Thought I should explain further about my anti space saving policy. There's so much to say about it, that I thought a follow up entry would be warranted.
Let's start with the cone-bastard themselves. They park on the street, in the winter, in Chicago. And lo and behold, in snows!! Really? You don't say? And now they have to dig their car out? My goodness. The poor souls. WAKE UP PEOPLE! They know the situation. They know what's going to have to happen if it snows. It's their own damn fault. Don't park on the street if you can't or don't want to dig yourself out and then lose the spot.
Next, let me relate a story to further explain my position. Long ago, but while still living in my current condo, I double parked outside in front of my house while I ran some things inside. While inside, the police came up behind my car and gave me a ticket! They hadn't finished yet when I returned to the car and I got into a little verbal argument with them. They said, "You didn't even have your hazard lights on." Which I didn't because they weren't working that particular day. So I said, "Oh, so as long as I have my hazard lights on it's ok to park anywhere in the city that I want? That's good to know." They didn't take too kindly to that. So back to the cone-bastards. If I can save my parking spot just because I was foolish enough to park on the street during a snow storm, why can't I do it during a lighter snow? How about no snow? Why not year round? Can I then bequeath the spot to my children as long as they have cones? Does the spot then become part of the deed to my condo? The logic is there my friends. You go down that slope at least as far as year-round saving by allowing someone to save it just for shoveling. That's unacceptable and you know it.
So why do I, who is USUALLY unaffected by this whole process, remove the furniture and cones? Other than because I don't like the process for the reasons above, I also park on the street in front of my condo quite often. Being able to drive around during the day, if I can find a spot closer to my condo than my parking spot, I'll take it. Even though I might not be using it right then, spots are relatively limited (at least spots that I might use), so removing it now opens up a spot that might remain there when I DO need it.
But I'll toss furniture and cones anywhere I see them. Why? I guess I feel bad for those people who want to park there, but feel that someone else has some right to the spot, when clearly they don't. Often in those situations I'll think to myself, "What if my mom was trying to find a parking spot and passed this one up because of these cones?" It may not be my mom (ok, I KNOW it's not going to be my mom), but it could be someone else's mom. Someone else who didn't see the cone-bastard's attempt at annexing public thoroughfares.
Wax nostalgically if you wish with your "practices that make Chicago, Chicago" or with your quaint tales of "how it was when I was a kid..." or justify it by somehow blaming mother nature for your bad decision, but not in my neighborhood buddy. Not in my neighborhood.
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10 comments:
Totally agree about the cone bastards. I pulled some muscles in my back and my legs shoveling my car out of the snow last night. The condo building that I park in front of decided to snow blow all the snow from their sidewalk on top and next to my car. Resulting in about 4 feet of snow blocking the driver's side door. What nerve! I can't wait for global warming. I hope your surviving Winter Storm 2007!! Be well :)
Don't have those problems here in BFE wisconsin. I get upset when i have to park a whole block away from where i'm going.
It's one thing if you're the one who needs the spot, Joe, but there's no justification for you to play some sort of "vigilante Robin Hood." You're not entrusted with some sort of sacred duty to protect your fellow citizens. Let the police and the Streets and Sanitation folks take care of it. Even if they don't, you're fellow citizens aren't defenseless -- even "someone else's mom" is perfectly capable of removing the furniture herself if she needs the spot.
What's even more ridiculous, though, is when you argue that even though you don't need the spot, it might free it up for when you do need it. Come on! Do you really think that the spot will be there at that point? If it is, why couldn't you remove the cones *then* -- when you actually need the space -- and not hours/days earlier, when you didn't?
Admit it, Joe, you're not doing this out of some sense of misguided chivalry. Get off your high horse. You're doing it because you think these folks are obnoxious, are creating an eyesore, and deserve to be taught some sort of lesson. That may be the case, Joe, but you're not the guy to do it.
Way to abdicate responsibility dejesus. Fellow citizens may not be defenseless, but that doesn't mean that they will stick up for themselves. Because I do and can, I have MORE of a responsibility to clear the path to parking freedom.
And removing the cones DOES, potentially, free up a spot later. Where does the car go that wanted to park there but didn't because of the cones? Another spot. One less for me. If the cone-bastard returns before I do, I'm S.O.L. and a victim.
I'll give you that the cone-bastards are obnoxious though.
G-man, you NEED to park within a block of where you're going. If you don't, you could get eaten by wolves!!
Katie!!! Good to hear from you!! I wasn't sure if you were still reading or not. We should get together for drinks. I feel your pain as my car too was the victim of a rogue snow plow. Looks like it's back to my parking spot for me.
I'm not "abdicating responsibility," Joe. I'm pointing out that it's not my responsibility in the first place! I'm curious -- if you drive by a cone and don't have the time to get out and move it, do you feel that you are shirking this "responsibility"? If it is a "responsibility," why are you the only one accepting it -- should you see every able-bodied person in the area removing cones?
Saying this is a matter of sticking up for the little guy and that only you would take it upon yourself to do it on behalf of others is a complete load of b.s. It takes no feat of strength to move a cone, and just because *you* believe that some folks will just pass the spot up doesn't mean that you have some sort of sacred responsibility to act on their behalf.
I think the word of you, Joe, but you're not a superhero and I don't believe I've ever seen you wear a cape or respond to a signal from the Police Commissioner. If you want to clear the spot for yourself or a visitor, that's one thing, but this notion of acting on behalf of the community is rubbish.
Furthermore, your argument about freeing up a spot is just nonsense. If you did nothing, a car might not park in that spot and, instead find another one. So what? When you need a spot, the cone will still be there and you can move it then!
But -- you say -- what if the cone-bastard returns? Well then there is still no difference. Either way, one guy (the cone-bastard or your fellow citizen) will have the spot with the cone and the other one will take up another spot in the neighborhood. It doesn't help *you* either way.
Who is Dejesus and where can I find him? He's really funny. I liked his comment back at the beginning about the French Press and then again he wasn't calling himself Lakeview Coffee Joe either. Maybe he, I, you (Joe!) and Katie can all meet up for a drink. Then we can hear about that near-relationship disaster from back in the Fall :-) Seriously, I really like your blog, it's very Chicago. It reminded me of what I missed most when I was gone, and still enjoy it when I stop by now. Very impressed that you do this daily too, it's great.
I DO wear a cape, you just don't recognize me in it dejesus.
Much like picking up litter, removing cones is everyone's responsibility. Some people still litter (and put out cones), but that doesn't make it right.
And when does it end? No response to the year-round cone-saving problem? Why can't I just set out cones in the summer and save my spot? Would everyone be so quick to fall in line to protect this crazy-ass hallowed tradition then? No, I didn't think so. Snow is irrelevant. You either support the practice year round or you don't.
And I never said, nor implied (however you may have inferred), that I was something special for removing cones/furniture. Just pointing out that I won't put up with it on my block!
Thanks for writing anonymous and for the kind words. Trust me, you don't want to go drinking with dejesus!!! Feel free come back!
I miss having this argument a whole lot more than I miss snow, shoveling, and cones.
Why shouldn't anyone want to go drinking with me? Is it because I'm too argumentative?
Anyway, Alexis may miss having this this argument, but I think we're at a point where neither of us are going to convince the other of anything. I appreciate your intentions, Joe, and your sincere desire to look out for your neighbors -- it's one of your better qualities. If you want to continue your crusade, Lord knows that I can't stop you.
I'm just pulling your chain dejesus! Otherwise, why would I go to lunch with you....which we're due for again.
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