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On parking in winter
Feb. 18th, 2014 04:23 pmI have never liked the custom in some neighborhoods of putting some furniture into a shoveled on-street parking spot to hold it for later, though I know in some places moving said furniture can get your car seriously damaged. Still, it's never felt right, and this year I started framing it differently: it's really about how you see the commons of on-street parking.
As a resident with a parking sticker, you have the right to graze on the commons, or park on the street. However, that does not give you the right to fence in any area of the commons, which is functionally what people are doing with the placement of their furniture. Doing a good job of clearing your space not only makes it easier for you to get your car out, but is part of caring for the commons, for the next person who may use the space (graze their cattle-car? :-).
When you dig out your car, you don't automatically earn yourself that spot until the snow melts/ the next snow event/ you go on a long car trip. You've just dug out your car; it's one of those pesky responsibilities of car usership. Don't want to use it? Wait until the snow melts. But if you do want to use it, then you clear it off. And once you leave that parking space, it's no longer yours, just like in the summer it isn't.
As a resident with a parking sticker, you have the right to graze on the commons, or park on the street. However, that does not give you the right to fence in any area of the commons, which is functionally what people are doing with the placement of their furniture. Doing a good job of clearing your space not only makes it easier for you to get your car out, but is part of caring for the commons, for the next person who may use the space (graze their cattle-car? :-).
When you dig out your car, you don't automatically earn yourself that spot until the snow melts/ the next snow event/ you go on a long car trip. You've just dug out your car; it's one of those pesky responsibilities of car usership. Don't want to use it? Wait until the snow melts. But if you do want to use it, then you clear it off. And once you leave that parking space, it's no longer yours, just like in the summer it isn't.