Baker Street Train Parking -- The Shame Thread

The center and left car decided that this is how they were parking this morning. Seriously.

two people with Smart cars need to park in front and behind.

There is so much of that ridiculousness on Oakview too.... It's mind-blowing how people park sometimes.

I don't even commute anymore and just reading this thread makes my blood boil.

Tsk tsk!

And good to see you around, friend!

Oh my. There's so much I could do to rectify that going forward. I'm just having a hard time coming up with something that's legal.

It's tough to shame parallel parkers inless you watched them park. How do you know there wasn't a different car behind or in front of that Volvo when s/he parked

It was 7:30AM. Believe what you want, I don't care.

I wouldn't park like that, but if there are no lines, all bet are off.

Rob, you are saying that we can't possibly be responsible on our own without the government telling us what to do. If there are no lines you pull up as tight as possible while still leaving room to get out later.

RobB said:
I wouldn't park like that, but if there are no lines, all bet are off.

maybe it's time for a petition to the TC to paint spaces on Baker. It's commuter parking, and people are required to buy a permit. While there are no guarantees of a space when you buy a permit, I think the township owes it to permit holders to do whatever they can to maximize the available space. There really is no excuse for someone to take up the equivalent of two spaces, just for their own convenience.

FilmCarp said:
Rob, you are saying that we can't possibly be responsible on our own without the government telling us what to do. If there are no lines you pull up as tight as possible while still leaving room to get out later.

Is that a question?

.Saw this yesterday when I had to park down by the country club because people are selfish.

ml1 said:

RobB said:
I wouldn't park like that, but if there are no lines, all bet are off.

maybe it's time for a petition to the TC to paint spaces on Baker. It's commuter parking, and people are required to buy a permit. While there are no guarantees of a space when you buy a permit, I think the township owes it to permit holders to do whatever they can to maximize the available space. There really is no excuse for someone to take up the equivalent of two spaces, just for their own convenience.

Good luck! I started petitioning the mayor and council about doing just this when I first moved to Maplewood -- just asked them to paint lines outlining a parking space as a guide for parkers. And I was totally ignored -- not even a confirmation of receiving my request. Maybe there's strength in numbers to do it now?

If I recall correctly, there are studies (might have been noted in the township parking study?) that indicate not striping street spots will get you one or two more cars parked in any section, so I doubt the TC would go for adding stripes now. But occasionally you get jerks that park like that photo and the theory goes out the window.

mumstheword said:

ml1 said:

RobB said:
I wouldn't park like that, but if there are no lines, all bet are off.

maybe it's time for a petition to the TC to paint spaces on Baker. It's commuter parking, and people are required to buy a permit. While there are no guarantees of a space when you buy a permit, I think the township owes it to permit holders to do whatever they can to maximize the available space. There really is no excuse for someone to take up the equivalent of two spaces, just for their own convenience.

Good luck! I started petitioning the mayor and council about doing just this when I first moved to Maplewood -- just asked them to paint lines outlining a parking space as a guide for parkers. And I was totally ignored -- not even a confirmation of receiving my request. Maybe there's strength in numbers to do it now?

My memory was completely backward. This was recommended in 2012, but so far hasn't happened.

Page 28 - 30 of parking study:

On-street parking stall striping that allows multiple vehicles to park in one location
impedes or reduces the parking supply. Some on-street parking locations on Dunnell
Road, Oakview Avenue and Baker Street allow multiple cars to parking in an on-street
parking zone. A lateral solid white line signifies where vehicles can begin to park and a
second lateral solid white line signifies where the on-street parking ends. In some instances, up to twenty or so vehicles can park in one zone. Based on field verification, some vehicles park poorly, which reduces the number of vehicles that can park within the on-street parking zone. Thus, an on-street parking supply of 20 may only have the ability to support 18 vehicles.

SHORT TERM RECOMMENDATIONS

S-1. Extensive Downtown Re-Striping Program. As stated in the Maplewood Village
and Park Side Finding Sections, numerous onstreet parking locations throughout Maplewood Township are striped as a large “zone” for multiple parking spaces. A generic example of this condition is illustrated as “Existing Township Wide” in the image to the right. At times within Downtown Maplewood, it was found that some motorists conservatively park within the striping and reduce the on-street parking supply. Within the more suburban areas east of Valley Street and west of Ridgewood Road, this problem did not impeded on the ability for motorists to find parking availability.
However, within Downtown Maplewood, individually striped parking stalls may increase the available downtown parking supply. By implementing the on-street parking guidelines from the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (“MUTCD”) 2009 Ed. the downtown on-street parking supplies can be optimized. See the “Recommended Downtown” illustration to the right.

There are multiple benefits of implementing individual on-street parking stalls within
Downtown Maplewood. Benefits include:
 Optimization and/or increase of on-street parking supplies;
 Distinct prohibition of parking adjacent to residential driveways and fire hydrants;
 Visual improvements to the roadway;
 Greater separation of traveled ways and parking locations;
 Increase in safety and driver awareness of on-street parking; and,
 Meets current federal and state guidelines.

Using the MUTCD for guidance, the end spaces for on-street parking are typically 20’. The spaces between the end spaces are typically 22’. Based upon New Jersey Administrative Code Title 39, on-street parking is prohibited at the following locations.
 25’ from an intersection crosswalk;
 50’ from a stop sign;
 10’ from a mid-block crosswalk;
 10’ from a fire hydrant;
 75’ from a fire station driveway; and,
 Adjacent to a public/private driveway.

Additional parking spaces can be gained on many roads in Maplewood Village and Park Side with implementation of a striping program. Modifications to the gutters on Woodland Road adjacent to the Women’s Club and on the roads east of Valley Street may improve the area.

TigerLilly said:
There is so much of that ridiculousness on Oakview too.... It's mind-blowing how people park sometimes.

Dunnell, too. Drives me nuts. Cmon, people - do you REALLY need 7' between cars? Seriously.

Oldstone said:
The center and left car decided that this is how they were parking this morning. Seriously.

I'm not seeing the problem. Was the car not 6 inches from the curb?

tjohn said:

Oldstone said:
The center and left car decided that this is how they were parking this morning. Seriously.

I'm not seeing the problem. Was the car not 6 inches from the curb?

meganlibrarian said:

tjohn said:

Oldstone said:
The center and left car decided that this is how they were parking this morning. Seriously.

I'm not seeing the problem. Was the car not 6 inches from the curb?

">

If you parked on Baker Street in the morning, you would see the problem.

I need a troll symbol.

Maybe leave something like these:

http://www.zazzle.com/fake_parking_ticket_driving_citation_taylorcorppostitnote-256547257178210498

http://www.1toystore.com/store/p/310113-Gag-Parking-Tickets.aspx?feed=Froogle

sac said:
Maybe leave something like these:
http://www.zazzle.com/fake_parking_ticket_driving_citation_taylorcorppostitnote-256547257178210498
http://www.1toystore.com/store/p/310113-Gag-Parking-Tickets.aspx?feed=Froogle

I bought a pad of these many years ago as a joke, and the first (and last) time I used one I found my car keyed afterwards....

mumstheword said:

sac said:
Maybe leave something like these:
http://www.zazzle.com/fake_parking_ticket_driving_citation_taylorcorppostitnote-256547257178210498
http://www.1toystore.com/store/p/310113-Gag-Parking-Tickets.aspx?feed=Froogle

I bought a pad of these many years ago as a joke, and the first (and last) time I used one I found my car keyed afterwards.... ">

How did they know which car was yours?

ArchBroad said:
My memory was completely backward. This was recommended in 2012, but so far hasn't happened.
Page 28 - 30 of parking study:
On-street parking stall striping that allows multiple vehicles to park in one location
impedes or reduces the parking supply. Some on-street parking locations on Dunnell
Road, Oakview Avenue and Baker Street allow multiple cars to parking in an on-street
parking zone. A lateral solid white line signifies where vehicles can begin to park and a
second lateral solid white line signifies where the on-street parking ends. In some instances, up to twenty or so vehicles can park in one zone. Based on field verification, some vehicles park poorly, which reduces the number of vehicles that can park within the on-street parking zone. Thus, an on-street parking supply of 20 may only have the ability to support 18 vehicles.
SHORT TERM RECOMMENDATIONS
S-1. Extensive Downtown Re-Striping Program. As stated in the Maplewood Village
and Park Side Finding Sections, numerous onstreet parking locations throughout Maplewood Township are striped as a large “zone” for multiple parking spaces. A generic example of this condition is illustrated as “Existing Township Wide” in the image to the right. At times within Downtown Maplewood, it was found that some motorists conservatively park within the striping and reduce the on-street parking supply. Within the more suburban areas east of Valley Street and west of Ridgewood Road, this problem did not impeded on the ability for motorists to find parking availability.
However, within Downtown Maplewood, individually striped parking stalls may increase the available downtown parking supply. By implementing the on-street parking guidelines from the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (“MUTCD”) 2009 Ed. the downtown on-street parking supplies can be optimized. See the “Recommended Downtown” illustration to the right.
There are multiple benefits of implementing individual on-street parking stalls within
Downtown Maplewood. Benefits include:
 Optimization and/or increase of on-street parking supplies;
 Distinct prohibition of parking adjacent to residential driveways and fire hydrants;
 Visual improvements to the roadway;
 Greater separation of traveled ways and parking locations;
 Increase in safety and driver awareness of on-street parking; and,
 Meets current federal and state guidelines.
Using the MUTCD for guidance, the end spaces for on-street parking are typically 20’. The spaces between the end spaces are typically 22’. Based upon New Jersey Administrative Code Title 39, on-street parking is prohibited at the following locations.
 25’ from an intersection crosswalk;
 50’ from a stop sign;
 10’ from a mid-block crosswalk;
 10’ from a fire hydrant;
 75’ from a fire station driveway; and,
 Adjacent to a public/private driveway.
Additional parking spaces can be gained on many roads in Maplewood Village and Park Side with implementation of a striping program. Modifications to the gutters on Woodland Road adjacent to the Women’s Club and on the roads east of Valley Street may improve the area.

Someone ahoukd cut and paste this into an email to the TC, with accompanying photos of the parking-challenged, and see what happens. Hard to ignore this when the stupidity is so glaring.

I think the township is using up the parking space striping fund to battle a baseless lawsuit. Maybe sue Village Keepers for emotional distress.

sac said:

mumstheword said:

sac said:
Maybe leave something like these:
http://www.zazzle.com/fake_parking_ticket_driving_citation_taylorcorppostitnote-256547257178210498
http://www.1toystore.com/store/p/310113-Gag-Parking-Tickets.aspx?feed=Froogle

I bought a pad of these many years ago as a joke, and the first (and last) time I used one I found my car keyed afterwards.... ">

How did they know which car was yours?

I don't know -- they were gone when I came back to get my car and that space next to me was empty. The key-ing was on that side of my car. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck....