The Jingle Bell Runaround

[barry-rafkind.livejournal.com]

Any other Davis Square residents around here whose Sunday schedules will be inconvenienced by The Jingle Bell Run? I complained in more detail about it over on Somerville Voices.

Comments

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

FWIW, I believe they are way overstating the hours of the road closures. It's just a 5K -- even the people who walk it will be done in an hour. There are 5500 registered runners, so closures are necessary, but they generally open the roads as the runners clear it, and the last 1/2 mile or so is on the bike path, too.

I'll be running it to support anomie666 (who is doing his second 5K ever, woot!) and encourage folks to come out and cheer. It's a great time and there are always fabulous costumes.

There are a good half-dozen Davis-area races every year, all of which result in road closures. Plus the Memorial Day Parade, ArtBeat, and whatever else I'm forgetting. Personally, I'm glad to live in an are with so much going on.

[Edited to fix errors.]

[anomie666.livejournal.com]

I feel so special, I get a shout out on the very first comment :)

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

Wait, Christmas is approaching? How come I was not informed about this annual event further in advance? And this weather thing! How dare people actually run during a weather event? What will we ever do if it snows? Or for that matter if there's a parade?

At least you don't live anywhere between Hopkinton and downtown Boston. I'm told they have even larger and more inconvenient road races along that route.

Seriously: You must really hate disadvantaged children to be so angry about a charity event that closes a few roads for a few hours.

[barry-rafkind.livejournal.com]

If you'd read my SV blog post, you'd understand that my anger has nothing to do with the charity aspect of the event.

[tamalinn.livejournal.com]

This.

I have parade rage!

[kpht.livejournal.com]

I can one-up you here - in my town I'm blocked in or out by a parade on July 3rd at 6 PM. I'd love to know who thinks that is a great time that would keep inconvenience to a minimum. It's not like anyone goes on vacation for the 4th or anything! One year I literally broke down and cried after a horrible day at work and sitting in an hour of traffic, and the police told me there was no way to access my house and some fat lady with a lawn chair yelled at me for blocking an intersection (while talking to police mind you). It's the one day I hate living where I live, and I want to firebomb the goddamn parade.

Re: I have parade rage!

[kpht.livejournal.com]

And yeah, mine's not a charity event, just a parade where being a drunken ass is encouraged. It sucks to be minorly inconvenienced, but c'mon, you've got it way easier than me, dude.

Re: I have parade rage!

[ron_newman]

sounds horrible

[craigindaville.livejournal.com]

I'm not a DS resident, but I can imagine that the lack of warning is a real pain in the butt. I have to say, it seems like there is no information anywhere about what route the race will take-- the website for the organizers just says that registration is closed. No info on start time, end time, route, etc etc etc. I'm sure if you're one of the runners you got that info, but anyone who lives in the Square (or wants to come and cheer folks on) is left completely in the dark.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, the person who organizes this race is a great guy, but the worst web site designer ever. All the info is there, but because he changed the front page, you can't actually get to it.

Here's the route. (http://www.baevents.com/jinglebell/jinglebell-2009coursemap.gif)

[ron_newman]

I live 2 blocks from Davis Square and did not get any robo-call or e-mail from the city.

[ilai]

I just got a robo-call this afternoon about it (I live up near Teele Sq) which seemed kind of late. On Thursday I saw the workers putting up signs everywhere and was wondering what was going on.

[808.livejournal.com]

This happens to me in Watertown because they have a bizarre Treaty Day (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Watertown) parade. Kids, fire trucks and the firing of fake guns right outside my window at 8am. But I just chalk it up to living in New England and have grown to enjoy these types of events. Where I grew up, in Dallas/Ft. Worth, every suburb is the same and devoid of any character. It's strip malls and 5 lane roads as far as the eye can see.

I don't see why the city should have to "consult you" (as you say in your blog) but I do see how more notice should have been given.

[barry-rafkind.livejournal.com]

Well, as a tax-paying resident who lives within the perimeter of the race, I expect to be given advanced notice of any such road closures as well as the opportunity to have my say on the matter before the plans are finalized. It's just disrespectful of the City and event organizers to have left residents in the dark about this.

[m00n.livejournal.com]

One way to avoid the inconvenience is to transport yourself without using a car ;-)

[jadelennox]

The 87 bus is always redirected by these things and the MBTA never knows about it -- the drivers wing it, and occasionally someone handwrites a sign and posts it at Clarendon if the bus is rerouted that early. I've missed countless Sunday events because the races through Davis and the T don't talk to one another.

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

Seriously, this is your biggest problem in life?

Next you'll be complaining about airplanes.

[barry-rafkind.livejournal.com]

No, it's not. The airplanes don't bother me personally.

[slinkr.livejournal.com]

Maybe you should consider moving to a neighborhood where nothing fun ever happens.

[barry-rafkind.livejournal.com]

You're implicitly stating the false dichotomy between the ability to hold fun community events and keeping affected residents well-informed and engaged.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

Obviously, welcome to living in the city where things happen.

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

The race is tomorrow, right? So you have 2 days notice? Plus, aren't there races like this with this exact route 2 or 3 times a year? I live within the loop, so usually when I know these races are coming up, I move my car to somewhere outside the loop (like I am doing tonight). That's why I am glad for the 2-day notice, IDK, it's a pretty minor inconvenience to me,

[barry-rafkind.livejournal.com]

2 days is not very much notice , especially if you had made advanced plans to invite visitors who were coming by car.

Yes there are other races at other times during the year along the same or similar route. Anyone know when they occur?

[tamalinn.livejournal.com]

Wow. Aren't you an Ebenezer Scrooge.

[barry-rafkind.livejournal.com]

That's quite a rash judgement of character based on an obvious misunderstanding of my complaint.

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

Do the runners/walkers dress up?

[madscientist01.livejournal.com]

Yes! Most of them do. You will see groups of elves and reindeer... last year I got beaten by someone dressed in full gingerbread man costume and a christmas tree, too.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Do we have a flowchart for this?

Why? This is different!

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

:)

[bobobb.livejournal.com]

I can't find on the website the hours of the street closure. Do you have information?

[vonelftinhaus.livejournal.com]

Is this a "charity" race? I only ask because 5500 runners @ $30 what percentage of that is given to charity?

[madscientist01.livejournal.com]

The Jingle Bell Run will donate $5,000 to the SPARKS Center in Mattapan, a day care center for young children with developmental problems. It will also up its donation to $5,000 for the Somerville Toys for Local Tot Program. Contributions will also be made to the Somerville High School Track PAC, Somerville YMCA Learn to Swim program, Somerville Auxiliary Police Department, Somerville High School football team, Somerville High School soccer team, Boston triathlon team, Medford High School track team, Wakefield High School track team and the Luna Chix.

[georgy.livejournal.com]

I trust you have contacted your alderman and the MBTA with your complaints, rather than just flinging them at Livejournal and Somerville Voices like so much ill-tempered poo?

Also, w/r/t the robocall, 2 days out is pretty standard for any robocall regarding road closures/work being done/fireworks/etc. And I don't believe it is the city's purview, as convenient as you may believe it to be, to inform citizens of MBTA route changes.

[ron_newman]

I have no problem with the race, and I don't even drive a car ... BUT, I still have received no robo-call, and I live in a location that's very close to the event start and end points.

[duffless2323.livejournal.com]

To my your post reads like you are trying to stir up trouble and drive traffic to your Somerville Voices page.

Yep, another troll.

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

Add it to your black list, duffless :)

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

No, not remotely, because I know the T exists.

[ron_newman]

Agreed, but if the part of the T you're depending on is the 87, 88, 89, 90, 94, or 96 bus, and those buses are diverted, it would be good to know when and where the diversions will occur.