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Citizen complaint of the day: Stop the Southie-fication of the South End
By adamg on Thu, 12/05/2013 - 7:48am
A South End citizen is aghast to see a car parked facing the wrong way on Father Gilday Street:
Where are we, Southie? Who parks in the wrong direction and thinks it's ok?
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Some people
For some reason, some people who drive sports cars or big SUV's feel entitled to drive without consideration for rules of the road or what might be good for the other drivers. They are like that at home too, I bet.
HAHA
If that's your definition of a "sports car", I hope you never see what I drive! It's a beat up old saab for crying out loud.
Saab is not a sports car.
Saab is not a sports car.
Eh, kind of a stretch. Now if
Eh, kind of a stretch. Now if that were a '97 Taurus it'd be a different story.
Why is parking such a big
Why is parking such a big part of Southie identity?
"Who parks in the wrong direction and thinks it's ok?"
Apparently a LOT of folks in North Allston, among others. We drove down either Brentwood or Holton Street recently and nearly half the parked cars were facing the wrong direction.
And Roslindale
Just drive down some of the narrower streets in the neighborhood. Once every few years, a meter maid drives down one of them and makes quota.
seconded
A lot of people, that's who. It doesn't mean it's okay, and these people should pay the price of (at least) a ticket.
Or, as Judge LaTullipe might suggest later, we could just put these wrong way parkers to death.
What's the problem?
Why does it warrant a ticket? Is there some issue other than offending someone's OCD sense of aesthetics that I'm missing?
Because it is unsafe. They
Because it is unsafe. They will be pulling out of that spot into oncoming traffic
So?
So? How's that any less safe than pulling out into traffic that you are seeing through a mirror or over your shoulder? We're not exactly talking about Mass Ave here.
Well...
Because you'll be pulling out into oncoming traffic that's going in the opposite direction (inotherwords, the wrong direction), and you're more likely to have a head-on collision with an oncoming vehicle, which is worse than a rear-fender bender collision.
Yes, but...
When most of the two way streets are not much wider than the one way streets, your always pulling out into oncoming traffic no matter what side of the road you park on.
It warrants a ticket because
It warrants a ticket because it's against the law, period.
Thank you, Michael L., and see below.
n/t.
Selective law enforcement advocates..
I'm willing to bet that half the busy bodies that are so worked up over breaking a parking rule are big advocates for allowing illegal aliens to remain living here. It's amusing how these people demand that only the laws THEY want obeyed be followed while the ones they disagree with should be ignored.
Because it is unlawful, that's why. Not because of one's OCD.
Parking facing the direction opposite of the flow of traffic on a given side of a street is not lawful, and has not been lawful for a very long time.
Despite my feeling that this is common knowledge, and my previously articulated disdain for the constant demand for citations for every little thing on UHub, I went to the trouble of pulling the authority for this one.
Article IV, Section 1, subsection 20 of the Traffic Rules and Regulations for the City of Boston, promulgated pursuant to the authority granted by Chapter 263 of the Acts of 1929 provides the following:
"No driver shall stop, stand, or park a vehicle in any of the following places...20. Upon any roadway, unless the vehicle is parked facing in the direction of traffic flow on that side of the street, except where angle parking is permitted or commercial vehicles, as defined, are permitted to back to the curb or edge of the roadway."
Hence, this person should be ticketed, and perhaps given a dope/entitledspecialsnowflake slap, but as previously stated, I'll defer to Judge LaTullippe for corporal or capital punishment.
What does the municipal code
What does the municipal code say about two-way streets that are only wide enough for one car to pass at a time?
(Looking at Street View I do see that this is not one of those streets.)
This right here. If the
This right here. If the street is narrow enough for only one car at a time, one could argue traffic flows in both directions, and therefore you can park in either direction on either side of the street. I kind of want to get a ticket and try this is court.
You should definitely try
You should definitely try that. Brilliant idea. Don't forget to keep us posted.
It's also unlawful for two
It's also unlawful for two people, not married to each other, to have sex. Perhaps we should enforce ALL of our laws, not just the ones we like. Ya, didn't think you'd agree.
No it isn't
It was. But look up Eisenstadt v. Baird and Lawrence v. Texas. The Supreme Court has ruled in multiple different ways that two single people can have consenting sex (in private, and non-commercially).
Buttsecks is illegal in MA though
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleI/Chapter272/Sect...
"Section 34. Whoever commits the abominable and detestable crime against nature, either with mankind or with a beast, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than twenty years."
That is my favorite law.
I always pictured the abominable snowman doing abominable crimes against detestable beasts and other manlike kinds.
Nope again
GLAD v Attorney General, 2002. Killed Section 34 and 35 (which was already challenged and beaten by Commonwealth v Balthazar).
Not in MA
That was one of the laws they took off the books en masse sometime around 1990.
Yup
In Brighton, too, there are a lot of two-way streets that are one car-width wide. You just park whichever direction. I don't see the big deal if the car is pointing the 'wrong' way.
Narrow Streets
It's often difficult to impossible to turn around for a curbside spot in Boston, so people generally just park whichever way they are facing. This is true in all neighborhoods, and the complaint only proves that the person writing it should move to the 'burbs.
You could *gasp* take five
You could *gasp* take five minutes out of your day drive around the block and park properly.
And in that 5 minutes, you
And in that 5 minutes, you would lose that parking space 5 times over.
Well that's the price of
Well that's the price of owning a car and following the law.
Except
You won't have lost it.
It wasn't yours to lose.
Very Sound Logic
Next time I see you in line somewhere I will be sure to cut in front of you. I won't be taking your spot in line, it wasn't yours to lose.
Doesn't make sense
You weren't in line to stand there, you were going the complete opposite way. If you were about to pull in, and someone pulls around you and snaps up the spot, then you'd be taking a spot.
Are you always a moron, or do you just play one on the internet?
You're right, I forgot that
You're right, I forgot that name calling on the internet is the ultimate indicator of intelligence.
Damn straight
Damn straight, n00b.
It's a figure of speech, Kaz.
It's a figure of speech, Kaz. Calm down.
Then you have a choice:
Drive around the block and risk losing the spot, or park illegally and risk getting a ticket. It seems that it many neighborhoods the risk of getting a ticket is low, so people are quite willing to park facing the wrong way. That doesn't make it not illegal though, so don't get offended if you end up with a ticket on your windshield.
This is Boston, the spot
This is Boston, the spot might be gone! (Especially in Southie)
Size matters
If the street is two-way but not wide enough that cars can physically pass each other, then park however. If its wide enough to have a yellow line, then yeah you shouldn't park the 'wrong' way. Its just common sense.
It's rude
It's rude and inconsiderate behavior. We all live in these neighborhoods and it is unsafe to park (and drive) on the wrong side of the street.
some people really have a lot
some people really have a lot of spare time on their hands to complain about mundane shit. I'm sure the Pine St Inn would love some volunteer help if this complainer has so much free time on their hands, and it's right down the street!
In Southie, it's my opinion that trying to bang a U-turn on the narrow streets is borderline impossible, hence it's easier to just park "facing the wrong way". it's been going on for ages without issue, what's the big deal.
Actually ...
There is somebody in South Boston who has been filing complaints for months now about wrong-way parkers.
Agreed
Agreed that it is nearly imossible to turn around on most streets in Southie. Combine all the double parking with people doing three point turns in order to park in the correct direction, it would be chaos. Or are you just supposed to pass up an open spot that is on the other side of the street and keep driving until you find one on the correct side? Because, you know, there are so many open parking spots.
Yes, that is exactly what you
Yes, that is exactly what you're supposed to do.
I get a kick out of
these Newbies who move to Southie with their ugly girlfriends and try to tell everyone how to live. I'll park the wrong and no Newbie is going to tell me otherwise. Like we say about every other whining complaint......you don't like it? move out.
You tell 'em.
Oh... And tell Kaitlyn Orr, too.
Murderously self-entitled pricks who couldn't be arsed to park legally were directly responsible for that little girl's death.
What about Kaitlyn Orr's father? Didn't he bear responsibility?
Not to defend the illegal and stupid practices of double parking/parking in the wrong direction, but, from what I recall, Kaitlyn Orr's father, a guy with emphysema, had been smoking while rigged up to an oxygen tank (which he absolutely shouldn't have been doing, in the firsts place!), which is what started the house fire in the first place. Those oxygen tanks are extremely flammable, and things must've caught fire very, very quickly. So, the father of the little girl was also directly responsible for his daughter's death, imho.
@Bob Leponge
Really? Really had to go there? Have you ever even seen Bowen Street before? That girl's tragic death had NOTHING to do with cars parked facing the wrong direction; firetrucks were unable to pass because vehicles were literally blocking the street. There is no legal parking on either side of Bowen Street so get your facts straight before you try using a little girl's death to make a point...
Not sure I see....
... how what you say is inconsistent with B. Leponge's comment.
Won't somebody please think of the children??
If they let this slide, next thing you know, people will be double-parking "just for a minute" in the South End while they run into a store. We may even see hydrants and handicapped ramps blocked.
/sarcasm
More important...
Why is this ignored by the Police and BTD?!!!!
In the heart of "Southie" you never know if you're going down a One Way street because the cars are parked in every direction on both sides of the street. If they parked like that in Beacon Hill the car would be towed in seconds!
If only there were street
If only there were street signs that said one way. Maybe even put an arrow on them.
If only, indeed!
There's a one-way street in my neighborhood that has only one sign, halfway down the street, facing a short "Private Way" connector that goes through to the next street over. That one sign is posted very high, on a utility pole rather than the usual street sign post, so the few people who drive down the private way don't even see it. The result is that most people are completely unaware that it's a one-way street.
In my neighborhood, people
In my neighborhood, people park the right way.
I recently saw a car parked the wrong way, with a ticket for it. The only problem is the street is one way, but there are no one-way signs at the beginning of the street, only at the "exit" end. And they were parked in the first spot on the left. So for all they knew, it was a two-way street, and they went through the effort to make a 3-point turn and park what they thought was the right way.
That is a false statement.
That is a false statement. You might see a car here or there parked the wrong way on a one-way street in Southie, but it is the exception, not the rule. Or perhaps you don't know which streets are one way and which are not.
How much time do you spend in Southie?
In my experience, wrong-way parking accounts for at least 30% of the parked cars on most secondary roads in old residential Southie (as opposed to the Fort Point / Seaport area). Only on the main drags like Broadway is it uncommon.
My only issue with it is the aforementioned difficulty in quickly identifying one-way streets, which isn't a problem for long-time residents.
Wrong!
Take a walk (not a drive) behind the Stop and Shop at least every other car is parked the wrong way. I GUARANTEE once you travel past D Street and West Broadway and head south through the rest of the Lettered streets you WILL find several cars parked illegally facing the wrong direction! "The Southies" think they're privileged and can park where ever and how ever they like, double, triple, wrong facing, angled in, 3 feet from the curb. It's ridiculous!
moonbats
That's because everyone from Beacon Hill is a Moonbat and has too much time on their hands which they use to bitch about trivial issues.
Is the Herald website down or
Is the Herald website down or something?
Wrong way parking
It's good to see some South Boston bashing. It's been awhile since I've read some. From some of the replies, this isn't something we in South Boston have monopolized. Just like space savers. This is a citywide issue. Please broaden your horizon.
who takes pictures of other people's cars?
This street is a stone's throw from Harrison Ave, the BMC, and Roxbury... so slow down with terribly coined 'Southie-fication' of the South End.
The line to the meth clinic can be so long and almost reach Father Gilday Street-- worse things to concern yourself with.
I'm sure Santa will still visit this Saab owner's chimney.
Entitled people
I am so sick of people who "forgot where they came from" and feel entitled. I work right next to the girl who's car it is and she is just a dispicable person. Calls herself tricky like its cool....
JD
Wrong Way Jose
I've seen this car parked the wrong way often. Believe a year ago, it had a huge Romney sticker on the back. Guess this is her new way to draw attention to herself. Whateva. Put Southie as a destination in your fancy GPS and take urself home.
Oh no. She wouldn't use a
Oh no. She wouldn't use a GPS. Nobody can tell her what to do, not even a Garmin. She will take whatever streets she darn well pleases. She drives a Saab you know. Clearly better than us.
Yellah Heads are smarter....
Stupid Red Heads......Yellah head would never have been this confused about the law!
Repeat offender
I have seen this beat up Saab parked on the wrong side of the street many times. This entitled elitist obviously feels like they are entitled to do as they please. Surely someone has alerted the autorities to this infraction. I'm so tired of these Southie turned Wall Street types. What's next? A lawn chair to protect the spot you shoveled out after the snowstorm 10 days ago? Unreal. And no......Santa isn't coming to your house this year.
what a total snaab
what a total snaab
Look at me! I drive a Saab!
Look at me! I drive a Saab! I can do whatever I want! What happened to our neighborhood? Why can't these Saab driving, celtic jersey wearing, scalli cap on their heads Southie folk either follow the law or go home? Plus the redheads smell like pennies.
You know what they say...
Buy now Saab later!
#southietoughness
I bet if you even tried to confront her about it she would probably just respond with a flip of the bird and a strong "go f yaself!"
Well, this thread just took a
Well, this thread just took a sharp turn into left field!
Don't reward the people with too much time on their hands.
The Saab is parked facing the "wrong direction" and your day is ruined... C'mon!
Allow me to point out the TRUCK pictured right behind the Saab is also parked in the wrong direction on the other side.
There are offenses in our streets that I prefer the Boston Police focus on... crime, drugs, etc. Please don't waste their time.
An OFS sticker on that car
An OFS sticker on that car will clear up a lot of confusion, on both sides of the Broadway bridge.
Parking the wrong way
I believe that this is wrong and unsafe (and unlawful) because if the car is faced the wrong way, the reflectors in the brake lights are no longer facing you as you approach the car.
Example: You drive on the right. Cars are parked with their reflectors facing you, you see them easily at night from your headlights, even when there is fog or rain. A car parked the wrong way is to your immediate right. No reflectors, as the front only has reflectors towards the sides, in the blinker lights. It's a dark and foggy night, and you don't see it.
Cars on the left, this matters less, as there is another lane of traffic separating it from you. I know, there are many two-way streets in Boston that are narrow enough that you are equally as close to the cars on your left as you are to the right. But this is about the theory of law, right?
Victory for the complainer
The city closes the case:
Obviously parking in the
Obviously parking in the South End is certainly difficult and can be frustrating. While that may be true, cars don't take up more space when parked in the opposite direction. Can they get a parking ticket for it? Sure. Should BTDs focus be on cars parked the opposite way because you don't like the way it looks? No. So shut up and deal with it. The people who block fire hydrants, double park and don't have resident stickers are the problems. Not someone who parks in the opposite direction taking up no extra space - all because you don't like the way it looks so you complain. The same dummy who complained probably owns a $80,000 parking space too.