volantwish: (Default)
volantwish ([personal profile] volantwish) wrote in [community profile] davis_square2010-12-28 06:16 pm
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Somerville parking: when do I have to move my car?

This is my first year parking on the street during the snowy season, so I have a question that might be kind of silly. (I looked back in the archives a bit, and I couldn't find anything relevant, though...)

I remember reading somewhere on the Somerville website (though I can't find a link now) that a car can't be parked in the same on-street space for more than X days, even with a valid resident permit.

Is this actually a rule? If so, how many days are you allowed to go without moving your car? And is this rule actually enforced during winter?

I left my car in a nice spot on the odd-numbered side of my street before I left town last weekend, and I'd really like to not have to shovel it out before I actually need to use the car. Or possibly until spring.

Any insights would be greatly appreciated :)

Edit: Thanks, everyone, for the information. I put on my big girl pants and dug the car out tonight. This stuff is surprisingly light, for how deep it is!

[identity profile] prunesnprisms.livejournal.com 2010-12-28 11:57 pm (UTC)(link)
I would just say that it gets harder and harder to clear a car the longer the snow has sat on it, thawing and icing and thawing and icing. My personal rec to you would be to clear it within 6-8 hours of the snowfall.

the people above are correct on their perception of the 'snowbird' rule in effect in Somerville.

[personal profile] ron_newman 2010-12-29 12:10 am (UTC)(link)
However, Thursday's high will be 41, which should make clearing the snow much easier.

[identity profile] prunesnprisms.livejournal.com 2010-12-29 12:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Ok, Ron, whatever you say. But I know that when I was 23 and first had a car here and didn't realize that the nice fluffy snow turned into hard ice you had to chip off after a few days of variable temperatures, I wish someone had had the forethought to tell me not to let my car sit with the snow on it for a week. It may be easier at 41, it may not if the bottom layer is pretty hard. I was just trying to be helpful.

[identity profile] sparkgrrl658.livejournal.com 2010-12-29 10:06 pm (UTC)(link)
if it's already all solid you may as well wait until tomorrow, sure, but i'd add that if it's melting it's going to be *heavy* which is nearly as bad as ice chipping. definitely clear off snow while you can. it's a pain in the ass, but worth it. i myself have an igloo shape with a car in there somewhere i should be getting to...