Reserving parking spaces

[tut21.livejournal.com]

A question for the hive mind in this handy forum.

What, if anything, can I officially do about a neighbor who regularly claims a parking space in front of his house with an upside-down trash barrel? I'm getting tired of walking several blocks with my groceries when there is a perfectly good spot steps away from my door.

I'll spare you a vent about what I'd like to do because I'm not going to start a neighborhood war. This neighbor is old and he has probably lived in the same house longer than I've been alive. I'd speak to him about it but I don't want to get involved with someone who may blame me (or my car) if someone else acts on the frustration I feel.

(edited to clarify a few minor details)

Comments

[ron_newman]

I'd just pick up the barrel and move it onto the curb.

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

Please tell me you're kidding.

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

There's probably absolutely nothing you can do except move somewhere where you have your own assigned off-street parking spot. That's just the way things are around here.

[ellf.livejournal.com]

Not in my experience. This guy has no claim to that spot - it's unassigned parking, and he cannot simply "claim" a spot with a trash barrel.

[nalz.livejournal.com]

Officially? What do you mean by that - like what legal rights do you have?

Unless the spot is owned by him/his building/whatever it sounds like you're within your rights to just move the barrel. That's probably what I'd do.

[docorion.livejournal.com]

Well, a number of things occur directly. Speak to the neighbor and ask them if it's OK if you move the barrel while you drop your groceries/laundry/whatnot off, then move and walk a couple of blocks (you mentioned the person is elderly, and I do hope you're willing to let them have the space most of the time, as long as you can load/unload when you need to).

It is, technically, illegal to 'reserve' an on-street space in that manner, and you are within your rights to move the barrel (bikergeek's opinion about the propriety of this action notwithstanding :-). But since you say you don't want to start a war, you should be aware that nothing will start one faster than arguing about this with the person without talking to them; just moving the barrel is a legal, but highly inflammatory, option.

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

You should talk to the neighbor. That's your only permanent fix.

I've never seen someone who puts a holder in "their" space to approach this sort of thing rationally, so you should act like it is their space when you talk to them. Legally they've got no basis (in fact Somerville law prohibits this behavior), but the city won't help you.

Does your neighbor have a handicap plate or tag? Because if they do, they can lobby the city to have a designated handicap space setup where the can is, and then you'd get ticketed if you use it.

[cutieperson]

while the space would be dedicated handicapped it would not be HIS space. which isn't to say he shouldn't go that route, but if other handicapped folks start parking there i wouldn't be surprised if the barrel started appearing again.

[sekala.livejournal.com]

I definitely understand how annoying it can be to have something like that happen on your street. I live on a street where people routinely take up 2 car spaces with one car...all the way down the block.

But realistically speaking, if you talk to him, and he stops putting the barrel there at all, you're no better off. It's just another parking space that someone else is parked in by the time you get there. If you talk to him and he agrees to let you use the spot(I know that seems stupid as it's not his spot, but the alternatives aren't hugely appealing), then do so. Moving it yourself is an option, but I think it's probably better to avoid bad feelings etc. to talk to him. Moving it on your own would just make someone more likely to watch for you and blame you rather than less.

[dylanesque29.livejournal.com]

If it was a spot he clearly shoveled out and was reserving it after a blizzard, sure. But ANY OTHER TIME? He really doesn't have an excuse.

[derekp.livejournal.com]

I don't get why people are willing to make an exception for shoveled spots. When I had street parking, I would shovel my spot and inevitably find someone else parked in it when I got home. 90% of the time I could find another shoveled spot nearby and just take that. Sure, 10% of the time I had to shovel another spot because someone took the lazy way out when they left, but oh well. Them's the breaks.

So glad I don't have to deal with those shenanigans anymore.

[bitvoid.livejournal.com]

Steal the barrel. Put it somewhere far away.

If a new barrel appears, repeat.

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

Ummmm... you can officially move the barrel.

[two-stabs.livejournal.com]

Hell, I'll do it for you.

Leave a note, maybe?

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

You could always leave a carefully polite note... esp. if you say something like "if you really need that space specifically you could always get it designated as a handicapped space..."

[lovepuppet.livejournal.com]

play hardball
fill the barrel with cement
the city department can help him move it.

[lusciousnichols.livejournal.com]

hahahahaha, awesome visual.

[somertricky.livejournal.com]

Absolutely. Friggin' priceless.

And I was wondering how to get rid of those two bags of Quikcrete in the basement, too. "Free to a good home!"

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

The only "official" thing I can think of would be to call the city and report your neighbor for putting a trash barrel out during the wrong hours, cause technically you're only supposed to put trash out, what? The evening before pickup? And then take it off the street the day of pickup. Or something.

But I can also see this simply annoying whichever city department you'd talk to, plus getting your neighbor riled up if/when the city cites him.

I'd just offer up another vote for moving the barrel and parking there. If you want to be nice about it, park, unload your stuff, then move your car and replace the barrel.

[lusciousnichols.livejournal.com]

I think I wouldn't make a fuss about it, just put a sign on the garbage can:

"Free To A Good Home"

Knowing the good citizens of Massachusetts, it'll be gone in no time.

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

Oooh! Good one.

I lived here all my life... trust me...this will work

[jokabri.livejournal.com]

Just run the barrel over... just absolutely crush the thing under your car. Move a few feet forward and repeat as required until the thing is a pancake. Then get out of your car, throw your budweiser can on his porch, put out your unfiltered camel on his deck, piss on his lawn, stagger back to your house tossing out "F offs!!!" and slam your front door shut. Seriously. It will work. No more barrel. And I guarantee he won't come over.

Re: I lived here all my life... trust me...this will work

[lusciousnichols.livejournal.com]

I laughed so hard at this I think my neighbors just dialed 911.

[lusciousnichols.livejournal.com]

So what street do you live on?