Am I being too nice? (Parking gripe)

[Colin_R6]

This might be a bit of a text wall - so if you aren't prepared for it, move on! No cliffs notes here!

Anyway, let me paint the picture! I live on the north end of a street, in a basement suite.

South of me is a fourplex, with a duplex south of him. Across the street from me is another fourplex, and the next two houses south of him are both duplexes as well.

Since this is Calgary, EVERY tenant has a car, of course (I am no exception, and this isn't the gripe). But you can imagine the parking is a bit sparse, considering there are almost no pads in the back or garages.

I realize that it isn't MY spot and am more than happy to share the parking in front of my house, as long as people are using their cars and I can get a spot within at least a few carlengths of my house.

The is the guy with the old piece of shit buick or something thats beat to hell and parked on the north end of my block. I'm not exactly sure whos car it is or where they live, but its been there for at least the last two weeks now, so whenever I come home I end up driving down to the other end of the block to do u-turn and park back on the other side of the street. OR I end up shoe-horning my truck in among the other sardines.

So, my question is, should I call 311 and get this POS towed, or should I just leave a note on his windshield, politely asking him to park somewhere less congested if he isn't going to use his car.

I know I would personally like someone to leave a note on my car, but then again I am also not a big enough fag to leave my vehicle on the street for a few weeks at a time. In fact, if I go somewhere, my gf parks her car in the back and we take my truck, or vice-versa if we take her car so that people can park for that length of time on the street without any hassle.

[chkolny541]

if it hasnt moved in 2 weeks im going to say a note wont work, he may be away on vacation or out of town or something, call 311. done.

had similar siutation happen to my gf's, beat to hell jeep parked there unmoved for a week, then we went and talked to the tenants who we thought owned it and turns out the guy doesnt even live at that house, and thats like his "spare" truck and he just decided thats where he wanted to park it last time he was there. But luckily they called the owner and told him to come back and move the POS

[sr20s14zenki]

I would try the note thing first, altho the problem with that, is that IF he sees you, it could cause a conflict. Im not so concerned about the conflict, as much as i am the fact he could see you do it, tell you to fuck off and mind your own business, and not move the car, and then when you DO call 311 to get it out, he will target you and do shit to your truck or make life hell for you. Its your call, but make sure you think of that angle.

[Kloubek]

If the car is registered and insured, he kinda has a right to be there imo. It is a public road, is it not?

[Cos]

Leave a note. If the note doesnt move in another couple weeks I would tow it. Dont be mean on the note just ask to move it closer to where they live if they dont plan on using the car daily.

It bothers me too but I wouldnt screw this guys life over (not saying that is what you are doing intentionally, but you could unintentionally do it) by causing him to lose his ride because he was on vacation or in the hopstial or something.

[bluaudi]

Tow that shit. Not your fauly B

[chkolny541]

Originally posted by Kloubek
If the car is registered and insured, he kinda has a right to be there imo. It is a public road, is it not?

vehicle that hasnt moved in 72 hours is deemed to be abandoned and is liable to be towed, its in the bylaws.

[Colin_R6]

Thanks for the tip Sr20s - if I leave a note, i'll make sure and do it late at night or early morning.

I know its a public road and I really don't want to be the neighbor that calls 311... but I know for a fact it isn't my neighbors car to the north (only 1 house north of me to the end of the block). Its gotta be someones car from way down the block to the south (where there is ample parking due to the lack of duplexes a few houses down from me) or the owner is probably to the north around the corner to the west... so his car isn't anywhere near his house.

It just sucks not being able to park your nice ride that you actually take a little pride in near your house because someone else parks their POS in an already congested area for weeks at a time.

[speedog]

Possibility that's it's been stolen and dumped? We've had two stolen vehicles dumped in front of our house in the past year or so and the first thing we did was talk to our neighbors to confirm it wasn't a car that belonged to their household. Next call was to the owners (found via the registration in the unlocked car) who then retrieved their vehicle.

[Colin_R6]

Nah, not stolen/dumped.

I'm pretty sure that i've seen it on the street to the northwest, parked considerately out of the congested area. Again for long periods of time.

[Colin_R6]

Sweet, my posts/day went up to 0.05!
lol


I'm probably going to write him a polite note asking him to park in a less congested area. If it doesn't move in the next week or so, I will 311 his ass.


Thanks for the replies guys!

[Kloubek]

Originally posted by chkolny541


vehicle that hasnt moved in 72 hours is deemed to be abandoned and is liable to be towed, its in the bylaws.

Fair enough, if that is in the bylaws.

I don't personally agree with it though. If all I have is street parking and I go on vacation for 2 weeks, I'm pretty much screwed? How fair is that?

[93VR6]

^ +1 how could that be reasonable?

[cloud7]

Definitely call... who knows the car could have been stolen and just left there... and the owner might be looking for it.

[chkolny541]

from calgary bylaws


ABANDONING VEHICLES
8. (1) Except as otherwise permitted under the Act or a bylaw, a person shall not:
(a) abandon a vehicle on a highway; or
(b) abandon a vehicle on public or private property without the consent of the owner or person in possession or control of the property.
(2) A vehicle that is:
(a) left standing on a highway for more than 72 consecutive hours, unless otherwise provided for in a bylaw; or
(b) left standing on public or private property for more than 72 consecutive hours without the consent of the owner or person in possession or control of the property

:is deemed to have been abandoned at that location.

i dont see a vacation clause anywhere in there :dunno:

[Tik-Tok]

City won't get involved in most cases, because typically it's a neighborly dispute, but if you call it in "because you think it's been abandoned" (don't tell them you've seen it before), they'll do a check on the owner, and he's not on your street, they'll come tow it.

[Vanner]

Originally posted by chkolny541
from calgary bylaws


ABANDONING VEHICLES
8. (1) Except as otherwise permitted under the Act or a bylaw, a person shall not:
(a) abandon a vehicle on a highway; or
(b) abandon a vehicle on public or private property without the consent of the owner or person in possession or control of the property.
(2) A vehicle that is:
(a) left standing on a highway for more than 72 consecutive hours, unless otherwise provided for in a bylaw; or
[B](b) left standing on public or private property for more than 72 consecutive hours without the consent of the owner or person in possession or control of the property :is deemed to have been abandoned at that location.

i dont see a vacation clause anywhere in there :dunno:

Funny I never got a ticket or had my vehicle towed on one street where I used to live. Only because I already had permission from the owner of the property to leave mine for a long period. It had valid plate and was updated. The bylaw people never bother me since.

One guy down 3 houses from me on that street HAD his old POS van for periods of 6-8 months on street (plated and updated daily)! It was never towed - and I still see it there time to time!

Had since moved and now have my own driveway and garage ... so nothing to worry anymore.

[s2k_boi]

Originally posted by Vanner


Funny I never got a ticket or had my vehicle towed on one street where I used to live. Only because I already had permission from the owner of the property to leave mine for a long period. It had valid plate and was updated. The bylaw people never bother me since.

One guy down 3 houses from me on that street HAD his old POS van for periods of 6-8 months on street (plated and updated daily)! It was never towed - and I still see it there time to time!

Had since moved and now have my own driveway and garage ... so nothing to worry anymore.

Off course no one would come by. This is usually enforced on busier streets or by complaint basis (if you neighbours didn't call 311 then you luck out).

For the vacation one, I would say maybe let your neighbours know? Plus you neighbours know your car, so I doubt they would be a jackass and call it in if you're on vacation....

[calgary403]

Originally posted by chkolny541


vehicle that hasnt moved in 72 hours is deemed to be abandoned and is liable to be towed, its in the bylaws.

How would bylaw know it had been there for 72 hours? Do they just take your word for it and tow said vehicle?

[ZorroAMG]

Seriously? They'd come chalk it and then tow it 72hrs from then....:confused:

[Muji]

He is abusing his on street (public) parking rights, anyone leaving their vehicle for more than 72 hours needs to look at alternative parking plans, get rid of a car, quit making it a problem for others sharing the road and public spaces. Having a vehicle comes with responsibilities and this is one of them. Leave a note? Did he leave a note informing you of his plans to occupy a public parking space for weeks at a time 24/7? This is not small town Alberta, we need our parking spaces to be public and used by all.

Call it in, get it towed, I would.

[Muji]

Originally posted by ZorroAMG
Seriously? They'd come chalk it and then tow it 72hrs from then....:confused:

That is how it is done.

[Point4Dave]

Do what I did 5 years ago to get rid of a big cube van out front of my old condo. remove the license plate then call parking partrol and say a vehicle seems to be abandoned and has no plate.

[nickyh]

Even if you called CPA they would probably not do anything. I see it all the time at my parents house where they have street parking only. My folks have called in the past but nothing was ever done.
As mentioned above, you have to resort to calling it in as a possible stolen car dump or something like that to have it removed.

I would not go near it, you never know who might be watching it.