Editor:
Re: Entitled Burnaby homeowners using cones to block street parking. Um, no, NOW Opinion
Now Chris Campbell's article mentions homeowners, which I am not. I am not sure if Chris lives in a rental suite, but I do. I live in the Capitol Hill area and rent an upper suite in a fourplex. Now the downstairs neighbours get to park in the back driveway and there is no additional space for mine or my wife's vehicles. So, we park out front of our house.
My parents, who live next door, are also in the same predicament, where they must park out front of their home. My folks are both in their 70s and both have health issues. Chris says when someone parks in front of your place, "you’ll just have to park a little farther away from your home" - well isn’t that nice.
So those with mobility issues should have to park further and carry groceries, etc. because someone feels entitled to park in front of their house? Yeah, I don't think that sounds right either.
In the winter, when we get some snow, I am out there shoveling the walkway and clearing out the space where my car is parked. Now if I do not put a cone out, I guarantee somebody parks in the spot I shoveled for myself or my parents, then I end up parking across the street, which is not allowed during school hours and risk getting towed/ticketed, but hey it is a public street right.
I once asked a guy if he planned on being long while parking in front of my parents’ house. I explained they were coming back from a doctor’s appointment soon and my mother has mobility issues and if he could park across the street, I would appreciate it.
I was told where to go and how to get there. He did this in front of my then seven-year-old, so double classy points on that one.
Or, as mentioned in the article, I park in front of my neighbour’s house and risk getting a ticket after a few hours because someone parked in front of my house.
We have multiple restaurants just two blocks away and with dining reopening, the streets will once again be lined up past my house with people going to eat and parking wherever they feel, which many of the neighbours tell me frustrates them. We also get people that park in our neighbourhood, then bus it to work elsewhere.
There is such a sense of entitlement and so little courtesy these days it gets rather sickening.
I get people parking in front of my business and then they proceed to cross the street to go to a different business despite signs saying you risk being towed, but I get the argument - "it's more convenient in front of your place" but you are not doing business at my place, similar to if you're not visiting my house, park elsewhere.
There are areas in Vancouver where you are required to have a parking permit and you cannot park just anywhere you feel like. I for one would welcome this in neighbourhoods like mine.
Glen Power, Burnaby
