I will continue to go to Ben’s Chilli Bowl inspite (sic) of the shootings.

Police Investigate Killing of Man In Parking Dispute (via ABC 7 News)

The people inside got out, assaulted the driver of the double-parked car, then got back in and opened fire as they left. Those gunshots hit and killed Damon Ward, an Arlington man who wasn’t even involved in the dispute.

The “viewer comments” are priceless:

I will continue to go to Ben’s Chilli Bowl inspite of the shootings. I don’t care I need to “get my dog on”, peeps.

…writes newington_nerd.

Not that we condone this…

…but if you do live in Manhattan and park your car in a garage (!), you should know about this: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dof/html/parking/park_manhattan_res.shtml

Trash everywhere / it’s blowing.

Beautiful poetry courtesy of http://www.webbedfeats.org/prod/soap1.html.

garbage

Trash everywhere
its blowing.
its i nthe streets its on the sidewalks its
squuezed next to the buildings
people think before they get herer that
NYC is a wonderful place but look its full of
trash

More at the link above…

Put Garbage in Garbage Can, Part II

MTA blames litter problem on free press via AM New York

Monthly trash pickups have grown from 35 tons in 2004 to 50 tons last year. That extra rubbish may have contributed to a 40% spike in subway fires, officials said during an MTA New York City Transit committee meeting Monday.

Free newspapers are partly to blame, said Michael Lombardi, vice president of subways for New York City Transit.

“Between their aggressive handouts and sometimes the way they distribute them, it adds to an increase of the amount of newspapers and trash we pick up on a daily basis,” he said. “It is a combination of increased ridership, eating more on the trains and more newspapers being introduced into the transit system,” he said.

I don’t quite see how those things (increased ridership, more eating, and more newspapers) cause more fires. Is it just me or is the connection unclear?

Hey MTA: Maybe try picking up the trash once in a while! Also, how about enforcing rules against littering?

Also see what Bridge and Tunnel Club Blog has to say: And What’s More, They Start Track Fires

[writing furiously] “Garbage in garbage can” …hmm, makes sense.

Let’s talk about garbage.

Common Subway Announcement: Help us keep the subway litter free. Please use trash receptacles.

Homer and Marge at “Family Skills” class (3F01):

         And put your garbage in a garbage can, people.  I can't stress
         that enough.  Don't just throw it out the window.
  Marge: This is so humiliating.
  Homer: [writing furiously] "Garbage in garbage can"...hmm, makes
         sense.

You’re getting some ASS this week

Don’t forget ASS Wednesday… I mean Ash Wednesday this week. Alternate Side Suspended. Meters in effect. F* you, Gridlock Sam. I also know the rules.

70 years of repressed parking rage

Something’s gotta give…

The incredible shrinking parking space (via The Seattle Times)

Janice Hoffart picked a bad parking space. The SUV (why not a Cooper Mini?) was just inches away from the car door.

So she performed a maneuver they never teach in driver’s ed. She stuck her foot out of the door and began rocking back and forth to create the momentum she’d need to hurl her wedged torso from her vehicle onto the pavement.

“I have a big purse,” she said, “and it was full of microwave popcorn and a giant water bottle and I could barely pull my purse out of the car!”

I can’t find a Web site for this theatre but I’m pretty sure they don’t allow outside food or drink. So it’s hard to feel sorry for Janice. But it sounds like she has moxie!

Note to editor: A multimedia sidebar would help the reader imagine this scene.

Money quote:

(Vance) recalls the time his 5-year-old daughter threw open the door and banged the side of an immaculately polished Lincoln Town Car. (He) looked over to see an elderly couple simultaneously glaring with 70 years of repressed parking rage.

Now how do I get a job covering the intersection of parking and lifestyle?

He didn’t want to park illegally again.

Parking ticket gets paid – twice with single check (via Chicago Tribune)

Man parks illegally. Man gets a ticket. Man pays fine. City takes the money, but forgets about it.

So Dougherty set out to prove he had paid. He intended to send the city a copy of the canceled check, but mistakenly sent the check itself.

And the city cashed it again.

Dougherty says he called the city’s Department of Revenue in March 2004 and was told that because he had paid $100 instead of just $50, he had a $50 credit in the system. The city told him he essentially had a parking freebie–he could get another $50 parking ticket, and it would already be paid with the credit he had in the system.

But Dougherty didn’t want credit. He didn’t want to park illegally again.

Good for you Bob. We all have to do our part to fight corrupt bureaucracies.

You have to love the city’s attitude. Paraphrasing:

We will get you again, so we’re just going to keep your money.

One man’s quest to get a ticket thrown out

Wrongfully Accused, A Parking Nightmare

Goldman says he parked on 8th avenue, last December 26, – a day recognized by the city as a major holiday, which according to the Department of Transportation’s Web-site is defined as a day that “stopping, standing, and parking are permitted, except in areas where stopping, standing, and parking rules are in effect 7 days a week.” But Goldman’s summons was for a space designated “no parking” between 7a.m. and 10 a.m. Monday through Friday.

“I was fully within my rights and a policeman had given me a ticket for no parking during this period, even though it was totally suspended in this area for the entire day,” said Goldman.

“Expert” weights in:

“He should not take the sale that they are offering him, he should pay zero,” said Sam Schwartz, a traffic expert.”

Such drama….

From the Professional Gadfly Files of Glassboro, New Jersey

The AP covers this important story…

She’s gleeful to add to her tally of nearly 300 motorists she’s reported for parking in handicapped spaces without proper permits. She’s nabbed two Philadelphia Eagles players, mail trucks and so many college students that Rowan University has barred her from campus.

Cottrell, 53, is an activist, not a police officer. Under New Jersey law, she’s allowed to report handicapped parking violators, and police and prosecutors are required to take them to court.

Police in Glassboro have known Cottrell for years. She’s a one-time borough council candidate who makes it a point to call when something she thinks is wrong – like adults drinking alcohol near school-bus stops.

I’ll bet they do…

Update: Dan Viens, Web Producer at 9news.com, comes up with the following title for this story: “Parking vigilante issues tickets, nabs NFL players”. Good job!