Parking violation rant

I was tempted to leave this person’s license plate number un-blurred . . .

parking jerk lo res

It’s often difficult to find a parking spot in my office building (on those days I don’t ride a bicycle to work).   This person gets the “Parking Jerk” award of the day.   Notice the paint on the ground.  Notice the conspicuous sign designating this spot for compact vehicles only.  Not only is this not a compact vehicle–it’s a notorious gas guzzler.

I’m not vengeful (I don’t think I am . . . ), but I’m tempted to mass-produce my own parking violation “tickets” (something akin to these) to place on the windshields of vehicles like this to expresss my “disappointment.”

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Erich Vieth

Erich Vieth is an attorney focusing on civil rights (including First Amendment), consumer law litigation and appellate practice. At this website often writes about censorship, corporate news media corruption and cognitive science. He is also a working musician, artist and a writer, having founded Dangerous Intersection in 2006. Erich lives in St. Louis, Missouri with his two daughters.

This Post Has 7 Comments

  1. Avatar of Mark Tiedemann
    Mark Tiedemann November 12, 2008 Reply

    Many years ago I had a stack of notes printed up and left them on windshields of cars parked badly. It read something like this:

    Dear Asshole,

    Please note that your tires are not flat, no sugar has been dumped into your gas tank, nor alka seltzer in your battery. I have not smeared your windows with a sticky substance, keyed the paint on the doors, smashed your head or tail lights, or poured milk into your door panels. Others may not be so understanding when confronted with someone who selfishly takes up two spaces on a public parking lot because either you (a) don't know how to drive (b) your car is too big for you (c) you are deliberately trying to prevent anyone from parking next to you for fear of having doors opened into your car or (d) you think you own the world. None of the above are excusable. This is simply rude. Pay attention. In future you may not be so fortunate.

    Something like that. I had a tablet of them and used them all up. I didn't bother to get any more because I realized that little notes like that don't work. I'm not sure what does.

    I also find people who take handicapped spaces just because they have the tag and can to be worse offenders. I mean when the person driving is clearly not the one handicapped and just takes advantage.

    Spirit of the law and what-not.

  4. Avatar of Niklaus Pfirsig
    Niklaus Pfirsig November 12, 2008 Reply

    Down here in Nashville, we have a name for it: Pretty Truck syndrome. The worst offenders that intentionally park in such a manner to use 2 or more spaces, (I once saw a crewcab pickup parked in a way that used four spaces) are usually the owners of "Pretty" truck. These are shiny large pickup trucks with spinners and tinted glass, that are perfectly clean with a pristine bed that has never seen use for hauling anything. They park that way to keep their truck from getting the little parking lot dings from doors opening against them.

    I also see a lot of drivers that use handicap spaces when the only handicap they have is obviously a social one. A great aunt of mine had lost both her legs below the knees, often had to park a considerable distance from the store, because someone who was completely able bodied, was simply too lazy to walk an extra 50 feet. I saw a woman pull into a handicap space, jump out of her car and run toward the store. I asked her what her handicap was , and she stopped for a minute. I then told her about my Aunt Lilly, and she actually went back and moved her car.

  5. Avatar of grumpypilgrim
    grumpypilgrim November 12, 2008 Reply

    Some suggestions:

    1. Complain to the parking authority of the parking ramp. Perhaps they will ticket or notify the vehicle owner.

    2. If someone is illegally parked in a handicap spot, take photos with your cell phone (and video, too, if you can) and give it to the police, along with a letter telling them you would be happy to testify in court against the illegal parker.

    3. Alternatively, if someone is illegally parked in a handicap spot, remove the cores from the valve stems on each of their four tires, tape the cores to their windshield (or put them under a windshield wiper), and then call the police to report the illegally parked vehicle. Of course, be certain the car really is illegally parked before doing something this drastic.

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