Do we really four whole parking spaces for Bike Night at Donny's ? (Just an FYI)

[JohnCVermont]

I was Cc'ed this on Twitter. I am going to ask her for clarification because if I remember correctly, we use only the public parking spaces with limited parking times. She could always address her concerns to the Winooski Parking Consultant that drives by each week.



This is the same person who had concerns with us parking on the sidewalk. I beat that one to techno-brain-death in another thread in this forum.

Is there someway to blame this on Parker ?

(Reference : here is a link to last year's interaction with this person, it begins a few posts above the link --> http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...ml#post1096519

I will attempt a diplomatic approach to attain a mutually agreed upon understanding of the core issues of contention. (i.e. I will use Twitter to ask her which parking spaces she is referring to. My Twitter ID is JohnCVermont )

I am pretty right now, so I will be unable to give it the obsessive nerdy level of detail that I am known for.

[Degsy]

Wirelessly posted

A motorcycle is a registered vehicle. It is entitled to its own spot. If two or more bikes share a space, it is a common courtesy, not a neccessity. . Tell her to pound sand.

[Doc]

Since this is not in the Bike Night thread I will comment.

These issues keep rearing their ugly heads in that Area, The city and police were very understanding and supportive of bike night and knew we were in the right with parking. They did not want 1 bike per parking space as parking is at a premium (Hence the Permit to park on the side walk) in the downtown.

Sounds like you are handling it well John.

[JohnCVermont]

Wirelessly posted

A motorcycle is a registered vehicle. It is entitled to its own spot. If two or more bikes share a space, it is a common courtesy, not a neccessity. . Tell her to pound sand.

How true and good point. Not really sure how restaurant patrons with registered motor vehicles efficiently using public parking spaces on a Tuesday evening from 5:30pm-7pm (peak time) is disrespectful. Winooski PD has already given Bike Night guidance regarding the parking on the sidewalk (leave room for pedestrians including wheelchair access down the length of the sidewalk) If Winooski PD had issues with our use of the parking spaces, I am certain they would have informed us.

We will do our best to understand her points of contention and accommodate as required. I hope she will do the same.

[markbvt]

It might also be worth pointing out to her that Bike Night has permission from the city to cordon off that entire row of parking spaces. But we usually don't.

--mark

[Trouble]

The efficient use of parking spots/sidewalk seems to be a far better alternative than each bike taking an individual spot. If she's whining now wait until there are 50 less parking spots available to her. Then she can hike the 10 blocks carrying her groceries. Yeah, the bikes are the inconsiderate ones taking a whole 4 spots for 50+ vehicles.


Bitch.

[JohnCVermont]

As we all know, readily available and *free* parking is very limited in that area of Winooski, it may be more a matter of cathartic release at an easily identifiable and visible population (i.e. riders at Bike Night) rather than nameless faceless restaurant patrons that the Winooski circle restaurant owners welcome every day to the area. (i.e. Donny's, Tiny, Sneakers, Don Pedro, McKee's, Papa Frank's, etc, etc, etc)

Again, we are easy targets (figuratively & literally) I didn't see anything untoward regarding parking last night....Parker's dance... well, that is a different matter altogether.

[JohnCVermont]

Just a quick update ... It seems that using 4 out of the 5 2-hour public parking spots is viewed as excessive. I am still seeking understanding of her position with an open & calm mind. Diplomacy is hard. I will post any developments as I have time.

[WordTooYoMamma]

Wirelessly posted (Infuse)

Just a quick update ... It seems that using 4 out of the 5 2-hour public parking spots is viewed as excessive. I am still seeking understanding of her position with an open & calm mind. Diplomacy is hard. I will post any developments as I have time.

I'm with Degsy. Your a patron. You are there for the time the spot allows. Screw her. Some people just need some shit to bitch about. You should complain that she has the audacity to go there on a Tuesday without a motorcycle.

This would be like the public swimming area people complaining about bike night in Lowell taking up too many spots along the street.

[Garandman]

WPP.

During FL Bike Week they block off entire downtown areas and just about every eating establishment within 50 miles of Daytona blocks off their entire front row for bikes.

I vote recent UVM grad who moved there from NY....

[jasnmar]

I wouldn't be comfortable taking a picture, but I'd be comfortable bitching about it on the internet.

Sounds like her big problem is the cones. Fix that. Take up all 5 spots, but don't use any cones. Put a bike in every spot you can find.

Seriously, you seem to be dealing with her very nicely. I'd love for us to show her how disruptive bikes can be, but this is a much better approach .

[markbvt]

Like I said... remind her that the city has approved cordoning off that entire line of parking spaces. And that the people attending are patrons of Donny's and sometimes other local restaurants. There's no need for you to be understanding; she's being unreasonable. She does not have any more right to those spaces than we do.

--mark

[Slyder]

my two cents says to tread lightly, don't be too biased (hard, I know, lotsa bias in this here thread already) and remember...the more complaints about bike night, the sooner it will be that you're told to go somewhere else. Look at things from the locals standpoint as well.

[Baggey22]

She might be upset because we had spots blocked off with no bikes in them yet......again, we do this because we have the permit that says we can do that.

[Father Ribs]

Not for nothing, but why would a resident give a hoot about a 2-hour parking slot?

Compared to some of the other stuff that goes on in Winooski, you guys are a bunch of angels. There's gang fights and open drug dealing a leasurely walk from where Bike Night is. I was half a block from that attempted home invasion and heard the resident putting a bunch of holes in people.

[Doc]

Just make sure you are not parking there for longer than the sign allows. I think it is a 2 hour spot until 7pm and then it is open for all night parking. If spots are full from 5 until 9pm I could see how she may be upset. She is not right but I can see her "issue".

You take a spot at 5p and the 2 hour limit goes to 7p then the spot is open without a time limit so you are still good to park there.

I bet normally she can get a spot after 7 and park there all night.

[Doc]

my two cents says to tread lightly, don't be too biased (hard, I know, lotsa bias in this here thread already) and remember...the more complaints about bike night, the sooner it will be that you're told to go somewhere else. Look at things from the locals standpoint as well.

This is just one issue that comes up in that location. Keep the neighbors happy!

[JohnCVermont]

Just a quick update ...



It seems that the coned off empty spaces at 5:15pm was the source of her complaints. As Baggey said earlier, the permit for Bike Night allows for this.

Honestly, from my limited attendance at BN, the spaces that are cones off are quickly filled and relinquished as they empty after 7pm, if not before. I have never seen an empty coned off parking space after 7pm. Most of Bike Night participants have left the area by 7:30pm.

As Doc and others have mentioned, we do need to be respectful of the neighbors however I do not find the complaint to have a great deal of legitimacy. Someone's unrealistic world view of how things should be has been disrupted by the duly legal and permitted actions of others for two hours over the course a few months each year.

Twitter is an inefficient medium to educate or discuss topics. I will not be regularly or actively attempting to change her mind but will make some effort as time permits to inform and educate. Diplomacy is hard. It would be interesting to learn if she has an alternative. I have purposely not sent many notes as not to inflame any emotions or fall into any stereotypes. Pleasant, courteous, let the other side tell their story fully can be pretty effective way to get support for your argument.

Personally, I find locating the Winooski Farm Market in the park/space in the center of the rotary to be very disruptive and annoying but I just learn to avoid Winooski during those times.... Why? Because they have a permit & "Let Bygones be Bygones". When you learn near the section of Rt 15 that I do, you learn that complaining about traffic is a rest of energy.

"Yes...we, renters of nearby apartments, lay claim to total dominion of 2-hr public parking places near our residences" ... etc, etc, etc.

If she was really pissed, she could always go to her landlord, Donny's or Winooski PD. We'll just keep on keepin' on ... keep the over-revving down, cursing, leering, Parker's dancing down to an acceptable minimum.

[PhilB]

Just a quick update ...



It seems that the coned off empty spaces at 5:15pm was the source of her complaints. As Baggey said earlier, the permit for Bike Night allows for this.

Honestly, from my limited attendance at BN, the spaces that are cones off are quickly filled and relinquished as they empty after 7pm, if not before.

If enough bikes show up to fill the 4 spaces, then yes, bike night at Donny's needs 4 blocked off spaces. That's the answer to her question. If the spaces do not typically fill up, and you could fit all the bikes in 3 spaces, then you don't need all 4 and could give one up. Going back and forth isn't going to get anyone anywhere; she doesn't like the event and isn't going to be happy no matter what you say.

So if you need all the spaces for the bikes that show up, then a polite but firm "yes, we do" is as good as you can get.

PhilB

[Trouble]

Maybe fill (or at least put one bike in each spot) the parking spots first and then park on the sidewalk. It would seem that would pacify her. Then the spots would be occupied and justify being coned off.

[Doc]

If there is still a permit for the EVENT tell her you have a permit allowing such. End of issue.

If you don't have a permit, get one.

[Slyder]

Someone should go knock on her door and offer to explain things....buy her a slice and a beverage or something. Show her what's going on, explain things and mention said permit, instead of calling her unreasonable or a bitch. Has anyone even tried to reason with her, in person instead of over twitter?

Didn't think so. In person will go a whole lot further with someone. It might save a phone call or two to the city or PD. etc.

[NobodySpecific]

Someone should go knock on her door and offer to explain things....buy her a slice and a beverage or something. Show her what's going on, explain things and mention said permit, instead of calling her unreasonable or a bitch. Has anyone even tried to reason with her, in person instead of over twitter?

Didn't think so. In person will go a whole lot further with someone. It might save a phone call or two to the city or PD. etc.

I believe we tried to get her to come to Donny's for a face to face last year when she had an issue (that was amicably resolved), and she refused.

[ranette]

The fact is that Bike Night uses these spots more efficiently than if every two wheeled vehicle took its own space as per the Vermont DMV manual. If the event did not have a permit there would be no law about a bunch of guys showing up every Tuesday night for pizza. Every bike takes its own spot, but no parking on the sidewalk; don't think that would make things better for us nor the neighbors. Just somehow think that though the complaint is about the parking, the root of the issue is noise(and quite possibly Parker's dancing but that's constitutionally protected free speech), and if the engine revving were reduced, so would the neighbors' complaints.

[j4eric]

all it takes is one squeaky wheel...maybe she likes the attention?