O.K.
I had some sympathy for the parking violators....until I read this mornings article in the Bulletin; "Bend's Downtown Parking Offenders Want Leniency, Not Limits."
This quote was particularly off putting.
"It's a tit-for-tat war with them," Smith said. "I've figured out where to park where I want, and I will take the tickets. Some days they'll get you and some days they won't."
WTF?
This guy has gotten 850.00 worth of tickets, and had his car booted. So not only is he taking up valuable parking space because he won't walk a measly block, but he pays 60% more than if he just parked in the damn garage?
Where's the business sense in that?
Or Mike Millette, of 900 Wall, getting 31 tickets and his car booted 4 times. I buy his argument that he needed access to his restaurant while it was being created; but 31 times? I have to figure he got away with it twice that much, probably, by playing parking tag, and that stretches credulity that he "Needed" that much time.
Mike, buddy, you need to set a better example.
Given all that, this paragraph is pretty much a non-starter:
"Some business owners said they think the city should do away with parking time limits all together..."
Yeah, right. My guess is that 90% of the downtown customers don't stay past two hours, anyway. Remember, there are no limits in the evening so you can linger over your meal as long as you want. It's the owners and employees who need more than that. So guess who's likely to abuse the privilege?
I have sympathy for the minimum wage, part time employees, but if 24.00 parking is available, instead of just the 45.00 I'm paying in the garage, even that sympathy is starting to fade...
I'm puzzled why business owners would park in front of their own businesses instead of walking a block or two. Really. I mean, I see a car pull in front of my store and people get out and I think customers. They may or may not walk into my store, but if that parking spot wasn't there, there is no chance they'll walk in my door.
Grow up, people!
(NOTE: BD points out they may still walk into my door if they park farther away, which is true; if they don't just keep driving. I guess there is a better chance they'll walk into my door if they can park closer and I guess that I'd like to make it as easy as possible for them. But yeah....good point.)
I had some sympathy for the parking violators....until I read this mornings article in the Bulletin; "Bend's Downtown Parking Offenders Want Leniency, Not Limits."
This quote was particularly off putting.
"It's a tit-for-tat war with them," Smith said. "I've figured out where to park where I want, and I will take the tickets. Some days they'll get you and some days they won't."
WTF?
This guy has gotten 850.00 worth of tickets, and had his car booted. So not only is he taking up valuable parking space because he won't walk a measly block, but he pays 60% more than if he just parked in the damn garage?
Where's the business sense in that?
Or Mike Millette, of 900 Wall, getting 31 tickets and his car booted 4 times. I buy his argument that he needed access to his restaurant while it was being created; but 31 times? I have to figure he got away with it twice that much, probably, by playing parking tag, and that stretches credulity that he "Needed" that much time.
Mike, buddy, you need to set a better example.
Given all that, this paragraph is pretty much a non-starter:
"Some business owners said they think the city should do away with parking time limits all together..."
Yeah, right. My guess is that 90% of the downtown customers don't stay past two hours, anyway. Remember, there are no limits in the evening so you can linger over your meal as long as you want. It's the owners and employees who need more than that. So guess who's likely to abuse the privilege?
I have sympathy for the minimum wage, part time employees, but if 24.00 parking is available, instead of just the 45.00 I'm paying in the garage, even that sympathy is starting to fade...
I'm puzzled why business owners would park in front of their own businesses instead of walking a block or two. Really. I mean, I see a car pull in front of my store and people get out and I think customers. They may or may not walk into my store, but if that parking spot wasn't there, there is no chance they'll walk in my door.
Grow up, people!
(NOTE: BD points out they may still walk into my door if they park farther away, which is true; if they don't just keep driving. I guess there is a better chance they'll walk into my door if they can park closer and I guess that I'd like to make it as easy as possible for them. But yeah....good point.)