.
Oh he documents every call to 311 and their non-response and he documents everytime he sees a vehicle parked on the sidewalk. Sometimes an egg accidentally falls on one of their cars, probably from some large seagull or other flying creature. -
Oiseau wrote: [quote=vanilla] keep calling 311 & document. ...and i guess if your friend accidently scratches the car(s) with oversized cargo --- oh, WELL.
Oh he documents every call to 311 and their non-response and he documents everytime he sees a vehicle parked on the sidewalk. Sometimes an egg accidentally falls on one of their cars, probably from some large seagull or other flying creature.
Time for a windshield note:
Hey Asshole: This is not a parking space. Next time your car gets keyed. -
I get annoyed when I see NYPD cruisers strolling through red lights, stop signs, etc without their lights on and in no obvious hurry.
I wouldn't key anyone's car -- you wouldn't want it down to yours, citizen -- but I'd definitely start leaving obnoxious fliers, and when those had no effect, bumperstickers.
"It's Not Heroic If It's Your Job" etc.
-p -
pete_c wrote: I get annoyed when I see NYPD cruisers strolling through red lights, stop signs, etc without their lights on and in no obvious hurry.
It would be cool to get some of those extra-sticky stickers like the sanitation department uses to put on their driver side window. No need to attack thier "heroism"- it could just say "You are parked illegally".
I wouldn't key anyone's car -- you wouldn't want it down to yours, citizen -- but I'd definitely start leaving obnoxious fliers, and when those had no effect, bumperstickers.
"It's Not Heroic If It's Your Job" etc.
-p -
pete_c wrote: I get annoyed when I see NYPD cruisers strolling through red lights, stop signs, etc without their lights on and in no obvious hurry.
I second this, I almost got nailed by a cruiser the other day who decided to blow a light, which I understand they must do but to not have light or even a siren is dangerous and irresponsible. Who would be at fault if I had nailed that cop car? -
Take a photo of the vehicle with the plate number and start posting it with bitchy commentary on the various appropriate websites...such as this one.
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pete_c wrote: I get annoyed when I see NYPD cruisers strolling through red lights, stop signs, etc without their lights on and in no obvious hurry.
I advised no one to use a key. I said leave a note. If you REALLY want the undivided attention of the authorities, write "Next time we bomb your car."
I wouldn't key anyone's car -- you wouldn't want it down to yours, citizen -- but I'd definitely start leaving obnoxious fliers, and when those had no effect, bumperstickers.
"It's Not Heroic If It's Your Job" etc.
-p
Obnoxious fliers was the main idea. Delete the key reference if you wish. -
i live in PH across from a fire house. yes, the firemen sometimes park on the sidewalk and double park, but they are on the side of the street along playgrounds, where there are no apartments. the bike lane is on the other side of the street too. in my opinion it's not a big deal for the firemen to park there during their shifts, and i've never had a problem maneuvering around their cars. sure most of us take public transportation to work - but most of us don't work in the middle of residential neighborhoods either.
also note that tons of double parking happens on the same block when the church is having services. let's tow them all too!
and pete_c, i disagree with you that since it's a firefighter's job to put out fires, that makes their actions any less heroic. most people don't sign up for a job that requires them to run into burning buildings. i'd bet that anyone who's had a trapped family member or pet rescued from a burning home feels differently than you do. -
cyn707 wrote: i live in PH across from a fire house. yes, the firemen sometimes park on the sidewalk and double park, but they are on the side of the street along playgrounds, where there are no apartments. the bike lane is on the other side of the street too. in my opinion it's not a big deal for the firemen to park there during their shifts, and i've never had a problem maneuvering around their cars. sure most of us take public transportation to work - but most of us don't work in the middle of residential neighborhoods either.
Leave opinions on heroism out of it. The fact is that there's no permit that allows them to park on the sidewalk in a non-emergency situation. They are abusing their authority, period. The cops do the same thing, and it's equally wrong for them.
also note that tons of double parking happens on the same block when the church is having services. let's tow them all too!
and pete_c, i disagree with you that since it's a firefighter's job to put out fires, that makes their actions any less heroic. most people don't sign up for a job that requires them to run into burning buildings. i'd bet that anyone who's had a trapped family member or pet rescued from a burning home feels differently than you do. -
pete_c wrote:
My husband's technique for car-related offenses is to leave a fairly mild note on the hood or roof--held down by a large rock or brick. It seems to make most people think twice.
I advised no one to use a key. I said leave a note. If you REALLY want the undivided attention of the authorities, write "Next time we bomb your car."
Obnoxious fliers was the main idea. Delete the key reference if you wish.
I doubt you'd get much traction with the firefighters, though. The big cars and heedless parking seem to be pretty routine. -
personally i don't like double parking and sidewalk parking near precints/firehouses, but let's be realistic. firehouses and police stations are often in the middle of residential neighborhoods, where on street parking is scarce and garages and parking lots generally don't exist. where should cops/firefighters park? what about church-goers who double park?
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cyn707 wrote: personally i don't like double parking and sidewalk parking near precints/firehouses, but let's be realistic. firehouses and police stations are often in the middle of residential neighborhoods, where on street parking is scarce and garages and parking lots generally don't exist. where should cops/firefighters park? what about church-goers who double park?
They may have to suck it up and park a little further away! Would it kill them to walk a few blocks? At the hospital I work at, the doctors who drive wind up walking many blocks in a somewhat dangerous residential neighborhood. They are in exactly the same situation, but I don't think any of them have the arrogance to think it's ok to just park on the sidewalk (or maybe they do, but know they'd never get away with it because some cop who does the exact same thing would give them a ticket). There's no reason that cops and firefighters have to park their personal vehicles on the same block that they work on (I'm not talking about squad cars and such). They're just too fucking lazy to walk.
Church-goers who double-park should also get tickets. -
cyn707 wrote: personally i don't like double parking and sidewalk parking near precints/firehouses, but let's be realistic. firehouses and police stations are often in the middle of residential neighborhoods, where on street parking is scarce and garages and parking lots generally don't exist. where should cops/firefighters park? what about church-goers who double park?
The police precint on 6th Ave and bergen and the firehouse on Dean St. are located near next to the 2/3 line and Atlantic Ave with all teh subway lines. The one on Grand Ave and the firehouse on St. John's is located within walking distance of the 2/3 and 4 lines. They could take the subway but I gues the subway doesn't run from Long Island or Staten Island or Ne jersey where they all live.
As for them double parking on the side of the playground, well yeah it does effect the bike lane as cars now have to enter the bike lane to get by. Trucks have to go slower and it causes an unneeded obstacle.
As for church goers, yeah, there is no law that says just because you go to church you get to double-park. Don't tow them but ticket them! We know the city needs the money. I'm an agnostic and don't get to park where I please. -
I also live across from the fire house, and have had more problems with double parked cops then fireman. As far as the church goers, I was shocked when I was blocked in my first Sunday, but I walked down to the church, they got the keys and moved the car. They were very nice.
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cyn707 wrote: personally i don't like double parking and sidewalk parking near precints/firehouses, but let's be realistic. firehouses and police stations are often in the middle of residential neighborhoods, where on street parking is scarce and garages and parking lots generally don't exist. where should cops/firefighters park? what about church-goers who double park?
Hw about these people take public transportatino to work like the rest of us - if you live in the suburbs there is park and ride
Specifically the Fire/Police house on Bergen/Dean - its is dangerous when they double park on Dean because of the bike lane on the left - if I have to swerve around a double parked car I could possibly hit a biker. I find double parking where children play to be just as dangerous - children under a certain height tend to get lost between two cars and make it very hard for a driver to spot them when they run out in front of the car. -
I live on Dean, and I've found the church doubleparking worse than the cops and firemen. Every Sunday there is double parking the entire length of the block between 6th and Carlton. I've started my own little 311 phone campaign to complain.
That said, it's annoying that the firemen and cops park on the sidewalk, and all over the street, and that there's never any street cleaning along 6th because of this. -
When my shop was right across the street from the precinct on 6th {for 5 years}, I had to deal with the cops parking on MY side of the sidewalk and completely blocking my shop from anyone getting to it! I went into the precinct many, many times to politely ask them to move, sometimes they did, sometimes they didn't, but I found out that the problem with the cops and the firemen on 6th and Dean is that, unlike most other firehouses and precincts, they have absolutely no dedicated parking lot. Others all do. Listen, it was a huge pain in the ass for me, but they need a parking lot. I don't want some cop or fireman to have to waste time taking the subway or trying to find parking. The job they do is horrible, so I cut them some slack. I feel your pain, though.
Maybe Ratner can build them one, since he's so interested in improving our neighborhood. -
Speaking of Dean- who knew that the Dean Food Center was the hip place to be in Prospect Heights at all hours, and that the folks at Freddies are so quiet?
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sje wrote: I don't want some cop or fireman to have to waste time taking the subway or trying to find parking.
Are you kidding? What, the subway isn't good enough for them? I take the subway to work every day, as I did since Junior High. I've never considered it a waste of time- time on the train is actually more productive than time spent driving would be, since it's possible to read on the train. I think it would actually be a good thing to have more off duty cops on the subway (on their way to and from work). Their presence alone would decrease crime on the trains.
The lack of a parking lot is no excuse for parking on the sidewalk illegally. As the enforcers of the law, they should obey it themselves. They wouldn't be at all interested in your excuse if they were giving you a ticket for the same thing. -
No, I'm not kidding, and here's my reasoning. Alot of them live far away, you probably know that cops {not sure about firemen} are not allowed to live in the precinct they work in. {weird rule}. For a whole year once, I commuted to Hawthorne upstate, 2 hours each way, and I became a zombie because I was so tired and burnt out. They carry guns, and are responsible for saving lives and making split second decisions. I definitely want the people in that position to be as rested and sharp as possible, not cranky and dull. Does it excuse parking on the sidewalk? Hell no! But there are no other options right now.
Bottom line is the cops and firemen need a parking lot all to themselves. -
If the world were fair the city agency (don't know the name) who has the lot on Dean St would have to give it up. I've heard that they moved out of the neighborhood a while ago but kept the lot. That could become cop/fireman parking.
And then the church people could realize that double-parking for Jeebus isn't cool, and decide to walk/subway to worship.
And then everyone could give me bourbon and tiramisu, and Monica Bellucci could fly over from Italy to rub my back (among other bits).
Sweet. -
sje wrote: Does it excuse parking on the sidewalk? Hell no! But there are no other options right now.
There are other options. Are you really worried that walking a few blocks will make them too tired to be effective? They can drive around until they find a parking spot and walk from the spot to their job like everyone else. Anyone who is in appropriate physical condition for law enforcement should be able to handle that. -
sje wrote: Does it excuse parking on the sidewalk? Hell no! But there are no other options right now.
When the law doesn't follow the law then how can they expect regular citizen's to do so? Oh that's right, the police (and firemen) are above the law. Right.
Seems as though parking rules are only enforced when it's convenient for them to do so. Thus double-parked trucks never get tickets, people can can double park when they go to church, and tickets are only given between the hours of 7AM and 7PM. Is a person who parks in front of a hydrant at 11AM or 11PM any different? I think not.
Selective enforcement is discrimination. Either enforce the laws 24/7 or not at all. -
last winter I had a mild breakdown that inovlved me kicking a cop's car (not a cop car, a personal car) after a really big snowstorm. I somehow avoided arrest. but .. I was crossing Park toward Utopia from Grand onto Washington. and this cop decided to park his personal car in front of the tiny shoveled tunnel that allowed pedstrians to cross the street. I started yelling "hey! hey! you're blocking the sidewalk!" and the guy kept backing up til he was flush with the snowbank. so I kicked his bumper and yelled "move the car! how am I supposed to cross this street?" and the guy leaned out, looked and said "oh, sorry" so I kicked the bumper AGAIN (I was sober, too -- just filled with rage) and he moved the car. I can only assume he didn't see/feel me kicking his bumper or I would have gotten into trouble.
anyway, point being, cops and firefighters do have an excessive sense of entitlement. most of them seem reasonable and don't abuse it, but some of them a just fucking jerks. like everyone else. :twisted:
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