Just had a chat w/ a Meter Maid dude...

[OreoGaborio]

Parking in Boston is just gonna get harder for scooters & motorcycles
People are bitching about vehicles on sidewalks, including mopeds etc.


He was ticketing a bike in a spot I used to park in allll the time so I went over & struck up a conversation... Told him I used to park there all the time and got out of the few tickets I got because it was technically on private property and not a sidewalk...

Well, he asked me when that was, I told him a couple years ago. He told me about 5 months ago the city of Boston changed the laws... now, if you have to operate your motorcycle on a sidewalk in order to get to the private property you can still get cited with a 45 dollar ticket

His only advice was to COVER THE MOTORCYCLE as they're told not to remove a cover unless the vehicle is parked in a dangerous manner or just blatantly illegally (on a wheelchair ramp or something)


I talked to him briefly about the whole "big picture" of parking in Boston, the usual "Boston is in a parking crisis & motorcycles take some of that burdon off", blah blah blah... He understood it all but said he doesn't see things changing for quite some time



... All I've got to say about it is THANK GOD I don't have to deal w/ it.

[Pittenger5]

In their defense a lot of the scooters parked on sidewalks are BLATENTLY in the way. People will just park them chained to a pole like a bicycle, except they're 10 times wider than a bike. I've had some problems with the way they're parked when I'm trying to do deliveries.
But yah, the city doesnt give a rats ass about the "parking crisis" or trying to change things.

[NEWTREADS]

Well, he asked me when that was, I told him a couple years ago. He told me about 5 months ago the city of Boston changed the laws... now, if you have to operate your motorcycle on a sidewalk in order to get to the private property you can still get cited with a 45 dollar ticket

This would mean you can get a ticket for parking in your own driveway??? You do have to ride over the sidewalk to get into the driveway.

[brendanp]

You would think that they would encourage the bikes as they take up less room. Who cares if ya gotta walk around it! You used to have to walk around dog poop!!
Just another way to bring in $$$
It is always about the $$$
fucking greed mutha fucking lawmaking assholes!

I dont mind seeing you pay pete, cause you sukk!

[noxin]

They prefer to be called "Parking Enforcement" or Parking Control Officers.



The requirement for a motorcycle to park parallel to the curb is the one that gets me. It's safer (in/out of traffic, tipping hazard, cars backing into your bike because they didn't see it, etc) to park perpendicular, but because of some antiquated ordinance, they're handing out tickets. If I was in downtown more, I'd fight every ticket and start a movement to get City Hall to fix that shit.

[Pittenger5]

They prefer to be called "Parking Enforcement" or Parking Control Officers.

Incorrect. They prefer to be called "little people"

[Kham]

You would think that they would encourage the bikes as they take up less room. Who cares if ya gotta walk around it! You used to have to walk around dog poop!!
Just another way to bring in $$$
It is always about the $$$
fucking greed mutha fucking lawmaking assholes!

I dont mind seeing you pay pete, cause you sukk!

[Hardleft]

I started riding a bicycle to work because I cant handle another 65 dollar ticket for parking on a piece of asphalt that isnt a sidewalk. Good to know a cover means you can get away with it.

[OreoGaborio]

This would mean you can get a ticket for parking in your own driveway??? You do have to ride over the sidewalk to get into the driveway.

drive·way
–noun
1. a road, esp. a private one, leading from a street or other thoroughfare to a building, house, garage, etc.


I dunno about you, but none of the driveways I've ever seen stop at the sidewalk... at least not w/o continuing onto the street.

[catamount]

"Meter Made"?

[dingley00]

i don't park parrallel to the curb, but i don't park perpendicular either... i';m at a 3/4 angle... haha.. i'll have to take a picture

[breakdirt916]

is it just downtown Boston, or also in Cambridge?

[spicy]

made -> maid

[Jim]

... All I've got to say about it is THANK GOD I don't have to deal w/ it.

because your bike is broken and you cant ride it?