January 30, 2006
Illegal Parkers Lose an Excuse
The battle over illegal church parking has been rich with unintentional comedy. There was the knee-jerk anti-gentrification side to the argument, which was quickly forced to reverse field when it became clear that many or most of the parkers had long ago quit the District as a place of residence. There was the rambling, incoherent argument of Ward 1 ANC member Dee Hunter, asking us to let the violations slide and put our trust in church attendance. And then there was this Sunday's revelation that not only were the double parkers indifferent to the rules of the road, they also appear to be lazy.
In a press release made available this weekend, the group Logan Residents for Equitable Enforcement of Parking Laws disclosed what it learned from a walkthrough of the streets around Logan Circle this past Sunday morning. The fact-finding errand, conducted by two residents and an ANC member, noted that violations were down, likely due to increased police attention to the problem and foul Sunday weather, but that substantial problems remained. Of these, the press release noted the following:
Vermont Avenue from Q to R Streets: 31 cars were double-parked (i.e., blocking in legally parked vehicles) with 3 fire hydrants being illegally blocked.Vermont Avenue from R to 11th: At the intersection of Vermont and R, there were 7 cars at least partially blocking the crosswalks. There were 4 cars illegally double-parked. And, there were 37 cars illegally parked in two rows along the middle of the street. (It is worth noting that the positioning of these cars made it so tight that emergency vehicles definately could not pass through here if needed.)
11th Street from Q to Vermont: There were 7 cars illegally double-parked.
The kicker, however, was how incredibly unnecessary all that double parking was. The press release also mentions that the walkers:
counted approximately 35 available, legal spaces within the vicinity of 9th and R streets ... all within less than 3 blocks of the churches. There were also an additional 15 unused spaces counted on sidestreets along 13th street (again within a 3 block radius of the churches). From the furthest space, walking leisurely, it took less than 5 minutes to get back to the churches.
Whatever arguments the church attendees might have on this issue, it's difficult to see how police can allow troublesome and potentially dangerous double parking when open spaces exist a short walk away from the houses of worship.
Picture taken by EXB-WDC.
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Most likely "the kicker" could be explained by the fact that the spaces weren't free before services started.
Man, Matt, do you know the chances are of all 35 spaces being full when services started and not full when the walk-through happened? It's practically zero. It would be the most ridiculous coicidence.
Ah, yes, the weekly "Church just started so we should move our cars" exodus. That totally explains the 50 spaces near the church. While there isn't much of a chance all of those spaces were open before church started, its pretty likely a large number were.
I dunno, there are plenty of residents who don't get up and leave the house at 8, 9, 10 am on Sunday but do around 11 or 12. Do we even know what time the walkthrough took place, and how long that was after services started?
Even better, is it likely the walkthrough took place around the standard brunch hour, when a small but significant number of people travel to Logan Circle, possibly even in (gasp!) cars?
Matt - I think that the main point is as follows: Police were allowing amnesty over the past month for the churches to get the word out that double parking is not going to be tolerated. Unfortunately, the results of this impromptu observation is that the word is not being heard by parishoners and to make matters worse, the crosswalk and hydrant parking is still being violated despite the spot ticketing that police have only been doing for the past month. A month has been plenty of time for the police to get the word out to the community and strict enforcement should begin immediately.
JCH
You're grasping at straws here, Matt. There is NO WAY 35 cars would have all been parked one hour and then not parked 60 minutes later. That's nearly impossible. Even if 15 couples went to brunch, that's still 20 empty parking spots at the start of the hour. Your scenario just isn't plausible.
I think it's funny how the 'G' word gets throw around anyone tries to challenge the urban inertia, no matter how hypocritcal/dangerout/illegal those actives may be. It's bizarro Nimbyism.
Ticketing non-DC residents for parking illegaly and inconveniencing/endangering residents: GENTRIFICATION!
Tearing down public housing skyrises with Rehabilitating drug-ridden and vermin-infested rowhouses: GENTRIFICATION!
Bah, damn HTML parser choked on the 'less than' symbol. Here's the end of my post:
Ticketing non-DC residents for parking illegaly and inconveniencing/endangering residents: GENTRIFICATION!
Tearing down public housing skyrises with less than 50% occupancy and replacing with townhouses: GENTRIFICATION!
Rehabilitating drug-ridden and vermin-infested rowhouses: GENTRIFICATION!
Ryan: How do we get our grubbies on that press release? I don't see it linked above and I couldn't find it through a google search for the group.
-WDC
One hydrant blocked? Part of a block blocked? S**t happens, circle the block, maybe lay out your supply line further, tell other units, work around it.
A full block blocked out? Three hydrants blocked on an East-West street? Depending on the alleys, response times just went up by 5+ minutes.
The engine is more likely to burst a hose, assuming it has enough to even get there over fence and through backyard, and will be delivering firefighters fresh from a half-block sprint in turnout gear.
Got a victim? Hope they're not on the roof, because the tower is sitting impotently a block away and hand ladders are going to be run in by 4 firefighters apiece. (not to mention any roof operations just became infinitely more dangerous, potentially impossible, with attendant consequences for the firefighters and occupants inside needing ventilation.) If there's bars on the windows, wait for the truck or squad crew to make a few trips bringing in first ladders, then the saw. And if they're unconscious, getting them to the end of the block just became quite a schlep.
Etc., etc. Keep it up and someone is going to die, pure and simple.
WDC, I don't think the release is online, but I've emailed you the text.
WDC, I did a google search and the first item was the release...LOGAN RESIDENTS ASK CHURCHES TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS
Thanks, alv.
Not going to go back through the history file and see how badly I must have misspelled that...
-WDC
Alv, the link you have is for the release from Sat 21.
The release referenced in the post mentions that it was "during church service hours". If Logan's weekend parking situation is as grim (and I'm guessing it's worse) as the rest of the city, everyone in the neighborhood is trying not to move their cars between 6pm on Friday and 7am on Monday. I'd be surprised if those spaces opened up during services.
That there were two rows of cars shutting down the street goes beyond 'it's one or two people on Sunday, let it slide.' If the city has to step in and be the bad guy so that churches don't have to enforce basic civic behavior in their ranks, it's an annoyance. If it has to wait until WOV is right then it'll be a tragedy and their fault.
-WDC
Who's with me on planting yellow signs along these streets that say, "GOD SEE'S YOU ILLEGALLY PARKED!", OR "DOUBLE PARKING IS A SIN!"
Regardless of whether the 50 spaces were available when church parking started, and I think it is obvious that at least most of them were, the fact remains that double parking is illegal and the parishioners ought to be ashamed of themselves for disrespecting residents this way. Just because one is going to church is no excuse for blocking in legally parked cars so that their owners can't leave. That is just plain rude and inconsiderate and certainly not the Christian way. Afterall, have a little consideration for your fellow persons and get up 15 minutes earlier and find a legal space like the rest of the community!
I totally agree with Eric. I live in Logan and I can't believe how inconsiderate people attending church can be, especially since most of them don't live in the neighborhood. How would they like it if we came into their community and blocked in their car every Sunday so that they couldn't enjoy their weekend as they see fit? A woman in my building missed her flight because she was blocked in by someone attending church. Another person missed an important business meeting and another was late for a mid-term exam. It's time for the city to do its job and enforce the laws. I'm all in favor of attending church, but that doesn't give one superior status. It's disgraceful to treat residents as second-class citizens just because people attending church are too lazy to walk a few blocks.
You think that on a press release, they'd be able to spell "definitely" properly. ::sigh::
I think that the above is a great idea to post signs "GOD SEE'S YOU ILLEGALLY PARKED!", or "DOUBLE PARKING IS A SIN!" It's time we stand up for equal rights for everyone and make this a city that we ALL can enjoy.
The sad thing about discussions like this is that a true representative of the other side is almost never heard from. Instead, we hear a lot from one group with roughly the same opinion, and a few comments from devil's advocates, trolls, and those trying to represent the other side without actually being on the other side.
I'm not saying this to fault DCist, or any of the community listservs, public meetings, and other blogs that cover these issues. These are clearly open fora and the fault lies mostly with people of other viewpoints for not finding us and explaining their sides. Several news articles usually say the churches declined to comment.
I realize there may be various class, race, culture, and demographic differences that lead to DCist mostly getting comments from anti-double parkers and pro-Vegetate liquor license people. But one look at the cars parked outside these churches tells me economics can't be too much of a barrier to online communities, and none of my black friends or neighbors I've spoken with understand the double parking or opposition to Vegetate's liquor license, so race can't be the only barrier either. The church members are mostly from MD, so any community meetings I've gone to never have these people there (these meetings are mostly attended by people posting on blogs and listservs anyway).
Does anyone listen to local radio call in shows that might get comments from these churchgoers or someone more fitting to represent their views than an ornery contrarian blog reader?
In response to John's query: the Citizens Advisory Committee sponsored a meeting at the Third District Police station last week which was attended mainly by church parishioners, in large part because they actively went out and put flyers on the double-parked vehicles while they were in church. The main comment that was repeated over and over again was that this is the way it has been done for years and that the "new" residents should deal with it -- i.e., the entitlement argument. One parishioner went so far as to comment that residents should train their dogs not to go to the bathroom during church hours to reduce congestion. (Although, to be fair, at least one parishioner did acknowledge that double parking is wrong and that she also would not want to be blocked by illegally double-parked vehicles in front of her own home.)
There was also a great deal of criticism of the city and police without any real acknowledgement that the churches have some responsibility in alleviating the parking problem that they themselves are creating.
It is worth noting that of the four churches within one block of Vermont and R Streets (two of which have congregations well in excess of 1,000 persons each), none have a legal parking lot or have arranged for the use of other parking facilities despite having existed for over 100 years. There are other churches in the city that have no or insufficient parking lots yet responsibly take the initiative to be good community citizens by renting space at local lots, hotels, and so forth.
So, yes, I would agree with John that there are two sides to every argument. But, in this particular case, logic, being a good neighbor, consideration ... and the law ... seem to be on the side of the residents.
Are any of you FROM DC? These churches were a part of the NEIGHBORHOOD (just investing fun for most of the transients) before any of you moved in; respect that. There seems to be a total disregard for real residents of DC and an air to all the posted comments of ENTITLEMENT. There is this whiny "I have more money than you so I should get my way" "The law says I'm right" cry by you transients. How are things done in your hometown neighborhoods?
Aren't there certain people that are treated differently because of their circumstances? OH MY, that would also be YOU. I guess it's no wonder that you show up here griping about everything and everyone native to DC.
If this is an older church with older members (I suspect it is), a five minute walk to what you deem a "close" parking space can be a marathon if you have arthritic knees, bolted hips, etc.
Yes the church members will have to make the parking adjustment (the Bible admonishes us to obey the laws of the land) BUT all you post yuppie, acidic influxers could try to get to know the neighborhoods you move into and do some adjusting yourselves.
Yes. I'm from DC. Born, Raised, and still in NE.
Your visting church goers do not have more of a right to my neighborhood than I do.
and don't you take that tone with me again.
-WDC
I've lived in DC for 20 years and I actually live across the street from the church. And, yes, I still disagree with you (IKnowtheplans). Respect goes both ways ... from what you call the "new" residents, as well as from the "older" institutions in the community. And, as someone who literally is trapped in my home one day every week, I feel it is disrespectful to disregard the law because one is too lazy to arrive early or walk a block or two. (Furthermore, the parishioners at these churches are overwhelmingly from Maryland, so your argument about respecting the neighborhood means that they should obey the laws when coming to someone else's home community for a few hours every Sunday.)
As for the residents being "yupppies" and whining about "money," the overwhelming majority of parishioners cars double-parked on Vermont Avenue are luxury vehicles and SUV's ... so that argument is completely invalid. In fact, these particular churches are extremely financially stable.
In regard to older church members, I have compassion for them and understand their physical limitations. But, most of them are driven by younger family and friends (in their 30's and 40's) who nonetheless literally park in the middle of the street rather than dropping off the elderly and continuing on to find a legal parking spot. Other churches with elderly congregations have instituted valet parking ... which has been repeatedly recommended by the residents as a responsible way to deal with that issue. Afterall, what do these elderly people do when they go to places other than church?
Finally, in regard to your comment that we should "get to know the neighborhoods you move into and do some adjusting yourselves," the neighborhood is made up of more than the churches. I have complete respect for people who choose to go to worship on the weekends, but they do not make up the entire community and that can be done without completely trapping an entire neighborhood. I am a property owner and a resident here as well and I have every right to enjoy my Sunday as I see fit.
The DC Jewish Community Center is located just 3 blocks away. Would you feel that it is okay for its members to double-park 16th street and the surrounding neighborhood every Friday night and Saturday during their time of worship? I am sure that you would not.
The bottom line is we all need to learn to coexist peacefully together. The residents support the churches and the good work that they are doing. We are simply asking that they be good neighbors and responsible members of the community so that the rest of us may enjoy our weekends as well. That seems fair and reasonable to me.
Actually, DC residents are in fact justified in their sense of entitlement. "The law say I'm right" is a perfectly valid argument because the law exists to protect the DC citizens. Double and triple parking and blocking fire hydrants creates safety problems for everyone in the neighborhood, including the church itself. Whether residents are first or fifth generation DCists is irrelevant, these practices are unsafe.
Further, the churches have means by which they could secure necessary parking. For the old and infirm, there are these devices called handicapped parking permits. Businesses frequently cordon off parking spots for such patrons. I don't think a church would have a problem acquiring such privliges. For the other churchgoers, walk like every other law abiding citizen, or accept that your car will get ticketed, towed, or have its window busted by the fire department when you block a hydrant.
I find the comments of Iknowtheplans to be offensive, ignorant and rude. I live in the DC and I have just as much right to park on the street as do churchgoers, and they have no more right to disregard the law than do I. If anyone is being disrespectful, it is you and the people who keep double-parking without regard for the fact that they are blocking in somebody else.
Us ‘new’ residents are paying taxes to support social programs for the long time residents who did not abandon their brothers and sisters and move out of the city. Those DC residents that moved to MD and come back for church did not care about DC enough to stick around and be a part of the solution.
There is no reason that newer residents in DC should be silent on our community than there is for those ex-DC residents that are new to MD to be silent in theirs.
DC residents ARE ENTITLED to decide what happens in OUR CITY.
Oh come on. It’s nonsense to suggest double-parking "literally traps you in your home one day every week". I completely agree that residents have more right to their neighborhood than visiting churchgoers and double-parking is a problem, but please. There are ways to get around a city besides the almighty car.
If you really think not being able to drive traps you in your home (and you don’t have a debilitating handicap), then frankly you deserve to be trapped for a while.
I couldn't agree with you more "Entitled Newcomer." Since DC residents are paying the taxes that pay for (1) the upkeep of the streets, (2) police and parking enforcement authority, (3)municipal services in the community, and (4) other services as well, we should certainly be entitled to have a say in what goes on in our own community and to be able to park our vehicles without fear of being illegally blocked. This is especially true since DC residents also pay for parking permits that the city is essentially making worthless by allowing visitors to double-park illegally and block us in.
Iknowtheplans, you should be ashamed of yourself. Talking about how these churches were in the neighborhood before "newcomers" moved in, as if that made it okay for its members to break the law; insisting that "transient" people are talking with a sense of ENTITLEMENT, as it the Maryland residents who don't even LIVE in DC aren't acting with a sense of ENTITLEMENT when they block people's cars in without even bothering to care about the law.
To Dan: To suggest that I, a taxpaying resident and property owner, should have to take public transportation rather than using my car every Sunday so that churchgoers from Maryland can illegally double-park in front of my home (especially when legal parking is available 2 to 3 short blocks away) is so ludicrous as to not merit a response. Nonetheless, here goes ...
In the first place, I have a young child who takes classes on Sunday mornings in Falls Church at a location not easily accessible by metro. Other people are doctors who have to get to the hospital, restaurant and store employees who have to get to work, parents who have to take their kids to activities, etc.
More importantly, though, I should have the right to choose to use my car whenever I please without having to worry about being illegally blocked in ... I pay property taxes, income taxes, car vehicle title and registration taxes, and so forth.
And, for the record, it's not just Sunday mornings and it's not just getting around the city. Local residents have reported missing airline flights, business meetings, midterm exams and having children trapped at schools and activities in the past few months due to illegal double-parking by church parishioners.
Oh such righteous indignation. "Don't take that tone with me again." Come on! I have the right to free speech or does being a DCresident mean that the 1st Amendment doesn't apply.
This has tickled me, the diatribes and such. LOL! Let me take the time to do a little shuffle dance and thanks yous kind haaarted SPANKIN brand new DC folks for yo kindly tax dolluz. What would we'z do wit out ya. Nun of us's EVA paid no taxes ta dis hear city we been livin in.
I agree with churches abiding by the law but you really can't see the forest of your snotty attitudes for the trees of your entitlement issues.
You're welcome.
Brandspankin:
LOL! Aaaah, a lumberjack.
OK, that was my fault. I was thinking 'grandchild of MD churchgoer posting from school'.
I should have re-read and ignored the troll. Sorry all.
-WDC
It's interesting that "Iknowtheplans" wants to assert his right to free speech yet deny our right to lawfully park on city streets.
It's this same ass-backwards logic that is used by church-goers to justify their blatantly illegal and inconsiderate actions!
Wow! "Ass-backwards...church-goers"
You people can dish it but you can't take it. I don't dispute the law. The law is right the law is good.
Your attitudes and biases (even by the writer of the article who refers to the church members as lazy) are what I'm calling attention to here.
It's a great thing to lambast, whine, and complain about people as long as they don't turn the light on you.
I have the right to my opinion as you have the right to yours or is that conditional. If I don't agree with you and what I think is your brat-like, nasty attitudes then I'm the enemy?
Cowards.
WDC:
You used the word "troll". Yup, you really are from DC.
LOL!
Plans, seems like you're the only one that's overheating here. You disagree with my assessment that these folks are lazy? The parkers are breaking the law and creating a potentially dangerous situation by making streets unpassable and fire hydrants unreachable, while two streets over there are abundant free, legal spaces. You tell me what to call that.
Did you forget to take your Ritalin this morning? I've never seen someone so up-in-arms over parking than Iknowtheplans. Wow.
Cowards? It seems that you, IKnowtheplans, are the one hiding behind a pseudonym and doing the name-calling and racial profiling while the rest of us are trying to engage in thought-provoking discourse about an unfair and illegal practice. In case you didn't know ... that's known as the democratic process in action.
I also was born in DC and have lived in U Street/Shaw for almost 10 years. I live at 10th and R, where that are 3 churches within 1 block. We have had 3 house fires in the last 1.5 years. Luckily, none of them were on Churchdays. We always have folks coming mostly from MD to park for church, and they often do not respect the neighborhood. They not only block in cars, but block fire hydrants and intersections without regard for neighborhood safety. There is never more litter on my street than after a church event. Yet while they illegally park not only on Sundays and in the evening, I always find a legal space, even if it is 2 or 3 blocks away. I have found that the churchgoers never take the subway (2 blocks away) and don't like to park more than 1 block away from their church.
The problem I see is not simply that the churchgoers park illegally - people will always park illegaly. I don't even mind the planned, ORGANIZED double parking (where it is in front of the church on wider streets using cones, not in front of your house on a one lane road) - I mind the dangerous fire hydrant blocking and intersection blocking. The problem I see is that the police have unofficially told the churches that they will not get tickets. So, some churchgoers do not hesitate to park into the intersection even if a full legal spot exists 2 blocks away. That is pure laziness and I see it all the time. I used to call and make a complaint once a week, just so the police wouldn't say they didn't ticket because nobody complained. However, one weekend officer Rios responded and angrily told me that he has a rule of not ticketing churchgoers. He said that they are trying to do something good and even if he ticketed them, the car would still be there, so what's the point. This kind of logic is insulting to the residents of the neighborhood whose concerns are legitimate wholly ignored. The parking laws, created by professionals with satefty in mind, are completely ignored. Some people say it is the MPD's right to use discretion. However, it is not discretion when it is applied in this blanketed manner. They are picking and choosing which who to enforce the laws on based on reasons they fail to fully articulate and discuss. If I park the same way while church is not in session, I WILL get a ticket. If they (police, churchgoers, etc.) think it should be legal, they should put it through the process and have the laws and the signs changed. It would never happen though, because it would be gross negligence on the part of the government. I sometimes wonder if something happened at one of the churches and emergency medical attention could not get through in a timely manner, resulting in something tragic, if one of the parishoners would then sue DC government for failing to enforce the safety law which might have prevented the tragedy. After all, the laws are not there to only protect the residents, but to protect the visitors, regardless of color, wealth, etc. It is the govt's obligation. However, it would seem the churches have different priorities.
For anyone who thinks that this is about some people having more money than others, have the laws changed and follow the laws. Nobody should be able to endanger the safety of others, whether rich or poor. I have heard poor residents in my neighborhood complaining to the MPD that they don't think they get the kind of law enforcement protection that the rich folks in Georgetown enjoy. Do these poor folks only wnat that for certain laws, or are other people making that assumption? I have had longtime residents (think black, because being white most longtime residents assume you moved in 6 months ago, your opinion shouldn't count, and many people seem to think it you should even be allowed to move into "their" neighborhood. These sound like the same situations we have heard about in the past where the roles were reversed) come to me and yell at me in the street because they couldn't find parking during a Church event. Clearly this is because of churchgoers who are mostly coming from MD and don't pay taxes here, but many longtime residents prefer to take their frustrations out on the white folks, no matter what the situation. So if you think it is all because of race or wealth, I would say that you are looking at the principles at hand, the fact the everyone is an individual, and you should make sweeping judgements based on race, wealth, etc.
As it happens, the black churchgoers often have sizeables incomes, live in large houses in the burbs and drive Mercedes Benz. Many of their opinions on matters differ by individual, and often don't match up with many of the black residents living in the neighborhood. For instance, the Church on 7th street wanted to (and did) stop 2 new restaurants on 7th street, one black owned, from getting liquor licenses because they believed they knew what was best for the nieghborhood (no drinking). Many black residents disagreed thought it was best to have businesses replace the boarded up buildings where criminals seemed to congregate. Also, the black churches tend to own o lot of the boarded up property in the area. They sit on it and do not develop for the betterment of the neighborhood for whatever reason (usaully hold out for more money). When I have seen them create housing, they did not offer low income housing for sale to poorer black residents in the neighborhood, instead it was all market rate - which goes squarely against the most common complaint I hear from longtime residents. Finally, there is a building on the corner of Rhode Island and 9th street where many elderly, black, longtime residents live. One of the DC black churches tried to evict them all so that they could sell it for development and make a lot of money, so apparently they fit the stereotype so many are holding exclusively for whites. These types of incidents are common in the neighborhood and don't match the stereotypes articulated by some folks who post here and try to blame everything on gentrification, and white folks with money ruining things single handedly. I think that despite what those posters might believe, they articulate as much if not more prejudice than the next person.
1. I haven't owned a car in nine years, so I've never been inconvenienced by double-parkers. (All cars inconvenience me, all the time.)
2. I've lived in the DC for exactly one year, and I rent, so I have literally no say in what goes on between ex-residents and current residents. (Wha? Screw that.)
3. Unlike most of the commentors, I *did* go to an ANC meeting a few weeks ago, when pastors from Logan area churches came to plead their defense, and the most-inconvenienced residents came to have their say.
Despite the look I got when I took a seat (five pairs of pastors' eyes landed on me with an intense stare that could only mean HERE COMES ANOTHER WHITE FAGGOT*), I stayed and held the openest mind I could. Everyone was ripe for ridicule, from the pastor who jokingly suggested that we could resolve all these problems if EVERYONE came to church (um, half-jokingly? we could also resolve it if you preached out of your driveway) to the resident who stammered and stuttered his way through a high-school debate class presentation, complete with photos of double parkers and license numbers.
Anyway, despite the undertone, most attendees were civil and clear-headed. The conciliatory tone of the pastors indicated that they understood they were in the wrong, so this put them on the run, but their words indicated they weren't going to do anything about it (Not much can they do, anyway - people aren't going to pay to buy parking lots, and where can one buy space for that in Logan, anyway?)
I'd advise AGAINST flyering cars at the moment, though. First of all, if you really want to make an impression, just saunter by and key the fuckers. Not ballsy enough for that, though, are ya. 2nd, you're going to be doing this in broad daylight and folks are gonna come RUNNING out of church to get up in your face - you ready for that?
How about waiting a bit longer for a watershed event to really let the steam out. If you fire a wimpy volley now, all you're going to do is infuriate people - and if you do that, they just dig in their heels.
THEN you can key them. :)
*Yeah, I said it - trust me, the intense look was NOT cruising. (Didja think parking was the only issue on the table here, vanilla?)
It's official: this place is for posting one opinion only.
There is nothing of dialog, discourse or democracy here; you must fall into "group think" here or you are summarily dismissed.
No matter what I've said in agreement with the law, all responses have been defensive. Nothing said here changes my opinion of what I see as nasty, brat-like attitudes. Has little to do with the highly scapegoated gentrification.
Some of you display nasty, elitist, entitled attitudes and you don't like it being pointed out.
It probably stings because I'm just saying what you've already heard. But let it sting no more my dear DC dwellers. This forum is for you and only you. I leave you to lick each other's wounds and speak ill of all who oppose your view.
Thank god you're leaving, you whiny baby. I'm sorry people don't agree with you. That doesn't make you right or them wrong. Get over yourself.
Some of you display nasty, elitist, entitled attitudes and you don't like it being pointed out.
Pot, kettle, black?
Anyway. Your assertations that this site is only for people of a certain opinion is utterly absurd. For starters, the simple fact that you are posting should be in and of itself enough that other opinions are tolerated. What you seem to be upset about is the fact that your opinion is UNPOPULAR. This is very different from not being allowed to express it. What this actually is is a combination of two things: (1) your incredibly acrid, attacking style of discourse, which puts in the same school as Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly, and (2) the fact that you're wrong.
Honestly, I don't even know why I am bothering with this reply. Someone who is as angry and illogical as yourself won't respond to reason and will refuse to even consider that the other side may have some sort of valid point to make.
1. If people continue to double park along entire blocks, along multiple blocks, in many areas, it will eventually result in a death or serious injury due to hampered Fire / EMS response.
2. Major rowhouse or commercial property fires occur within the District several times per week. Working CPR or trauma incidents more frequently than that. So "eventually" here may be "very soon," if not "already."
There's no opinion content here, and no statements about who's right or wrong or what rights people do or don't have. This is a life safety issue. It needs to get fixed soonest.
Benjamin, you're cowardly. I'll always check in and read the posts from time to time; it makes for funny dinner conversation.
Durd:
You responded because a hit dog will holla. LOL!
Having an unpopular opinion isn't a crime or IS IT?
Y'all have given me good laughter today and I really needed that. People can be so serious.
Have a great day
If out-of-towners continute to double-park, then the terrorists have already won.
Todd: I agree, it is ludicrous to suggest that you should have to take public transportation rather than use your car every Sunday so that churchgoers from Maryland can illegally double-park in front of your home. There is no doubt in my mind that it inconveniences you, isn’t fair, and is in some cases downright dangerous. As I said before, I completely agree that the churchgoers are the guilty party here.
However, that is not what you said. You said you were “literally trapped in your home”, as though you might starve to death if this situation continues. You and I both know that is simply not true.
Point being: You don’t help your case when you make ridiculous exaggerations.
WOV's dose of reality should be heeded. If these double-parkers are blocking hydrants and impeding access to emergency responders, then it's only a matter of time before all the wrong events coincide on lazy Sunday morning. Someone's gonna die or some pregnant woman's going to have an abruption right there on the curb, and then one of these churches is going to sued back into the effing netherworld, and that, ladies and gentlemen, will be that. Except, of course, for the chorus of told you so's, which I imagine will sound awful pretty from the nave of a shuttered and forgotten church.
I'm cowardly? Then you must be a grade-A asshole. You're hiding behind an anonymous, lame name. Meanwhile, my real name is in this thread, and there's enough info about me on the Internet that you could pierce together a fairly accurate picture of my life over the last 7 years. But nice try.
Hopefully, someone will deflate your tires the next time you double park outside of your church. That's a lot harder to deal with on a Sunday afternoon than some paint scratches.
I try not to post too much on DCist anymore since more often than not the conversations turn into personal attacks, but I am personally involved in this issue and feel I need to add my two cents. As a Logan resident, I didn't think double parking could be stopped. City officials were apathetic at best (namely the mayor's office and the Third District). DC council member Evans's office was also unhelpful despite saying that double parking is illegal and wrong. But now the parking problem has improved and I believe the end is near (in terms of finding a solution).
With that said, my anger is not with the churches or double parkers but with the government of DC. They have permitted this to come to a point where residents had to take action. The mayor, through the MPD, refused to enforce the law. He could have led on this issue but he didn's. Eight long years have gone by and he has done nothing about parking. When he left Chicago and came to DC he told us that this city can not wait for our parking problems to overrun us. But what did he do once in office? Nothing. It is his unwillingness to enforce the parking laws and his lack of imagination that have been the problem. Why did it take him eight years to come up with a parking plan that is a half measure at best? Am I wrong here?
Benji: Do you remember the episode of the "Brady Bunch" where Jan bugged out on Marsha. "MARSHA MARSHA MARSHA!!!"
Dude, that's how you sound. Take a breath man.
With all my disagreeing with you and some of the others, I don't wish any harm to you or your belongings.
Peace. I'm definitely out.
Alan: If you are who I think you are, I am so happy to read your positive comments and to read that you feel that progress is being made. I remember speaking to you when the letter was being drafted and I know you were ... understandably so ... less than optimistic that anything could be done to resolve the problem. I agree with you completely that it is sad that government officials are so reluctant in this instance to protect our safety and our rights. I hope that if we continue pressing the issue, the streets will soon be unimpeded and church parishioners and residents will be able to ALL enjoy our community without anyone being unduly burdened or impositioned.
Yeah, dude. Seriously. You sound like Marsha Brady. Do you see how I'm making fun of you? That means I'm right. Cause you're all gentrifiers and hate real city residents. You're all pretend. Halucinations of a delusional mayor and his yuppie military-industrial complex. And if you disagree with me, you support censorship because it's illegal to have the wrong opinion. And only gentrifiers are allowed to post on here, you check IP addresses for address and wealth.
Wow, talk about a lost cause. I post about never hearing any reasoned arguments from the pro-double parkers, and 20 people against double parking continue to post (from my perspective) well-reasoned, logical arguments, while one troll posts 20 times and has nothing to add other than tired cliches and rambling insults.