FirstElectricNewspaper.com covered last night's Village of Lake in the Hills Board Meeting and reported on comments by residents during the public comment period. It seems that a few residents are upset about getting tickets for parking their cars across sidewalks. Read all about it right here.
What does this have to do with Woodstock?
The same problem exists in Woodstock. You can drive all over town and see cars blocking sidewalks.
If this happened occasionally, it wouldn't be a big problem. It's when the same cars are parked every night and, often, every day to block sidewalks that it becomes a problem.
Why do drivers park cars across sidewalks?
The 2:00AM-6:00AM street parking ban is one of the reasons.
Another reason is that the garage is full of boxes, garbage, junk, bicycles, trash cans; you name it.
Another reason is that the driver is too lazy to open the garage door and pull in. A garage on South Madison Street is empty; yet two cars regularly are pulled up to the closed garage door and left across the sidewalk. Every day.
Another reason is too many cars at one residence.
Enforcement is sporadic, so drivers and residents learn they can "get away" with leaving the car across the sidewalk.
Because Woodstock has been lax for years in enforcement, it would be fair for an officer to make one pleasant, courtesy stop and apprise the resident of the law. It happens to be a State law, not "just" a local ordinance.
If the courtesy call doesn't correct the problem, start writing tickets. And write them every time the violation is observed. A resident should have to call and report violations at the same address time after time. Writing one tonight and then not again for 6-8 months just lets the residents know that it's cheaper to pay the $10 (or whatever the fine is) and forget it. Ten dollars a night would be a different story.
And there is no reason for the fines to escalate for repeated violations. Each one should stand alone. Each one is a separate violation. Any application of an escalating fine structure is wrong.
Anyone know some locations where blocking sidewalks is a problem?
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7 comments:
While City government created the ban on overnight parking on city streets, it's the Illinois Vehicle Code that prohibits blocking sidewalks.
For the addresses at which I see ongoing violations, the problem is junk-filled garages and empty garages but drivers too lazy to open garage doors and pull in.
Enforce the rules; or change the rules, if they aren't to be enforced.
Ray, your at it again. The question is not "What will you (Gus) talk about then?"
The question is What will Ray BABBLE about.
Add something of value Ray. Go back to school and learn something, if at all possible. If and when you park your car across a sidewalk, please let me know. I won't only call the police, I will walk over the damn thing!
Somewhere in my past, I heard the story about a driver who stopped in a crosswalk. A pedestrian opened the back door, slid across the back seat, and exited through the other door, leaving both doors open.
Wish I'd been there.
Gus is that you writing as Maverick. Very Cute.
If it's not you Gus, then why hide behind a moniker?
I can tell you are not from around here. And if you are we should meet and have a beer.
Ray,
I have lived here all my life. And I don't hide behind anyone. I'm a black and write type of guy... I tell it like I see it. You name the place and time and I'll let you buy me a beer. We can talk.
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