Parking EnFARCEment Officials

**Novack** · July-27-09, 08:09 AM

Dear Detroit Parking Enforcement officials,

This morning you asked me to move my car. The street I live on was getting paved. The majority of the neighborhood is street parking, so we, my neighbors and I, have limited parking options. And I was leaving in 15 minutes anyway for work. So I pulled my car behind my neighbors car [[he does have a drive way) and parked it. 5 MINUTES....5 minutes later after getting dressed and my work stuff I find a ticket on my windshield for blocking the side walk. Soooooooo.....

I'm sorry you had to wake the neighborhood up with a bull horn.

I'm sorry that you did not post any signs the night before to say you were paving the street [[ for the second or third time this month)

And I am truly sorry that I did what you asked and moved my vehicle. And then I'm so sorry that you were forced to get out of your vehicle and write not only me but several of my neighbors tickets for doing what you asked.

Please accept my apology for WHAT I HAVE NO IDEA. And let me leave you with this....

I don't like you. Not in the least bit.

If we were still in elementary school I would be looking for you during recess.

dexterferry · July-27-09, 08:18 AM

only in detroit do people whine incessantly about the potholes and the lack of city services to do anything about it, and then turn right around and whine about city employees actually performing said services. sure it sucks, but this is the sort of thing that happens in every major city. It's one of the joys of city living. Just be glad your street got paved.

**MDoyle** · July-27-09, 08:23 AM

Im excited to see where the ENTIRE Woodbridge neighborhood will park on Tuesday from 8 am to 4 pm. Apparently they are sweeping the streets, I am grateful for that but, they needed to do an every other block thing, or maybe not the side streets. Looking forward to my parking ticket.

**Novack** · July-27-09, 08:37 AM

Dear Dexterferry,

I'm sorry if you feel that I am whining, I'm sure that I am. And I couldn't possibly be a little confused by the parking situation this morning.

I'm sorry that I received 5 tickets in Midtown, when I lived there, for parking LEGALLY as well in a three month span.

I'm sure you are right that this happens in every major city like New York, Toronto, Boston, San Francisco and the like. Thank you so much for your insight it really has been enlightening.

Boston sounds nice. I wonder what the fine is for parking legally or intermittently there? Then again I could always sell my car in Boston and take the public transit. Who knows? Hey Dex would you like my bread maker when I move.

**MDoyle** · July-27-09, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by Vince

Half of Woodbridge was done last week. They do the north south streets one day and the east west the next. I am sure if you passed the drivers test you can figure something out. If not then accept your ticket and quit whining.

because the north south streets are absolutely equivalent in length to the east west. try stopping by one day.

**cman710** · July-27-09, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by Novack

Dear Dexterferry,

Boston sounds nice. I wonder what the fine is for parking legally or intermittently there? Then again I could always sell my car in Boston and take the public transit. Who knows? Hey Dex would you like my bread maker when I move.

For an expired meter, the ticket is $20 or $25 in Boston and $20 in nearby Cambridge. They are extremely rigorous in enforcement, and will get you even if you leave your car over time for ten minutes, sometimes even late at night.

**urbanpioneer** · July-27-09, 10:02 AM

Maybe I can beat you. Our neighborhood had street cleaning starting at 8 a.m. two Wednesday's ago. We moved our car into our driveway, and one-foot, AT MOST, of the vehicle protruded into the sidewalk portion between the curbcut from the street into our drive way.
At 7:43 a.m. we are ticketed for blocking the sidewalk. In front of our own house, although there was at least two feet for someone to walk by. And I live in quiet neighborhood so there is minimal pedestrian traffic. I will be appealing the ticket.
This makes no sense. I routinely see people jutting out a little from their driveways into the sidewalk and no ticket. Ridiculous.

**punky1** · July-27-09, 10:44 AM

Come on now, they are just coming up with innovative ideas to generate revenue to cover the city deficit and continue the salary and free car for the city councilpersons. How can you fault them for that? Every dollar helps. If you were really serious about supporting the city, you should send in double the amount of your ticket and a suggestion for another new way to generate revenue. [[not, just messin' with ya).

**DetroitPlanner** · July-27-09, 10:49 AM

Novack are you a renter or an owner? Do you pay taxes to the City at all? My reason for asking this is that the City does have tax records that it uses to notify property owners or other tax payers about work being done. I get notices whenever there is something. If you're home-owner was notified shame on him for not telling you. Have him pay the ticket.

**bailey** · July-27-09, 10:59 AM

And I was leaving in 15 minutes anyway for work. So I pulled my car behind my neighbors car [[he does have a drive way) and parked it. 5 MINUTES....5 minutes later after getting dressed and my work stuff I find a ticket on my windshield for blocking the side walk. Soooooooo.....

due to an inconvenience to you cause by the performance of a city service [[the repaving), you chose to park illegally. Your actions in parking illegally resulted in the ticket, not the repaving. how is this a thread topic or a reason for outrage?

last week I let a meter expire and got a ticket. ...couldn't have been expired for more than a 5 minutes. Should I be pissed at the meter maid or the fact I made a stop that delayed my return to the car?

**Ray1936** · July-27-09, 11:03 AM

There's a show called "Parking Wars, Philadelphia" [[A&E? Discovery? Forgot.) that goes along with enforcement people in that city. Man, they are vicious, especially on the booting and impounding. It made a mental note in my feeble brain to never drive into Philly.

ziggyselbin · July-27-09, 11:21 AM

Whoever said it is about money had it right. This is a money grab pure ans simple.

**Novack** · July-27-09, 11:22 AM

bailey,

I was thinking that this situation would warrant a suitable type of discretion. But I guess I was wrong. I am usually not the type to complain and yet I found this situation ridiculous not only for me but for the several neighbors that it effected as well.

Outrage? No.

Simple disbelief

**wolverine** · July-27-09, 11:29 AM

Most functional cities post temporary signs notifying of maintenance work and hours of permitted parking so that residents can make prior arrangements.

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Novack are you a renter or an owner? Do you pay taxes to the City at all? My reason for asking this is that the City does have tax records that it uses to notify property owners or other tax payers about work being done. I get notices whenever there is something. If you're home-owner was notified shame on him for not telling you. Have him pay the ticket.

A ridiculous method. It seems very hit and miss. Besides you can assume areas with mostly street parking will be concentrated with rental properties. My landlord shouldn't be responsible for telling me what road work is being done. Have the landlord pay the ticket? Wow, isn't that just a genius answer....

**bailey** · July-27-09, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by Novack

bailey,

I was thinking that this situation would warrant a suitable type of discretion. But I guess I was wrong. I am usually not the type to complain and yet I found this situation ridiculous not only for me but for the several neighbors that it effected as well.

Outrage? No.

Simple disbelief

hey, no one likes getting a parking ticket. Especially if one has an excuse. however, you are asking for independent thought, judgment, and leniency from someone who's job depends on writing as many tickets as possible. You're also asking that a DPW employee or independent contractor actually take into account the resident's lives and quality of life when going about the task of the day. And on both accounts you seem surprised at the result. Sounds like you've lived in detroit long enough to know better. I'm just trying to figure out what you're in disbelief about.

**Funaho** · July-27-09, 01:37 PM

I haven't had to worry about a repaving in many years, and I've never been ticketed, but I do wish the street cleaners were a little more thoughtful in how they did their job. It's hard when they want to do BOTH sides of a 2 block stretch at once, with dozens of cars and almost no driveways. Where are all those cars supposed to go? Do they REALLY think I'm going to leave my car 3 blocks away over night? I might as well just leave the keys in it and a "steal me" sign on it. The last time they cleaned I ended up having to just go to work an hour early and sit in the lot until the boss showed up to unlock the building.

They also don't clean worth a damn. Every time they come down the street all they do is make pretty muddy swirls along both curbs, because they don't bother to remove the dirt before they use the water.

**daddeeo** · July-27-09, 01:49 PM

Aint big city living grand?

**1KielsonDrive** · July-27-09, 02:49 PM

Dear Novack, your situation is what I've referred to, for many years, as the 'adding insult to injury' syndrome of living, working and doing business in Detroit. It's not enough you love the city, it's residents and businesses. It's not enough you pay higher insurance premiums, receive minimal city services, most notably lack of police presence and response, but then, additionally, you're treated like crap for doing so, or for expecting courtesy and civility in return. It's why I hesitate to live or do business in Detroit. I'd like nothing better than to have a business in Detroit again. But my customers and friends will have to follow me out of the city. I won't go into all of the times the cops and bureaucrats made life miserable for me, my friends and customers. You eventually reach a breaking point. I've seen it time and again over the last four decades. It's like being chased out of your favorite place. I now travel to Detroit to visit and leave soon thereafter.

**BillyBBrew** · July-27-09, 03:50 PM

I would think that the parking enforcement could be a little more lienent about partially blocking sidewalks on a block that's being cleaned. I would be more concerned about the cars that weren't off the street.

**Russix** · July-27-09, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by Vince

Homeowners sweeping periodically between the mechanized cleaning makes a big difference. It's like brushing your teeth between 6 month cleanings.

Where do I go to get my city issued fire hose and shovel to clean the mud that accounts for a 1/4 of my street?

**Funaho** · July-27-09, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by Vince

Homeowners sweeping periodically between the mechanized cleaning makes a big difference. It's like brushing your teeth between 6 month cleanings.

it would take a shovel. Seriously. There is an inch or two of dirt and dust along the curb on both sides of the street for blocks. I think it has to do with whatever is going on down the street [[the old Cadillac plant lot on Scotten), some sort of gravel storage or grinding operation. It accumulates everywhere, indoors and out, within days.

I don't mind keeping things nice but sheesh, why am I paying taxes for these guys so that I can do their job?

**BillyBBrew** · July-27-09, 05:49 PM

I regularly sweep in front of my house, only to have all the stuff from the neighbors that don't fill it all back in. And yes, it is many shovelfulls worth. I can see the frustration. Not to mention that asphalt along the curb is missing huge chunks that are full of mud and impossible to get out without a hose. Then what option to you have? Hose it down to the sewer drain. Then they fill up and everytime it rains the street floods. It's a catch 22 and alot of work. I do agree with the comment about visiting the dentist and then not brushing for 6 months. You have to take care of it in between. But the majority do not.

Sludgedaddy · July-27-09, 05:57 PM

....It ain't been the same since most of those dear old Polish ladies have left for their eternal reward. Now those old Babkas knew a thing or two about cleanliness and curbside maintenence !

"Don't Follow Leaders....Watch the Parking Meters "......Bob [[ My Car's Been Booted ) Dylan

**MDoyle** · July-27-09, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by Vince

Wow I never considered that. Whatever will you do?

Maybe Ill just park in my comfy suburban driveway... oh wait. nevermind.

**Gistok** · July-28-09, 01:19 AM

Just last week I saw a parking violations van [[no not a meter maid golf cart) in a neighborhood on the far east side [[near Balduck Park) with 2 men standing outside next to a parked vehicle. One was videotaping the other man, who was writing a citation for a vehicle parked facing the wrong way [[no street cleaning involved) on a residential street.