Imagine, if you will, an entire Ford pick-up truck looking pretty much like the above. One was parked in front of my apartment building for about two weeks.
History: I live in an older LA neighborhood - Silver Lake - many of the original houses and apartment bungalows were built in the early 1900s to 1940s. There was actually public transportation back then and people didn't have many cars. Cut to 2006 - we ALL have cars and we need to park them on the street because they didn't build carports and 2-car garages.
I am on a corner lot in the back - so I park on the side street around the corner from my actual address. Everyone and their pet raccoon Rocky parks there. Since my apartment is the first one right on that street - I have been designated as unofficial parking monitor. When someone abandons a car or truck or (yes) an RV... I am the one who calls 1-800-ABANDON to have it towed away. I made my annual call last week. Parking Inforcement chalks the tire then comes back 3 days later and puts a ticket on the windshield and a day later has the police haul it away (even with no signs posted - you may only park a car on a public street for three days).
Friday was the day that the rusty truck was to be towed. I was walking out to my car in the morning when I saw someone in the truck starting the engine. I walked over to the window and approached a dude with a scraggly beard and some kind of Southern accent.
Me: Sir, I would advise you NOT to park your truck here again. We, the neighbors and I, have all called to have your truck towed away - today.
Beard: Yes, ma'am - I saw the markins' on the tires.
ME: Parking in this neighborhood is scarce, and not to mention we also put our trashcans here on the curbing once a week.
Beard: Thank you so much for warning me about the tow.
Me:....?
Me: OK, let me say it all another way - if I see your truck parked within a 100 yards of here, I will call to have it towed and say it's been here for weeks even if it is only been there one hour. Understand?
Beard: Uh.... yeah. I will never park here again. Thanks again! (drives off)
Sunday I was coming home after errands and drove up one block over and saw the green and white rusty truck parked on that street. But I didn't call, it was 101 yards away.
7 comments:
You gotta love a polite scofflaw.
there's been a ford fiesta parked on my street. bane of my existence. now i know what to do. thanks, citizen.
Is that an actual law? I used to park on the street here in SF, with a residential parking permit, and I used to move my car only to let the street cleaners get by and then re-park it. If somebody would have had my car towed, I would have been moved to physical violence against their person and/or property.
Well, it's a very lax LA ordinance. We all know each other's cars in the neighborhood so we would never call on each other - but the law is for people like the guy in this story who don't really live here - or - for actual abandoned cars.
would you mind if I park my jet skis on your front lawn?
You're nicer than most by not calling the dude in.
HA...I love the anonymous who wants to park his jet skis on your lawn....very funny...great writings B, Your so good! JD :)
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