Parking a Problem
Really isn't news that Fri. and Sat. are the most difficult days to find spaces. Not sure that it hurts restaurants. On FB there's a thread on how consistently packed Arturo's is. And somehow all of those people in the occupied spaces managed to get a spot.
That said, my experience is people either see this as a problem or not, and people on one side of the issue aren't going to convert the folks on the other side.
Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded. - Yogi Berra
That line gets trotted out a lot lately, but it's a good one. When I first move here almost 30 years ago as a young, single guy, Maplewood Village was a deserted wasteland even on the weekend. I think there was Terra Cotta (which catered to the blue-hair set), a crappy sports bar and a couple of other places long-since closed. Tumbleweeds frequently rolled down Maplewood avenue. What an amazing difference today.
So yeah, it's not as easy to park. One strategy that pretty much always works for us is to park on the east side of the train tracks (station-side). There are pretty much always spots, and you just walk through the tunnel into the Village.
Can't speak to marking since I left Maplewood after aging out of my neighborhood, but Terra Cotta didn't cater to the blue-hair set (very few blue-haired ladies in Maplewood then or now, anyway). In fact, TC featured a dish called Crazy Salad, which was a pioneer of the now totally mainstream salad with fruit and nuts. (Governor Byrne did go there as I recall, but he was a semi-celebrity, and not really a member go the blue-hair set.) Anyway, a male who first moved to Maplewood thirty years ago may not have any hair at all at this point, so why be both inaccurate and contemptuous of people who in those now-distant days may have seemed ancient? Generational defensiveness aside, Terra Cotta was anything but an elderly restaurant. It was part of a new wave both in Maplewood and in terms of restaurants generally both in terms of food and in terms of ambience.
even on Fri or Sat I've never been literally unable to find a single parking spot. Maybe not any place all that close to where I was going. But I don't recall ever having to give up.
apple44 said:
Really isn't news that Fri. and Sat. are the most difficult days to find spaces. Not sure that it hurts restaurants. On FB there's a thread on how consistently packed Arturo's is. And somehow all of those people in the occupied spaces managed to get a spot.
That said, my experience is people either see this as a problem or not, and people on one side of the issue aren't going to convert the folks on the other side.
The couple of times I peered in (admittedly early evening) the crowd leaned distinctly 60+. As I rapidly get closer to that number, I understand the sensitivity - point taken.
Regardless, it was never packed that I could see - nothing like today and the current crop of restaurants. This review from the Artful Diner of Jocelyns (in the same space as today's Lorenas) says: "First of all, there was Terra Cotta, an eclectic bistro with a slapdash assortment of gastronomic and decorative oddities. Like a talented but frustrated opera singer, this eatery aimed for the proper note but never seemed to score a direct hit. Some presentations were beautiful to behold, but the ingredients didn't quite mesh. Others were incredibly delicious, but their component parts had obviously been allowed to free-fall onto the plate from twenty thousand feet."
grayhill2 said:
Can't speak to marking since I left Maplewood after aging out of my neighborhood, but Terra Cotta didn't cater to the blue-hair set (very few blue-haired ladies in Maplewood then or now, anyway). In fact, TC featured a dish called Crazy Salad, which was a pioneer of the now totally mainstream salad with fruit and nuts. (Governor Byrne did go there as I recall, but he was a semi-celebrity, and not really a member go the blue-hair set.) Anyway, a male who first moved to Maplewood thirty years ago may not have any hair at all at this point, so why be both inaccurate and contemptuous of people who in those now-distant days may have seemed ancient? Generational defensiveness aside, Terra Cotta was anything but an elderly restaurant. It was part of a new wave both in Maplewood and in terms of restaurants generally both in terms of food and in terms of ambience.
Trying to think of the restaurant where Tandoori Chef is now, off of Highland Pl. I think they had the crazy salad,not Terra Cotta which is where Lorena's is now. Just remembered the restaurant was Celebrated Foods, wonderful restaurant at 6 and 1/2 Highland Place.
apple44 said:
That said, my experience is people either see this as a problem or not, and people on one side of the issue aren't going to convert the folks on the other side.
I still don’t think it’s a problem, but it’s been markedly less easy for me lately, so my cold, hard dismissiveness is thawing just a little.
They can have my spot when they pry it from my cold, hard dismissiveness. Wolverines!
DaveSchmidt said:
apple44 said:
That said, my experience is people either see this as a problem or not, and people on one side of the issue aren't going to convert the folks on the other side.
I still don’t think it’s a problem, but it’s been markedly less easy for me lately, so my cold, hard dismissiveness is thawing just a little.
We went for an early dinner last night around 5:30, lucked out and got a great spot in the upper Highland lot. After dinner, I needed a few items from Kings, so I walked up and told my husband to get the car and swing around to pick me up. Holy cow - cars were parked in the no parking areas by the store, a car was literally stopped in the street (driver sitting there) while a person brought out their groceries and got in the back seat. I had a cart, couldn't get across the street because of the position of the other illegally parked cars - she looked at me and said "I'll just be a minute" - seriously... car stopped in the street ON the crosswalk. Then once I got across the street - cars were parked every which way including the loading zone spot. I looked at my husband - and said, "welcome to the weekend in Maplewood" - insane.
soorlady said:
We went for an early dinner last night around 5:30, lucked out and got a great spot in the upper Highland lot. After dinner, I needed a few items from Kings, so I walked up and told my husband to get the car and swing around to pick me up. Holy cow - cars were parked in the no parking areas by the store, a car was literally stopped in the street (driver sitting there) while a person brought out their groceries and got in the back seat. I had a cart, couldn't get across the street because of the position of the other illegally parked cars - she looked at me and said "I'll just be a minute" - seriously... car stopped in the street ON the crosswalk. Then once I got across the street - cars were parked every which way including the loading zone spot. I looked at my husband - and said, "welcome to the weekend in Maplewood" - insane.
this was discussed on Facebook this week. A surprising number of people said they think its A-OK for people to park in or next to the the crosswalk by Kings. A couple even seemed proud that they do it and get away with it.
FWIW, I went this morning about 11:00, parked right away In the lot behind Arturo's. I walked past at least one other spot as I went over to the bank. The spots on the other side of the tracks were all taken, which I think was because of the Women's March.
In general, people aren't going to post "Got a spot again, today." Maybe we should do that more often, to put things in perspective.
Exactly. A more accurate title for this thread would be "Parking Problem ... for Me." The people who occupied the spaces which the OP wanted presumably didn't have a problem getting those spots.
nohero said:
FWIW, I went this morning about 11:00, parked right away In the lot behind Arturo's. I walked past at least one other spot as I went over to the bank. The spots on the other side of the tracks were all taken, which I think was because of the Women's March.
In general, people aren't going to post "Got a spot again, today." Maybe we should do that more often, to put things in perspective.
I've always found a parking spot in Maplewood Village but I've had to park on residential streets more and more. I think the more problematic issue is the illegal parking. It's dangerous. Cars are blocking crosswalks which makes it very difficult for both pedestrians to cross safely and for drivers to see the pedestrians. It's particularly awful by the Kings. I can't understand why the Maplewood police refuse to ticket people who do this.
While I'm glad Maplewood isn't some sleepy town, I do feel we've reached a tipping point with traffic. Judging by the number of FB posts on this topic, it's becoming a quality of life issue for many of us here.
I've noticed that the busier times are now much worse than they used to be, too. I try to stay away at lunch times and on weekends and Friday evenings, or else walk in from home. The lot by Kings and the spaces in front of Kings are difficult, and there are lots of people who just stop in traffic to load their groceries, or pick up a passenger...I'd love to say it doesn't bother me, but sometimes it does. It is nice that town is so active and busy, but a nuisance when you are trying to run your errands.
cody said:
I've noticed that the busier times are now much worse than they used to be, too. I try to stay away at lunch times and on weekends and Friday evenings, or else walk in from home.
Yep, for me the busy times tend to be between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on weekdays — the lunchtime/errands/young-families-socializing peak, when the parkside station lot is still full of train commuters’ cars and not really a relief option.
soorlady said:
Holy cow - cars were parked in the no parking areas by the store, a car was literally stopped in the street (driver sitting there) while a person brought out their groceries and got in the back seat.
Perseverance said:
I think the more problematic issue is the illegal parking. It's dangerous. Cars are blocking crosswalks which makes it very difficult for both pedestrians to cross safely and for drivers to see the pedestrians. It's particularly awful by the Kings.
This, too.
apple44 said:
The people who occupied the spaces which the OP wanted presumably didn't have a problem getting those spots.
Anyone who applied that logic to my car if he saw it parked on a Philly street would have been very mistaken. The logic is probably tighter in Maplewood, but there may still be holes in it.
Perseverance said:
I've always found a parking spot in Maplewood Village but I've had to park on residential streets more and more. I think the more problematic issue is the illegal parking. It's dangerous. Cars are blocking crosswalks which makes it very difficult for both pedestrians to cross safely and for drivers to see the pedestrians. It's particularly awful by the Kings. I can't understand why the Maplewood police refuse to ticket people who do this.
While I'm glad Maplewood isn't some sleepy town, I do feel we've reached a tipping point with traffic. Judging by the number of FB posts on this topic, it's becoming a quality of life issue for many of us here.
I think the general "anything goes" attitude of drivers in the village is many times worse than the scarcity of parking. I think nearly everything about Maplewood is better than it was 2 decades ago when we moved here. Except driving and parking in the village. It's worse than it ever was. The FB apologists keep mocking people like me who point it out -- "it's a first world problem." "Be happy if that's the worst thing you have to deal with." Sure, but the behavior is a kind of F you to everyone else. And I'm walking or driving through the village a couple of times a day. So eight or ten F yous in a week starts to get to anyone.
I truly think we're not far from the day when someone will just drive through the front door of Kings and park in the produce section while he shops for a few things. After all, there isn't a sign saying that you shouldn't do that.
apple44 said:
I truly think we're not far from the day when someone will just drive through the front door of Kings and park in the produce section while he shops for a few things. After all, there isn't a sign saying that you shouldn't do that.
and if someone starts a FB post complaining about it, there will be dozens of people defending it. And saying how horrifically rude and self-important the people complaining about it are.
I heard from a reliable source that the MPD is in the process of forming a traffic unit. Hopefully, this will alleviate some of the parking and moving violation issues that make it so unsafe to walk and drive in the Village and elsewhere in town.
yep, and the other usual excuse, "But, I was spending money in the village!!"
ml1 said:
apple44 said:
I truly think we're not far from the day when someone will just drive through the front door of Kings and park in the produce section while he shops for a few things. After all, there isn't a sign saying that you shouldn't do that.
and if someone starts a FB post complaining about it, there will be dozens of people defending it. And saying how horrifically rude and self-important the people complaining about it are.
joan_crystal said:
I heard from a reliable source that the MPD is in the process of forming a traffic unit. Hopefully, this will alleviate some of the parking and moving violation issues that make it so unsafe to walk and drive in the Village and elsewhere in town.
MPD already has a traffic unit.
Another problem in the evening is the people lined up in the driving lane of the train parking lot, cars idling, waiting to pick up a passenger getting off the train. Other cars cannot get by them to exit the parking lot. Cars cannot back out of the parking spaces because these cars are blocking the driving lane. This would be a hindrance to emergency services if the need arises.
Formerlyjerseyjack said:
Another problem in the evening is the people lined up in the driving lane of the train parking lot, cars idling, waiting to pick up a passenger getting off the train. Other cars cannot get by them to exit the parking lot. Cars cannot back out of the parking spaces because these cars are blocking the driving lane. This would be a hindrance to emergency services if the need arises.
That’s a mess, and completely unnecessary. I’d love to see that prohibited.
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Anyone who says parking in the village is no problem hasn't been recently. I've tried for two days in a row. Will have to go much later in the day. I would think this would hurt restaurants. You can only drive around so long and this included streets a distance from Maplewood Ave.