July 17, 2008
Boxed In: A Parking Panorama
There's a lot that goes on outside our Tendernob window, most notably the crack being "stealthily" smoked in the boarded-up window across the street by day, and loud, yuppy drunk fest by night.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, just before the recent holiday weekend, we witnessed the drivers of two boxed-in cars in a row compete to see who could get their cars the hell out of dodge -- too bad it wasn't at the same time. Note: The times indicated are when the photos were snapped, and the street doesn't really curve, the patched photos just give that impression.
At around 5:30, the poor driver of Car #1 tried for a good ten minutes, but the stick shift seemed to work against her. Plus, she kept getting out to see if she had made progress, and the door sounded really heavy. It's hard to tell in the photo, but the street is on quite an uphill incline.
Less than half an hour later, the bad-ass in Car #2 hopped in with her companion and wasn't having any of that sardine-can sh*t. Much crunching of metal and plastic ensued (screw that illegally parked SUV and the other boxed-in loser who failed!), along with ample gawking from nearby pedestrians. And bingo, she was outta there in ten minutes flat.
See what happens next after the jump!
We had seen the little dinged-up Echo making the rounds when Car #2 was making its first attempt out, and by the time it had circled the block, the spot was free. Well played, Echo, well played.
As for Car #1, the car in front of it eventually left later that evening, making way for a car even smaller than the Echo -- a Bug. Incidentally, Car #1 didn't leave that spot until a few days later.
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I drive an Echo precisely for shit like this (and the fact it's cheap and has high MPG). Sure, I'll be squashed like a grape if I ever get hit by a truck, and sometimes I feel like I'm about to be blown over Devil's Slide and into the Pacific, but sweet, sweet ample parking.
I would totally buy an Echo if I were in the market for a car. Gas and parking are major!
Step 2 is slashing the tires of the illegal SUV and calling DPT to get that obviously-abandoned eyesore off the street.
Leanne, you should post more pictured entries like this. Brills!
Just curious: what is illegal about the SUV's parking spot? Don't get me wrong, anyone driving an SUV deserves to be jailed - but am I missing something in the photo?
Thanks, Icebalaam, I was thinking the same thing! I will take more such photos around my 'hood and see what comes up.
Ejcsanfran -- It's hard to see in the photo (my window sill is blocking the full view of the curb), but the curb angles inward starting near the SUV's front wheel. So, legal car parking ends with the silver Mercedes (Car #1). Usually there are only ever motorcycles/scooters parked along the angle.
Hmm let's see if we can figure out exactly what block this is.
The SUV is too close to the crosswalk and/or the ADA /city-mandated ramp at the crosswalk for wheeled ones. I see people getting $275 tickets for this at the bottom of my street all the time.
Or maybe it's a $250 ticket, I don't remember exactly but it's steep.
http://www.dptblog.com/parking-citation-fees/
@Leanne: Aaah, got it - thanks for the explanation. And, yes, then by all means, slash the SUV's tires prior to having it towed - is there anything more satisfying than seeing some a-hole's car being towed? Sigh... Good times.
I see people crashing into cars in front and behind to extract themselves from parking spaces all the time. For some reason, I find it really funny, particularly when the driver has such an expression of gleeful abandon on his/her face as they're doing it.