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Citizen complaint of the day: Complaint about somebody filing a complaint

A concerned citizen uses Bos:311 to file a complaint about another concerned citizen using Bos:311 to file a complaint - while behind the wheel of his car on Dorchester Avenue in Andrew Square.

So irresponsible.

There does not appear to be a complaint about the person standing in the middle of Dorchester Avenue taking a photo to file a complaint about the person taking a photo to file a complaint.

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Comments

And it's kind of funny.

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Can I file a complaint about someone filing a complaint about a complaint? This is absurd lol

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Maybe the guy wasn't driving in a safe manner and the other person drove up beside them and took the picture. It just so happens that he was in the 311 app and not texting. Kinda funny but not that funny.

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The 311 service has good and bad facets.

The idea was to give people a chance to communication problems directly to the city rather than have to navigate through their city councilor or various city departments until you get the right one. You make the call or text and let them decide where it goes.

Sounds great - on paper.

However, this is not a panacea to actually get action.

I have used it to complain about a dangerous cement light pole whose base was eroded and in danger of toppling were it to get the slightest push, and a year-plus later it has yet to be fixed by the electrical company that handles it. Not all poles in the city are managed by city government. Same is true of a light bulb out on the streetlight on my street. Weeks later... still waiting.

Also, 311 has turned some nerds into the compliance police. They go out to walk the dog or a jog and take a snapshot of everything in their path that puts their skivvies or panties in a knot. That was never what 311 was meant to do. You can actually read through the 311 reports and follow each person's route. Anonymous postings? Not for long if you are a good detective.

I got a kick out of one for a neighbor who was getting 311 complaints and then actually getting tickets from ISD. It seems he had a driveway on his property to park his car, so he did, but the house was never zoned or approved for it. When he bought the house the off-street parking came with it. So now he has to file with ISD to park in his own yard, on a paved driveway, which in fact has a proper cut in the sidewalk for it which the city would have to have done, but which was never put on file through a prior owner of the building. So in this case someone didn't like this guy and had to go to the trouble to look up his property permits, then use the 311 system to harass him.

Then there are those complaining about "trash in the street at number xxx anystreet" and the photo shows a Dunkin Donut cup in the gutter. It was likely thrown there by a thoughtless passing motorist and the home owner doesn't even have a clue it is there because the complaint was filed by one of those morning anonymous Marathoners at 5:30 am when the sun was barely up. Of course by the time the city responds, the problem is often already gone. Time and resources wasted.

I think my favorite was the complaint about a vehicle parked too close to the corner and it was an Amazon truck making a delivery. Pulled in for 2 minutes then was gone, just like the postman, UPS, and the pizza guy.

So the 311 system can serve a greater good but only when it is used responsibly, and not misused by every self-righteous passer-by with a smart phone.

Get out and talk to your neighbor and see what is up and talk reasonably instead of hiding behind this app as a way of trying to micro-manage things.

So for the self-righteous nasty replies to this. Stop and think first. Can you say without reservation that the 311 system is not being abused by people who don't have a life? If you have used it was it truly a legitimate reason?

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