I've had construction crews on my street--on a couple of occasions--put up no-parking signs with the date ripped off because they were either too lazy or too cheap to get the appropriate permits. A call to city hall straightened that right out (-ish).

I hope the city finds the

By anon on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 9:28am.

I hope the city finds the contractor and fines him, big time. Parking restrictions are set by application to the BTD, which sets the restriction based on what they think is reasonable and in line with would be legal and safe.

Otherwise, we get those ridiculous situations like that PODS box blocking two hydrants. A contractor putting out his own sign, with some claimed legal authority, clearly false, is worse, as it may fool the public who will not report it, and it will not come to the attention of the city.

that looks like someone's daddy is helping them move in

By anon on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 10:02am.

and Daddy works for Worcester police.

It would be pretty simple to

By anon on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 11:42am.

It would be pretty simple to print these signs on any home computer. No need for Daddy in this case.

Then why were they so stupid

By Stevil on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 1:22pm.

To print Worcester Police instead of BPD?

The heavy stock/glossy paper makes it look like it's the real deal.

Granted - nothing special about this sign that they couldn't have just taken it down after a parade or something.

Happens all the time.

By anon² on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 9:26am.

Signs are supposed to be posted well in advance of work, but you might just find yourself coming back to towed car and the parking space dug up because they put up the signs that morning, towed everyone, and started work.

Seen it happen a few times in South Boston.

This has happened to me...

By SB Parker on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 11:05am.

I have called this Mayor's Hotline about this repeatedly. They claim it doesn't happen. I also complained to the Boston PD officer who was standing guard at the construction site who simply shrugged his shoulders and said "sorry." It's a joke.

Efficaciousness of a Detail

By anon on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 11:18am.

Next time I read a defense of Massachusetts police padding their income by providing supposed protection during details I think of this officer who earns $50 an hour just to say, "Sorry."

When we were having some

By anon on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 1:05pm.

When we were having some landscaping work done in Cambridge, the contractor didn't put up the parking signs until the day before.

I really didn't want my neighbors to get towed, but the contractor said the city wouldn't let them put up the signs until 24 hours ahead.

I didn't have the energy at the time to complain to the city about this policy, but maybe I will in the future.

I thought they were required

By anon on Fri, 09/13/2013 - 10:55am.

I thought they were required to put them up 48 hours before - otherwise they're unenforcible.

You can still put them up with less notice, but the city is supposed to refuse to tow.

Yeah, before this happened, I

By anon on Fri, 09/13/2013 - 2:57pm.

Yeah, before this happened, I thought the signs were supposed to be posted 7 days in advance, and were only valid if they were up 48 hours in advance.

http://www2.cambridgema.gov/traffic/tooltruck.cfm says the signs will be posted 48 hours in advance. But http://www2.cambridgema.gov/traffic/TowedVehicles.cfm says 24 to 48 hours.

I have no idea why the city discouraged my contractor from putting up signs 7 days ahead, especially since there was street cleaning a few days before, so everyone would have seen the signs when they re-parked.

Do they really think people will check on their cars every 24 hours when they're not using them?

I had my car towed once when

By anon on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 5:13pm.

I had my car towed once when movers put the sign up the same morning for a move-in.
Another time, a Boston police officer was very nice and he actually came into our front door to let us know we needed to move our car. I couldn't believe he took the time to look up the registration, walked a couple of blocks, called someone on the intercom to let him into the building, knocked on our door, and let us have a chance to move the car before it was towed. I guess he felt he needed to since the no parking signs were just put up that morning by the work crew.

As someone who listens to a

By anon on Fri, 09/13/2013 - 10:58am.

As someone who listens to a police scanner way too much, I head detail officers radio in for registration lookups all the time.

They seem to ask for name and address only and sometimes even sound disappointed when it comes back as somewhere out of the city (thus no way to notify owner and avoid tow.)

Doesn't the RMV have your

By anon on Fri, 09/13/2013 - 2:59pm.

Doesn't the RMV have your phone number?

Sharpee?

By O-FISH-L on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 10:14am.

Cross out Worcester and insert Boston and the sign is likely valid. Shame, shame I say, on the construction crewmen who failed to put a Sharpee in the tool belt. Back Bay complainant likely one of the same who thought Boston marathon memorial was "tacky." Break up with yourself!

Not valid

By anon on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 10:49am.

No, the sign is not valid if you cross out "worcester" and put "boston". The sign is only valid if there is a valid street occupancy permit on file at BTD, and if the sign displays the permit number. That's not needless bureaucracy; it's a necessary step to prevent people from fraudulently abusing the system.

Legal signs have a cost

By anon on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 11:22am.

Legal permits are also a minor revenue stream for the city. Where else to find the money to thank Menino's construction friends by giving them a BPL rehab of the Johnson building as his going away gift of a trough? No wait, the permits will not provide enough money. That will require another property tax increase.

I doubt this. Signs are

By anon on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 11:15am.

I doubt this. Signs are given out on a case-by-case basis by permit by the City of Boston from the BTD.

Better be careful or pretty

By anon on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 10:27am.

Better be careful or pretty soon people will be calling Allston "Western Mass."

I've been calling Worcester

By Scratchie on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 11:16am.

I've been calling Worcester "The midwest" for years. After all, it's in the middle of the state, and it's to the west.

Technically, Boston is a part

By Finn on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 10:57am.

Technically, Boston is a part of the Greater Worcester Area.

nbd

By Young Urban Unprofessional... on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 2:32pm.

This is certainly a better attempt at trying to save a spot than those simpletons with orange cones. Why get all bent out of shape about it though? If I were there and wanted that spot I'd take down the sign, circle the part that clearly says Worchester, and leave it right on my dashboard in plain view. Next time put the iphone away and take the sign down... problem solved.

A few years ago I got towed

By anon on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 3:05pm.

A few years ago I got towed in Cambridge because a lazy construction crew failed to put up their "No Parking" signs in advance and the local cops let them get away with putting up the signs at 7am when they arrived at the job site.

Citizen complaint of the day

By Joe Citizen on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 3:47pm.

should be called for what it is: "Let's rat each other out"

You're right

By MattyC on Thu, 09/12/2013 - 5:56pm.

Slashed tires and broken windows is so much more civilized. "Why can't we go back to the days of yore?", wonder simpletons the world over.

You kidding?

By anon on Fri, 09/13/2013 - 12:20am.

I'm not going next door to tell my neighbor that all the trash he put out is not being picked up for another 4 days because he may slash my tires or punch me in the nose. No, I'm going to rat him out to code enforcement and be the rat that I am. Boston has become a city of self entitled rats.

Citizen complaint of the day: When did we sell the Back Bay to Worcester?

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