THE STREET SWEEPER
Hey there sagacious reader. I live in a town where the powers-that-be, whenever-that-was, decided it would be a good idea to have the streets of my neighborhood swept twice a month. Keeps things all nice and tidy. No crap lying around in the roads besmirching the area. Keeps the property values up. A win-win situation all around, right? I don't think so.
The houses in my 'hood' were built sometime in the 50's and are small, 2 bedroom, 1 bath homes. A lot of the neighbors have added on to their houses for one reason or another. We have not. I think our house is still in its original packaging.
When the houses were built they included a 1 car garage. That was ok because most people had only one car in those days. (There may have been a horse and buggy or two but I can't be certain.) :-) I'm pretty sure this neighborhood was built as temporary off-site housing for the marine base right around the corner so I think the builders felt that there was no need for elaboration or extra expense. (Gee thanks guys!)
Our driveway is narrow and not terribly long. So when the street sweeper is due to make his rounds, I need to be sure that I remember to park in our driveway, nose to ass with my husband's car. Thank goodness I have a small car. I don't know if two big cars would fit in our driveway. Maybe if we opened the garage door and drove into all our extra crap that's stored in there; yeah, that could work!
So I either squeeze my car into the driveway, lightly tapping the bumper of my husbands car, park on my front lawn or get a ticket for parking in the street. Needless to say, I squeeze. Not that I would necessarily mind parking in the middle of my front yard but I have learned from the street sweepers sidekick, the man who wields the ticket book, that parking there is a definite no-no. So, a ticket for parking in the street or a ticket for parking in my front yard. Aargh!
Unfortunately for me the street sweeper heads down my side of the street first. So if I forgot to park in the driveway, I have to madly scramble to get my car moved in time. There have been a few times when I've gone out less than appropriately dressed in order to beat the sweeper. (So sorry innocent neighbors--such a disturbing sight, I know!) And I think we must be first or second on the list because he always comes early in the morning. It's good for the folks on the other side of the street; they have plenty of warning. Not fair. He should switch things up and go down their side first and give us fair warning. Sheesh!!
I've been ticketed only a few times in all the years I've lived here. Not bad, I guess. But I have resented paying every time. And the last time wasn't cheap. I think I had to pay around $60. Yikes! Just for parking in front of my own house. Really? That's just wrong!
Can't the sweeper just go around me and continue on? Well, that is what he does but then there's the sidekick to deal with. He doesn't just go around and move on. Oh no. He stops and hands out tickets. Butthead.
(I know, I know, he's just doing his job. I don't care. It's a stupid job.)
So twice a month we get our street swept. Not all of our street, just the sides. Apparently nobody cares about the middle of the street. I wonder why. Does crap know better than to gather in the middle of the street? Maybe. All I know for sure is that I don't like having to remember to move my car to avoid an ugly ticket. And as I've said before (I think), my memory is but a shadow of its former self.
So to the street sweeper, his sidekick and the city who created them to make my life a little less comfortable than it ought to be, I say BITE ME!
The houses in my 'hood' were built sometime in the 50's and are small, 2 bedroom, 1 bath homes. A lot of the neighbors have added on to their houses for one reason or another. We have not. I think our house is still in its original packaging.
When the houses were built they included a 1 car garage. That was ok because most people had only one car in those days. (There may have been a horse and buggy or two but I can't be certain.) :-) I'm pretty sure this neighborhood was built as temporary off-site housing for the marine base right around the corner so I think the builders felt that there was no need for elaboration or extra expense. (Gee thanks guys!)
Our driveway is narrow and not terribly long. So when the street sweeper is due to make his rounds, I need to be sure that I remember to park in our driveway, nose to ass with my husband's car. Thank goodness I have a small car. I don't know if two big cars would fit in our driveway. Maybe if we opened the garage door and drove into all our extra crap that's stored in there; yeah, that could work!
So I either squeeze my car into the driveway, lightly tapping the bumper of my husbands car, park on my front lawn or get a ticket for parking in the street. Needless to say, I squeeze. Not that I would necessarily mind parking in the middle of my front yard but I have learned from the street sweepers sidekick, the man who wields the ticket book, that parking there is a definite no-no. So, a ticket for parking in the street or a ticket for parking in my front yard. Aargh!
Unfortunately for me the street sweeper heads down my side of the street first. So if I forgot to park in the driveway, I have to madly scramble to get my car moved in time. There have been a few times when I've gone out less than appropriately dressed in order to beat the sweeper. (So sorry innocent neighbors--such a disturbing sight, I know!) And I think we must be first or second on the list because he always comes early in the morning. It's good for the folks on the other side of the street; they have plenty of warning. Not fair. He should switch things up and go down their side first and give us fair warning. Sheesh!!
I've been ticketed only a few times in all the years I've lived here. Not bad, I guess. But I have resented paying every time. And the last time wasn't cheap. I think I had to pay around $60. Yikes! Just for parking in front of my own house. Really? That's just wrong!
Can't the sweeper just go around me and continue on? Well, that is what he does but then there's the sidekick to deal with. He doesn't just go around and move on. Oh no. He stops and hands out tickets. Butthead.
(I know, I know, he's just doing his job. I don't care. It's a stupid job.)
So twice a month we get our street swept. Not all of our street, just the sides. Apparently nobody cares about the middle of the street. I wonder why. Does crap know better than to gather in the middle of the street? Maybe. All I know for sure is that I don't like having to remember to move my car to avoid an ugly ticket. And as I've said before (I think), my memory is but a shadow of its former self.
So to the street sweeper, his sidekick and the city who created them to make my life a little less comfortable than it ought to be, I say BITE ME!
Thank God you don't live in an Association where forgetting a "guest pass" on an overnight parked car in guest parking gets you towed. And on weekends the fee to get your car out of impound is $175.00! Kathy's car disappeared that way! Ba#@%^ds!
ReplyDeleteGracious host I am, I paid but NEVER to forget again about those RULES.
Consider buying that street sweeper guy off with some Banana Bread to start on the other side of the street in your sweetest "Pretty Please"
Ah you are so gracious and thoughtful; one of a kind (besides me of course) I'm not sure bribing city officials is quite the way to go but I will definitely give it some thought! Besides I'm not sure he would like my banana bread. Might make him show up even earlier than he all ready does! :-)
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