Look, I know *some* people don’t want to hear about the street parking issue, but others keep writing me about it with some interesting tales. (FYI: If you don’t want to read about it, then just don’t click on the story.)
Like the one from Tony S, who lives in North Burnaby and is fed up with his neighbours thinking nobody is ever allowed to park in front of their homes.
Like not even for the time that is allowed on this public street. They think they spot should be left open for eternity, says Tony.
“We have a shortage of parking on our street. There are lots of homes with illegal basement suites, which I support because it gives people a place to live, but the landlords don’t always offer parking for their tenants. So, they park on the street, of course. I mean where else are they going to go? Some of our neighbours have garages and long driveways, but they still want the spots on the street left open in case their friends or family come over. That’s entitled, but that’s how they feel. But there’s one homeowner on our street who puts out these orange cones to block spaces when they are having a party or expecting their parents to drop by. I totally disagree with this and have told them so, but they won’t listen. It’s frustrating to see them leave those cones out. It’s a public street. You take what’s open when it’s open – you can’t reserve these spots. It’s been building for a while and then a few months ago I saw that they left the cones out all night because nobody actually came over. So space for two vehicles was blocked out. And so when I left for work early in the morning I mowed them down. Crushed them. I think the neighbours got the message because they haven’t put the cones out since then.”
Yikes. Double yikes.
Putting out cones is bad, but running them over is not solution. We’re all supposed to be acting like grownups here and that’s not how it’s done – no matter how irritating the initial act is.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
