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Citizen complaint of the day: In for a penny, in for a pound for this Westie Masshole
By adamg on Tue, 02/25/2014 - 12:44pm
A concerned citizen complains about the parking habits seen on Centre Street in West Roxbury at lunchtime today:
Left car in traffic - in front of a fire hydrant, walked down to post office. 7292 MR Lexus.
So, that would be: Parking in front of a hydrant, parking too far from the curb and obstructing traffic. It's the West Roxbury trifecta!
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In the past few years
Double parking has become widely accepted in Westie, which SUCKS! Not to mentions this person is just being a lazy a-hole as the public lot is about 50 yards to the left of this photo.
But then again, there's a 90% chance this person is elderly.
Being Elderly is No Excuse (not that I'm saying you think it is)
If they are elderly it is even less safe to be getting out of their car in traffic.
It's likely they are just the typical self absorbed idiot. It would be nice if the police at least pretended to care about double parking.
Even the cops in Westie are elderly
Is were cops go to die (retire), same with our firefighters.
I doubt it!
I see people double parking on Centre St. all the time & most are far from elderly.
I saw a woman park in almost that spot one day - except she was even worse, she managed to also block the driveway there. She was under 30.
If there's a Dunkin within a
If there's a Dunkin within a hundred yards then no rules of the road apply.
Observational generalization...
When you're out driving some time, take note of the car brands that contain the biggest douches and/or horrible drivers. Here is what I've found.
1)BMW by a wide margin
2)Lexus
3)Audi
4)Any SUV
4)Any beat up, smoking, rattling piece of crap over 10 years old
I await the ire of the put-upon, insulted owners of cars on this list. Let's see, will I be a class warrior, a racist, a bigot, a moron, a *shudder* bicycle rider....? Isn't anonymity empowering?
You were right with your
You were right with your title .. Observational generalizations 'cause that's what it is. I thought in today's environment, making generalizations was a no no, no? Funny, you've never seen anyone driving a Ford, GM or other sedan being a douche. Just curious if you have much of a commute....
Oh ya, and no I do not drive
Oh ya, and no I do not drive any of the cars you list although we've a Honda Civic that's 14 yrs old in the family - drives like a charm. I wish I had a BMW or Audi, but alas....
BMW drivers
I've had them at the top of my list of average-douchiest-drivers for at least 30 years -- in 3 different regions of the country.
Agreed, but...
We actually have been noticing in the past couple of years that the Lexus and Audi drivers have nudged the Beemers into the number three spot for sheer douchiness.
Interesting
Long ago, at least, Audi drivers were noticeably more staid in their driving habits (ditto Mercedes-Benz). These days I drive very little in places that feature such high-falutin' cars...
Again--I agree!
But something has shifted and Audi and Lexus seem to have cornered the aggressive, reckless a**hole market. I've noticed this both on my bike (though it's really those sneaky Prius-driving f*ckers you have to watch out for) and while driving on the highways north and south of Boston.
I know many younger adults
I know many younger adults are driving the Audi's and Lexus lately. Maybe that is the correlation? It used to be the Beemers but I do think the oher two are gaining popularity. I've also noticed quite a few young adults (20's) driving Cadillacs.
Like I said, I've two Honda's in my driveway and are glad for them (paid off, no repairs needed - ever).
There must be a business opportunity
for the DMV. They can have a vanity Douche plate lottery where only the most beautiful and of course doucihiest people may apply.
You forgot
PRIUS = pretentious a-holes.
Never noticed Masshole
Never noticed Masshole driving tendencies with Prius drivers. BMW's, yes. Pickup trucks with Calvin pissing decals, yes. Morons texting while driving minivans full of kids, yes.
Typical masshole behavior no,
But not paying attention at lights, slowing down/stopping for no apparent reason to make a right turn, meandering in and out of lanes, randomly hitting the brakes on a straightaway, and cutting you off then going wayyy to slow (although this may because the prius is dangerously underpowered), yes.
So florida-hole driving.
You forgot...
the Subaru Forester. The car that bike riders drive when they can't ride their bikes...after they finish complaining about not being able to ride their bikes because it just snowed two feet.
speaking of generalizations...
I'm a daily bike commuter - I own an ancient honda that was given to me by my in-laws. I don't like to drive it because it costs a couple hundred $ a month to park at the office - and where I live I have 3 transfers on the T and it would take me well over an hour to get to work. Many of the people I know who are daily bike commuters don't even own cars.
Thank goodness somebody was
Thank goodness somebody was able to work in some anti-bike rhetoric on this thread.
Don't get your marbles in a twist...
Awww, you bikers are so oppressed dealing with all this "anti-bike rhetoric"! I'm only half joking (I really do hate Subaru Foresters!), just trying to bust some balls on a Tuesday.
Went to an
Indigo Girls concert and thought I parked in a Subaru dealers lot.
Wow, that's really clever!
Wow, that's really clever! You're implying that there's some connection between Indigo Girls fans and Subaru drivers! Did you think of that all by yourself?
Implying?
Of course you know it was no accident that one of the characters on "The L Word" was a spokesperson for Subaru?
Of course you know it was no
The deuce you say.
Feel the freedom...... Subaru
Feel the freedom...... Subaru!
Another observation
Generally people who have negative stuff to stay about luxury cars (and/or the people who are driving them) are most likely just jealous because they can't afford that automobile.
Again, just a general observation. And FYI I own a GMC.
My goodness, you got me!
I am so envious that I don't get to pay 3 times the amount I pay for my Yaris for parts, labor, insurance that BMW owners pay! Ya got me!
Take a step back champ
Some people like to pay higher amount of $$ for different things for various reasons. I guarantee driving a BMW/Audi/Lexus is more fun to some people than driving a Prius and don't just view it as a form of transportation. Some people think it's silly to pay more than 30K for a car. Some people think it's silly to pay $100+ for sporting events and spend $9 per beer to watch something you can see on tv for free (somewhat). Or how about the guy who pays 15K-20K for a Harley Davidson motorcycle. It's different strokes for different folks. Don't knock someone just because they like to spend THEIR money their own way. Like I said this is just a general observation from someone who's not in the category of owning a luxury car.
Explain, if you please....
how people HERE are not trashing the drivers of all expensive cars, but noting that the drivers of _some_ expensive (and also some not-so-expensive) cars are especially douchy. Your "general observation" plays out, under the circumstances, as a slap at other posters in this specific (virtual) place.
They've actually done studies
They've actually done studies and found that in most cases, driving an expensive car does absolutely nothing to improve your quality of life, at least so much as you are using it to complete daily tasks (ie commuting). The issue is you are still stuck in the same traffic as everybody else, and it's more or less the same experience. They are just paying a lot less for it financially. The exception to this is when it comes to joyriding. That's when having a nice car actually does make a difference, but let's be honest, how often does the average BMW owner do this? At least when it comes to motorcylcists they seem to actually get out on the road and use their vehicles for fun. Most "luxury car" owners just tool around like everybody else.
There's a big lot out back
But No you couldn't expect someone to drive to the back of the building to park.
Hope the city has a fast response time
It's interesting that the poster knows the city won't respond to this complaint, but just wanted to publicly (sort of) shame the perpetrator of this crime.
Well done. I hate double parkers.
The snow isn't helping
Under good weather conditions (i.e. sometime in summer) the lanes are narrow enough that passing the row of parked cars can get interesting. With the giant snow banks on the side now, the parked cars jut out into the right-most travel lane, and that CERTAINLY makes driving on Centre a little more interesting.
Centre St.
Driving on Centre has been terrifying since the last storm. People have no qualms about using the right lane as parking and blindly opening their doors right into traffic.
away from the hydrant
he was always taught to park 8' from the hydrant. No one specified in which direction though.
10 feet in Massachusetts.
10 feet in Massachusetts.
(There really should be a national standard.)
Citation please
I've parked much closer for years without a ticket. And will frequently find people parked closer without a ticket. Of course you can find cars in front of hydrant without a ticket, so experience doesn't reflect law. In the past I've not been able to find any reference.
it's ten feet in Mass....
it's covered under the 350 CMR 5.02: Parking and Penalties Therefore / Violations, which reads "Parking within ten feet of a fire hydrant is prohibited."
national standard
Actually there is. It's supposed to be 15', but nobody (except cops looking for an excuse to ticket) really adhere to it.
Why not just...
Why not just place the hydrant on a 15-foot curb bump-out? This way, if you're parked in front of it, you're also interfering with motor vehicle traffic. It also puts it in a more visible and easily accessible spot for the fire department. Of course, hydrant relocation is COSTLY. But when a street is completely overhauled, it should be done.
Center St Water Show
My family has lived in Roslindale/West Roxbury for over 60 years. Even back in the '70s we called Center Street "Blue Hair Blvd". They may not go fast, but they're not real anxious to hit the brake either. Red lights/pedestrians/bikers are all equally ignored as they roll along. If you start sticking fire hydrants out into the road, every day a different part of center street is going to look like the Tivoli Fountain.
However
However, there will, presumably, be cars parked along the normal curb. Thus making it a bit difficult to plow straight into a hydrant centered on a curb bump out.
Couple of things
I don't know about other neighborhood business districts, but the city normally does a very good job of clearing snow from the curb along Centre Street in West Roxbury - they bring in backhoes and dump trucks and everything, sometimes waiting a couple of days after a storm.
Plus, I'm pretty sure Centre is a snow-emergency route, so people shouldn't be parking there during a storm.
As opposed to Centre a Street in JP.
The bike lane is basically gone in a lot of places because the cars are parked so far out into the streets. Why the bike groups aren't more upset about that rather than making a fuss about ice on the corridor is kind of beyond me--it's pretty dangerous.
Some people
are just more important than others.
You would think we could get
You would think we could get some law enforcement a block from the police station. If they ticket and tow the problem will go away. but I guess expecting them to do what they are paid for is asking too much.
Hey buddy, ever hear of
Hey buddy, ever hear of priorities?! Those construction sites aren't going to watch themselves.
If you knew you couldn't get fired easily or at all
Would you try at your job either? When the pride fades away, you have no reason left to try.
Had to lay on the horn behind
Had to lay on the horn behind a double parker today on Dot Ave, of course he didn't move or care. People are ridiculous these days. Stop wherever they feel!
People are ridiculous these
Yeah, this never happened until recently.
Go scratch something
I'm fairly young, so ya...... these days! I have observed people being even more careless in recent years, or maybe I was just too young to notice......
I think you missed critiquing a comment on another post, quick go check.
Just like those days...
"But officer, it was just a
"But officer, it was just a 3ft tall snowbank when I parked. How did I know there was a hydrant?"
Im sure Citizens Connect will
Im sure Citizens Connect will get right on this in a week or two and reply "All clear"
Click & Clack are my unimpeachable source for generalizations
about which cars are driven by the rude and unduly self-entitled, and they assure me that the douchiest drivers are behind the wheels of VW Passats.
I wonder how much of this issue is simply confirmation bias. Some bastard in a particular make of car cuts you off, and you start noticing bad drivers in that make of car more often as a result.
I prefer more practical, news-you-can-use sorts of questions, like, "Which grocery-store parking lot most resembles a demolition derby?" My vote goes to the Union Square (Somerville) Market Basket, but there are many candidates, including the Coolidge Corner Trader Joe's, Porter Square Shaw's, and Whole Foods Brighton.
What about Infiniti q-32 Explosive Space Modulators?
Their drivers seem to think that they can just cut in anywhere - at least in my experience of seeing them make their own lanes, change lanes without looking, etc.
Except I saw one this morning who got an epic schooling. The State Cops were pulling over solo drivers at the head of the HOV lane on I-93, and Mr. Infinitum thought he was oh-so-clever for just staying in the mobbed up lanes and then pulling across the median into the HOV lane a bit after that takedown zone.
Of course this endangered drivers in the HOV lane, as the vehicle he cut in front of had to hit the brakes quite hard while Mr. Special got up to speed.
And then all four of us in the Jetta Wagon jubilated quite excessively when it turned out that the SUV that Douchemaster Infinitum cut off so abruptly turned out to be an unmarked state police vehicle ...