[Carfreeliving] enforcement (was: Muni tokens)

Wed Apr 13 16:56:46 MDT 2005

I don't hesitate to call in cars parked on any part of a sidewalk, even if
there is room for a wheelchair. (While I've fortunately never been confined
to a wheelchair, twice I have spent 6 weeks each on crutches thanks to knee
surgeries, and I know firsthand the anguish of having to move around a car
on the sidewalk. Once I even gave up trying to do my small errand for the
day, turned around and hobbled back home because I couldn't crutch my way
around a car on the sidewalk. I did take a crutch to their side mirror
though. I hope it cost them a lot of money to fix it).
 Regardless of whether there is 1' or 30' of sidewalk available, just
because you have a car doesn't give you the right to make that property
your private reserve. Sidewalks are for more than walking to and fro for
transportation purposes, they are open space, and they are the most
important source of open space in the city.
What especially get my goat are buildings that have garages and drivers
think they are justified to park in "the driveway." Those damn garages are
there for a reason (even one I might not agree is desirable), and just
because the city allows a curb cut to access the garage and allows someone
to drive over the sidewalk to get into a garage, doesn't give someone one
iota of right or justification for parking a vehicle on any portion of the
sidewalk, which begins at the curb and ends at the property line.
all that said, I dont call in to report cars nearly as much as I used to. I
guess I've softened or gotten lazy. Now it's only gross offenders on my
immediate block that get my call.
humph.
-j

                      Mike Sallaberry                                                                                                  
                      <Mike.Sallaberry at sfgov.org        To:       Carfreeliving at livablecity.org                                        
                      >                                 cc:                                                                            
                      Sent by:                          Subject:  RE: [Carfreeliving] enforcement (was: Muni tokens)                   
                      Carfreeliving-bounces at liva                                                                                       
                      blecity.org                                                                                                      

                      04/13/2005 03:17 PM                                                                                              

I don't park it anywhere now except at Charlie's Motorcycle Shop where it
is in intensive care.

Something else I've realized about calling people in...I've noticed my
neighbors pointing fingers at each other, speculating who called in who and
for what reason.  Basically, the anonymous calling in of cars and
motorcycles on my block has created a negative atmosphere of suspicion and
false accusations.  So, I can't help but wonder if my little part of the
city is a better place for all these call ins.  Yes, all 15' of sidewalk is
clear more often, but there's a tension in the air that wasn't there
before.  After experiencing this, I now do not call in cars unless they are
totally blocking the sidewalk.  I used to push my dad around when he was in
a wheelchair, so I give the situation the wheelchair test.  If one can pass
without problem, it's not worth it to me to screw someone out of $100 and
add to the tension.

Most of us cyclists ride on the sidwalk at some point, hopefully at a very
safe and respectable speed and for very short distances.  How would
cyclists here feel if they got a ticket or had their bicycle U-locked
everytime they did that?  By law (unless posted otherwise), adults should
never ride on the sidewalk in SF, correct?

"Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone!"  :)

 "David Baker"                                                             
 <db at dbarchitect.com>                                                      
 Sent by:                                                                  
 Carfreeliving-bounces at livablecit                                       To 
 y.org                                     <Carfreeliving at livablecity.org> 
                                                                        cc 
                                           janemartin at SHIFTdesignstudio.co 
 04/13/2005 01:54 PM                       m                               
                                                                   Subject 
                                           RE: [Carfreeliving] enforcement 
                                           (was: Muni tokens)              

And it only has taken a year plus a public hearing to get the car space in
front of our house restriped as official motorcycle parking (ACTUALLY IT'S
APPROVED NOW, BUT STILL NOT STRIPED), with no opposition from anyone.  this
is after expedited treatment was promised by the supervisors to get more in
the street spaces for motorcycles so they wouldn't have to park illegally
on the sidewalk so much.

Mike, I agree it's petty to call in with all the bigger problems out there,
but do you still park on the sidewalk after the $100 ticket?

db

From: Mike Sallaberry [mailto:Mike.Sallaberry at sfgov.org]
Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 1:43 PM
To: Carfreeliving at livablecity.org
Subject: [Carfreeliving] enforcement (was: Muni tokens)

Well, you have only so much peanut butter to spread, and a lot of bread to
cover.  If we make a big campaign to focus on bus stop parking violations,
we lose resources in other areas, like enforcing sidewalk parking,
preventing double parking on bus routes or in bike lanes, etc etc.

For instance, the person who lives on Hayes St near Divisadero who has made
it their personal quest to call in and have every motorcycle parked on the
15' wide sidewalk ticketed is taking resources away from what I think are
bigger problems.  And yes, I was one of those people to get a $100
ticket...thanks so much.  Prior to that, someone (the same person?) was
kind enough to put a U-lock around my front wheel, undoubtedly seen as an
appropriate punishment befitting such a heinous crime, at least from their
righteous point of view.

Yes, I know that motorcycles can leak oil and are hot right after
operation, but what if they don't and are covered and are not in the actual
sidewalk space people walk?  Is it really worth calling in?

Thanks.  I don't care if you agree with what I said...I needed that.  :)
Mike

ps  Does anyone else think it's fair that 3' wide, 400lb motorcycles are
ticketed the same amount as 3000 lb cars that block the entire sidewalk and
damage the concrete?  I don't mind parking on the street, but I do mind my
bike getting knocked over by one of the many inept motor vehicle operators,
most probably recently transplanted from a suburb where parallel parking
means pulling your weekday car in next to your weekend car in the double
wide home garage.

pps Don't worry Suzahna...I know it wasn't you that called in!

> ...
> Why doesn't DPT (aka MTA)  start enforcing bus stop parking
> violations? Who would the lobby be that would fight that?
> Politically, I don't get it.
>
> suzahna_______________________________________________
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