Philadelphia police warn parking violators: #NoSavesies

[pixy0stix]

Meanwhile, Chicagoans say fuck off, I'll dibs if I want. (I actually don't know that, but that's what I imagine they'd say.)

news.yahoo.com/philadelphia-police-warn-parking-violators-nosavesies-213504581--sector.html

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Philadelphia police are using a velvet hammer to crack down on the illegal but widespread practice of saving parking spaces with furniture, toilets and other items, by turning to a Twitter hashtag that warns #NoSavesies.



"Shoveling a spot from a public street does not make it yours," Sergeant Eric Gripp, who runs the Philadelphia Police Department's Twitter account, told Reuters on Wednesday.



With the value of a no-cost street parking spot rising as quickly as snowbanks this winter, northern cities including Boston, Chicago and Baltimore are familiar with the problem.



Philadelphia is using social media to take the lead in raising awareness that saving spots is illegal.



On the police department's twitter page, famed Philadelphian Ben Franklin, the U.S. founding father known for saying "A penny saved is a penny earned," is paraphrased in the service of parking peace: "A parking spot saved is a lesson learned." Another tagline, with a photo of Kanye West interrupting fellow singer Taylor Swift at a music awards ceremony, says: "That's a nice excuse, and Ima let you finish. But saving parking spots is still illegal."



This season's harsh weather and street-clogging piles of snow have amplified the age-old battle over street parking, Gripp said.



"Since the advent of the automobile in Philadelphia, we've had arguments over parking spots," he said.



Over the years, illicit tools used to claim spots have included commandeered traffic cones, trash cans, lawn chairs and even a working grandfather clock, Gripp said.



"It was actually keeping time," Gripp.said.



Philadelphia's twitter campaign was started a month ago - with the hashtag #NoSavesies - and immediately got traction, with many residents retweeting the message they called an eye-opener.



"The most shocking is the number of that people that did not know you couldn't do that," Gripp said.

[FloFTW]

HA! I love this. People in Pittsburgh take this VERY seriously as well.

boringpittsburgh.com/boring-pittsburgh/pittsburgh-parking-chair-official-photo-gallery/1314/

[msmerymac]

This is why opposite-side of the street parking works well. I realize that there are very few parking spaces in some neighborhoods in Philly (and Boston and Chicago...). But if you can only park on the odd side on odd days and a snowstorm comes through, the city can plow out the even side of the street. The next day, you dig out your car and park there, and the city can plow the other side. I can't tell you how many parking spaces are currently basically non-existent because they are just filled with snow.

[doxies]

This reminds me of when i used to live in South Boston. From the day the first snowflake fell, people rushed out with their cones and chairs to save their spots and they would stay there until the end of April. I still remember my H getting a nasty note on his car (I don't think it was winter) telling him to park where he lived. I'm so happy I have a driveway now.

[stealthmom]

Feb 27, 2014 10:53:24 GMT -5 FloFTW said:

HA! I love this. People in Pittsburgh take this VERY seriously as well.

boringpittsburgh.com/boring-pittsburgh/pittsburgh-parking-chair-official-photo-gallery/1314/

our neighbor once left a note on our car b/c we were up on the curb a little bit. Protecting the public sidewalk in front of your house is pretty damn crazy.

[redheadbaker]

Feb 27, 2014 10:50:16 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Meanwhile, Chicagoans say fuck off, I'll dibs if I want. (I actually don't know that, but that's what I imagine they'd say.)

Philadelphians say it, too. I don't think there is any punishment for spot-saving, so nobody cares that it's illegal (if they even know that it is).

[AAM2012]

Feb 27, 2014 11:34:09 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

This is why opposite-side of the street parking works well. I realize that there are very few parking spaces in some neighborhoods in Philly (and Boston and Chicago...). But if you can only park on the odd side on odd days and a snowstorm comes through, the city can plow out the even side of the street. The next day, you dig out your car and park there, and the city can plow the other side. I can't tell you how many parking spaces are currently basically non-existent because they are just filled with snow.

I live in Florida so I have no experience in this department. But this seems logical and efficient.

[pyramidsloth]

This is one of the main reasons H and I decided to live in a suburb of Boston when we moved there a few years ago. We found a place in South Boston that we loved that was within our price range, but parking was a very big concern of mine. The place we liked didn't have a garage or even a driveway, and we would have had to park on the street. Nope. Dealbreaker. I remember the realtor was trying to convince me that there was "ample street parking" and we wouldn't have any problems. No. No no no. There is no such thing as ample street parking in Boston. It's a good thing we made the choice that we did; we moved there in the spring of 2010, and winter of 2011 had some massive blizzards. I can only imagine the disaster it would have been for us trying to find a spot to park our car every day during that madness. 

[Deleted]

Feb 27, 2014 14:55:44 GMT -5 tillie said:

One of the millions of reasons why I love living in the suburbs with my own garage.

 But then you have people like my next door neighbors who have 4 cars and a popup trailer. Two cars stay on the street at all times, sometimes in front of my house. Granted I don't have people over often, but use your driveway. Also, our annoying mail lady won't deliver our mail if someone is parked in front of our mailboxes, which, oftentimes, people visiting our neighbors do.

[darnkatz]

Chicagoans do say that. I'm pretty sure you're not 'allowed' to save spots in Chicago, but everyone does it anyway. And lord help the poor sucker who takes a crazy person's spot who saved that spot with a piece of furniture. There will be WORDS. And punches.

[Deleted]

People get shot for stealing spots in Philly several times a year. It's serious up here!