Parking Issues

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Tuesday, July 23. 2013

Sounds like a dull topic? It isn't.

I have always countered people who complain about parking with the observation that they should feel fortunate to live where many other people want to be instead of some dying place where nobody wants to be and there is nothing to do.

I mostly avoid malls since internet shopping took hold, but you never really hear people complain about a 5 or ten-minute walk from a garage to their destination in the mall. Similarly when you drive into Manhattan and usually require a lengthy - but scenic - hike to your destination. Same with a stadium.

When street parking is available, people seem to think differently.

Three pieces on the topic from The Old Urbanist:

On parking in Norwalk, CT: Common Garage Parking in Practice, Part III: On-street Problems

In Charlotte: Common Garage Parking, In Practice: Part II

In Toronto: Common Garage Parking, In Practice

Posted by Bird Dog in Our Essays, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 19:27 | Comments (4) | Trackbacks (0)

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I don't want a dead place where no one wants to be. I prefer a living place where no one else wants to be, just because I've noticed how great it is while they haven't.

#1 Texan99 on 2013-07-23 20:16 (Reply)

Parking determined parts of my behavior when I lived in NYC (Brooklyn). I had a car. Parked it on the street for free. Usually didn't have trouble finding a spot on the same block as my apartment. But four days out of the week my daily schedule was determined by the City's street sweeping regimen. I thought of it as having a dog you had to remember to walk.

They swept Mon-Tues; Thur-Fri, alternate sides of the street each day. You had to move your car out of their way or you would get a ticket. And they would plaster the driver's side window with a big orange sticker as if to say "For Shame!!"

Once the sweepers had passed you could park anywhere. So, every day they sweeped the streets, depending on the local schedule, half the available parking would suddenly disappear for a few hours. If I happened to be at home or out and about in my car during that period, I might end up parking three or four blocks away.

I didn't drive the car to work, so I had remember to move it to the safe side of the street the evening before.

#2 T.K. Tortch on 2013-07-24 10:58 (Reply)

I'm guessing convenience and covered walkways are seen as a benefit--assuming gangs and muggers and beggars don't take over.

#3 Sam L. on 2013-07-24 12:21 (Reply)

I know I'd much prefer covered parking, depending on cost and convenience.

#3.1 Sam L. on 2013-07-24 12:22 (Reply)

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Tuesday, July 23. 2013

Parking Issues