Where to park in Davis?

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

I'm going to Thursday night's show ("the Big Broadcast of" some year) and I'm going to have to park in Davis Square, since it's at the Somerville Theater. Where can I park for over 2 hours in Davis Square on Thursday night? I don't want a ticket.

Comments

[smammy]

Medford, Arlington, or Cambridge. ;)

[jadia.livejournal.com]

The meters stop at 8pm, so you could pay for the time up to then, and after then I think you can just stay til the meters start up again the next day without getting a ticket.

I don't know of any non-permit, non-metered spaces near the Somerville Theatre.

You can also park at the Alewife garage and T to Davis if you don't want to mess with meters.

[unferth.livejournal.com]

There are several municipal lots in Davis Square. My experience has been that they tend to be pretty full, although I haven't tested on a Thursday early evening lately. There's a map showing them here:
http://www.somervillema.gov/CoS_Content/documents/Davis%20Square%20Parking%20Map.pdf

There's some metered street parking, but nowhere I could confidently predict getting a spot.

[desiringsubject.livejournal.com]

True. Sad, but true. Don't know where you're coming from, but parking at Alewife and taking the Red Line in might be an option if you're coming from "out."

[curiositykt.livejournal.com]

Alewife.

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

depends on your definition of "near" -- on the cambridge side of mass ave are a few areas with unmarked/unrestricted streets. it would probably be faster than parking at alewife and taking the t.

[anu3bis.livejournal.com]

Park in our driveway, then take the 89 in.
Or, take one of our passes and park on the street in front of our house.

[mikepd.livejournal.com]

If you show up early, you ought to be able to get a meter spot. Meters near the theater have a three-hour limit and end at 8pm.

Otherwise, your best bet is probably Mass Ave between Rindge and Cedar. A short walk up Day Street puts you right at the theater.

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

There were rumors that the city wouldn't be enforcing the "2 hour parking except by permit" rule on streets like Holland and College in the evenings. Does anyone know how this works in practice?

[usernamenumber.livejournal.com]

I hope someone from the parking commission reads this and sees the trouble people are having to go through in order to give local businesses money. *grump*

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

i've taken my business and parking elsewhere for the most part.

the swarm of apparently new ticket police seems more about city revenue and enforcement than creating what i think they referred to as "increased flow".

it was pretty clear from the public outcry and the hearings prior to the various changes that the people and businesses didn't want it, but the non-elected committee knew better and ignored them.

the hassle involved in spending quality time in Davis Sq with time-limited expensive meters, jacked up intervals, and now city-wide permit only parking... just not worth it. i hope the businesses understand the lack of patronage.

#

[vonelftinhaus.livejournal.com]

Maybe Ian will chime in but i know in the past I have heard him say or suggest that theatre goers park at the alewife parking structure- I agree with this to an extent because it is very much a reality that people Do Not want to have to take the train 1 stop just to park their car.

[vonelftinhaus.livejournal.com]

that would be nice if it was true-but there is the possibility that people who live in those area's might not want that for the sake of a resident finding a spot for there own car. Oh Boy Somerville needs another city just for it's cars :)

[marphod.livejournal.com]

And this is when I make the mistake of pointing out that there are a bunch of non-metered, non-permit spaces in Davis, depending on the time of day.

After 5pm, there are 3-4 spots on Day street in front of the Post Office (depending on the size of the car). Before then, it is 5-minute-no-meter parking.

After 5 or 6pm, there are a bunch of spaces on the east side of Herbert Street (behind the starbucks), which are a loading zone until then.

If you don't mind walking further, there are 2hour-non-meter spaces on Broadway, and a few on Collage Ave around William St.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Except the poster doesn't actually have the problem she thought she did. The fact that the show is over 2 hours isn't an issue because, as has been noted, the meters only run til 8pm. Which isn't to say that makes finding a spot easy, but it does make "more than two hours at night" not much of a factor.

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

The Somerville Theater is about a 5-10 minute drive from my home. Alewife is at least 15 minutes by car from my home. This means I'd have to essentially drive past where I'm going just to park. And it means another $5 or so in parking fee. I don't want a total of about 15 minute's driving (both ways) to become an over-an-hour trip just because noone can tell me where in Davis Square I can legally park during the show.

(and to anu3bis, thank you for the parking offer, but to take your offer I'd have to drive beyond where Davis Square is and wait potentially ages for a bus each way (especially longer after the show's over).

While I trust surrealestate, I'm still nervous about parking for longer than 2 hours in a "2 hour" spot. I've spoken to parking ticket writers, and they say that 2 hours means 2 hours, even if the meter isn't running. Which means I can potentially get a ticket. Aren't there 3 hour spaces somewhere in Davis? That's what I'm looking for. Isn't there anyplace where Somerville Theater customers can park without getting a ticket if their movie lets out before 8 pm?

[hikermtnbiker.livejournal.com]

I live behind the Winter Hill Bank branch on Cutter. I have parked in their lot outside of bank hours and I see lots of other people doing so as well. The bank closes at 6pm on Thursday, so if you parked there at 6:30 or 7 I would expect that you would be OK. This lot pretty much doubles as a public lot on weekend nights but I wouldn't know if anyone has had a problem there. But I never have nor have any of my friends.

[lizzielizzie.livejournal.com]

Not to mention pay $7 to park.

(Which, admittedly, is less than a parking ticket, but still.)

[bettyw.livejournal.com]

The red-labeled meters on Dover street are 3-hrs. Also, as Ron pointed out a while ago, the business permit only spaces (at least as I've seen in the Buena Vista lot) have been modified to only go to 6(?)pm, not 2am as before.

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

park by our house, we'll lend you a pass. *hugs*

[svilletheatre.livejournal.com]

You find a meter. You pay it with quarters until 8pm. You can leave the car there until the meters kick in the next morning at 8am without a ticket. The 2 hour parking limit (or 3 hour) is not enforced after the meters expire. I've left my car in a spot all night without issues hundreds of times.

So if you drive to Davis around 6:45 for the 7:30 show, put an hour and 15 minutes worth of quarters in a metered spot so it is paid through 8pm, you will be fine for the show.

If that wasn't the case, almost all of my employees and most of my (in this scenario, dwindling) customers would be constantly moving cars, which they are not.

Ian/Somerville Theatre

[lbmango.livejournal.com]

+1

[gruene.livejournal.com]

There are three hour meters on Meacham road. Park there.

really not trying to sound snarky

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

but if you are that close, could you walk, bike, or take a cab and not have to worry about parking at all?

[sparkgrrl658.livejournal.com]

i have never heard of a time limit being enforced when the meters aren't running. even spots that are two hour (no meter) will say "until Xpm" and then you can park for however long you like until morning.

[dial-zero.livejournal.com]

"... just because noone can tell me where in Davis Square I can legally park during the show."

I hope you're griping at the parking situation and not the inability of anyone to tell you where to park... because it's not residents' fault that it's a PITA.

Re: really not trying to sound snarky

[dial-zero.livejournal.com]

This. While I understand people's frustration (and I share it--those $50 street cleaning tickets make me cry) I also don't regard parking as a right. It's a dense city with lots of cars. Maybe the fees are too high or the meter readers are crooked--but what are you gonna do? Seems like working to get more frequent buses would be a better use of energy.

[littlecitynames.livejournal.com]

Park on Mass Ave, which has free parking after 6. Complaining about a five minute walk is absolutely pointless in a community of people who largely depend on public transportation and have to walk to get to it every day, unless you have a disability that prevents you from making that walk.

If you're really annoyed about the community's response, call the theater directly and see where they say you should park.

[ron_newman]

If it's a 5 minute drive, isn't it a 15-20 minute walk?

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

It would be if the car drove at a speed only 3-4 times as fast as I walked, and the drive was a max of 5 minutes. If I walked at a (fast-ish) 5 mph, by your calculations my car's top speed would be 20 mph. Which is not the case on the roads I take to Davis. Also, I did say it's a 5-10 minute drive.

It's at least an hour walk from my home to Davis, longer at the tired pace I'd likely have after the show was over.

Re: really not trying to sound snarky

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

(staying with the "not snarky" idea)
Let me guess: neither emcicle nor dial_zero owns a car, or they own a coveted Somerville resident parking permit. Also, it does me no good to ask for more frequent buses to Davis if I only go there for more than a 2 hour stretch once or twice a year. Especially since the event only gives the MBTA less than 12 hours to change their bus routes.

It would do me better to lobby for more buses nearer to my house, wouldn't it? Right now I have to walk 5-8 minutes to get to the nearest bus stop that gets me to a bus that is on a once-per-hour schedule after 7 pm or so. (the 100 bus, look it up - Orange line). If I walk about 20 minutes from my house, I can catch the 101 (once again, Orange line). If I walk a half hour (to Medford Square) I can get a bus to Davis. Given that it takes on the average of 15-20 minutes waiting for a bus to appear, and the ride to davis via bus is at least 10-15+ minutes, that's one hour each way using MBTA, versus 5-10 minutes by car. Late at night, coming home, I'd prefer the car, Thank You Very Much.

Re: really not trying to sound snarky

[dial-zero.livejournal.com]

I do own a car (although it's not really legal to drive, transferring everything over to MA is a pain) and I don't have a parking permit (due to lack of MA registration). Nice try though.

Most people here are bending over backwards to be helpful to you, down to telling you exactly what spaces are available on what street. I don't know what else you want. Live in a part of the city with frequent public transportation that suits your needs so you can do without a car. Or live in the burbs and drive a car. But don't get grumpy that you can't drive your car to any part of the metro area and expect to find parking. I don't drive my car from Somerville to a busy area of Boston and expect to park, at least not without a major headache. Thank You Very Much.

Re: really not trying to sound snarky

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

I live over a 10 minute drive from Davis now and the one time I took a cab it was $6. I usually just walk or bike. I don't understand why this is so complicated.

Re: really not trying to sound snarky

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

Let me say that I *do* appreciate the input that others have given about parking. I most value the comment that svilletheater gave, because he works there, and knows the frustrations that drivers can feel.

However, comments from "car owners who don't drive their car because it's not legal to drive" I put into the same slot with "people who don't have cars". Somerville is *not* a busy area of Boston. It is a quiet area of the Boston burbs who have a bunch of parking nazis (yes I brought up that word) running the municipal parking department, with visions of glory who think that by keeping cars out of their little kingdom they will turn Somerville into a city full of big businesses with a small town "feel". There is no "metro area" in Somerville, there's a small few-block area called Davis Square that has a theater (and other businesses) who offer events/food which customers spend more than 2 hours at, which got screwed by the parking nazis. I'm not trying to find parking at 9 pm on Saturday Night. I'm trying to find a legal way to not get a ticket when parking for over 2 hours at 7 pm on a Thursday night. Many people gave good responses which I appreciate and will use, yet many others gave snarky, useless responses.

Nice try though.

Re: really not trying to sound snarky

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

I really wasn't trying to be snarky, I was trying to offer other alternatives since the plethora of suggestions of where to park didn't seem to be good enough for you.

that being said, your response in no way tried to stay with the "not snarky" idea. It was rude and judgemental. whether or not i have a car is not the point. i don't even live in somerville, so whining about the "coveted somerville parking pass" is pointless. and several people offered you use of their visitor passes, so you do have access to one of them.

I'll second what the dial_zero and clevernonsense said, it's a pain in the ass to try to find somewhere to park. It's not our responsiblity to find someplace for you. Despite that, many people offered to help and gave suggestions, all of which you turned down. You're right, everything is futile and everyone is against you. boo hoo.

Re: really not trying to sound snarky

[dial-zero.livejournal.com]

I drove my car in Somerville for almost a year before my out of state registration expired. Now it's parked in my driveway (with three other cars, oh joy) and I have a zipcar account. I am a driver like you, not a sanctimonious person who never sets foot in a car. I also make good use of public transport, of which I believe there is not enough in Somerville given its density.

It seems to me that Somerville has parking nazis because 1) tickets are a revenue stream 2) there are too many cars for everyone to park wherever they want, whenever they want. Whether you think it's a bustling metropolis or not (I don't), there is still not enough parking.

One person offered for you to park in front of their house, an offer which seems sincere, yet you didn't respond. What more could you want? Parking is a touchy issue here, you have to expect some amount of snark. Some of it wasn't even directed at you, but at the parking situation in general, a situation which we put up with daily. No one has told you to STFU and stay home, a response which I've seen in other communities where people complain about parking.

Re: really not trying to sound snarky

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

I never made it your responsibility to find me a parking space. I did not turn down all suggestions, since I had thanked and will be taking that of svilletheater. Did you ever think that perhaps I know where some of these pass-offers live, and since they are not closer than the parking lot/meter I know I can get to easily from the theater, I did not take them up on the offer?

And what's with the snarky "futile" "boo hoo" comments?

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

Well, there's all the other streets which are permit-only 24/6. And when the drastic expansion of permit parking was announced last year, virtually everyone here was unhappy about it.

Most cities outside this region with resident parking allow nonresidents to park for a few hours on *all* streets, with no restrictions at non-busy times.

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

With the new rules, there's virtually no non-metered spots where nonresidents can park for more than 2 hours. So once the metered spots in Davis fill up, you're out of luck, since there's no way to look for a spot further away.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

As mentioned many many times now, the meters only run until 8pm. At most of those spots, from 8pm until 2:30am (when resident kicks in), anybody can park for that entire stretch. Again, this has been covered. And no, you can't park in the resident-only spots, but that's the case in Cambridge, much of Boston, etc, and isn't really controversial. There are most certainly plenty of >2-hour options after 8pm, in any case.

(And PS to koshmom: the "X-hour" limits are indeed only enforced while the metering is enforced. I promise!)

[ron_newman]

Where did you end up parking?

and how was the show?

[kalimba21.livejournal.com]

I just saw your post now. I agree with you 100%. For some reason, people here love to get all self righteous anytime someone complains about parking or airplane noise. It's so annoying.

I hope you found a parking spot, didn't get a ticket, and enjoyed the show.