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The Parking Ban is LIfted!
Mar. 29th, 2023 12:29 pm... and I still can't find a spot in front of my house.
Sometimes I really hate living in Midway, just off University Avenue.
Sometimes I really hate living in Midway, just off University Avenue.
Another Five Minutes, Then I'll Go
Feb. 15th, 2019 08:17 am I have to get up out of the warm blanket and go fetch some kitty food from Menard's. I just don't want to. Did I mention that my blanket it electric? And i had to squeeze my car into a parking space halfway up the block?
Just another five minutes, then I'll get up.
So, what do I have to report? The most my family did for Valentine's Day was exchange a card or two. Mason had robotics until almost 5:30 pm, which meant I had time to start our "fake" naan recipe. So, we had a favorite meal, something we call "Indian Butter Chicken" (because that might be what it's called on the box that contains the sauce I make), rice, and naan. Then, because Mason is a teenager, somewhere around 7:30 pm, he says, "Uh... so, I'm supposed to bring some ingredients to Chinese tomorrow, because we're making dumplings again." But AT LEAST he remembered to bring them with him this morning. The night before, he'd stayed up late to do some art-type project for AP Human Geology and then promptly forgot it at home. Luckily, I could text him a picture of it, so his teacher would know that it was, in fact, done on time, even if it didn't make it in on time.
Because today is payday, we're hoping to all go out to Tavern on Grand tonight for fish. Mason has to be at robotics again, because the wrap day (or whatever they call the day that they have to shrink wrap their robot) is coming up early next week. But, Shawn and I are thinking about hitting Roseville Library to browse the shelves and hang out until he's ready to join us. When you think about it, that's pretty romantic. Looking for books together at the library? HOT, am I right???
Also, I have to laugh at myself. You know how I've ALWAYS claimed that the reason I've been unable to write is because I can't write unless I have a contract? THIS APPEARS TO _ACTUALLY_ BE TRUE, much to my chagrin. I have an apocalypse story due the first of April, and, yesterday, I wrote almost 2,000 words on it. What the hell, brain. What the H.E.L.L.
One of my pen pals died. I recently acquired a pen pal in Duluth. Normally, I don't like to have pen pals that I don't know that close. (Like, you live in Minneapolis and we've met or we're on social media together and you want to be my pen pal? SURE!) However, this woman took Friend Books. Friendship Books are a very weird aspect of the pen pal subculture, that are fascinating, but also a burden. I've written about what they are here before, but a quick look at Wikipedia might help you understand how they work: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship_book The point is, I started conversing with this person, mostly so that I had someone to whom I could pass on Friendship Books when I got a bunch of them from the two other pen pals who tend to pass them on to me. The other day, I got a letter from her daughter. This woman had some 60 pen pals by her own reckoning, but so that might explain the brevity of this note. But, it simply said, "I know you exchanged letters with my mom. I'm sorry to tell you that she and a friend were involved in a head-on collision and died instantly."
But I can't find any information about it. No obit was included. I mean, there's no reason not to believe this, but, wow, what a shock.
Anyway, my eldest cat is staring at me. I'd better get up and fetch her food from the store or she will guilt me wit that amber-eyed stare of hers.
Just another five minutes, then I'll get up.
So, what do I have to report? The most my family did for Valentine's Day was exchange a card or two. Mason had robotics until almost 5:30 pm, which meant I had time to start our "fake" naan recipe. So, we had a favorite meal, something we call "Indian Butter Chicken" (because that might be what it's called on the box that contains the sauce I make), rice, and naan. Then, because Mason is a teenager, somewhere around 7:30 pm, he says, "Uh... so, I'm supposed to bring some ingredients to Chinese tomorrow, because we're making dumplings again." But AT LEAST he remembered to bring them with him this morning. The night before, he'd stayed up late to do some art-type project for AP Human Geology and then promptly forgot it at home. Luckily, I could text him a picture of it, so his teacher would know that it was, in fact, done on time, even if it didn't make it in on time.
Because today is payday, we're hoping to all go out to Tavern on Grand tonight for fish. Mason has to be at robotics again, because the wrap day (or whatever they call the day that they have to shrink wrap their robot) is coming up early next week. But, Shawn and I are thinking about hitting Roseville Library to browse the shelves and hang out until he's ready to join us. When you think about it, that's pretty romantic. Looking for books together at the library? HOT, am I right???
Also, I have to laugh at myself. You know how I've ALWAYS claimed that the reason I've been unable to write is because I can't write unless I have a contract? THIS APPEARS TO _ACTUALLY_ BE TRUE, much to my chagrin. I have an apocalypse story due the first of April, and, yesterday, I wrote almost 2,000 words on it. What the hell, brain. What the H.E.L.L.
One of my pen pals died. I recently acquired a pen pal in Duluth. Normally, I don't like to have pen pals that I don't know that close. (Like, you live in Minneapolis and we've met or we're on social media together and you want to be my pen pal? SURE!) However, this woman took Friend Books. Friendship Books are a very weird aspect of the pen pal subculture, that are fascinating, but also a burden. I've written about what they are here before, but a quick look at Wikipedia might help you understand how they work: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship_book The point is, I started conversing with this person, mostly so that I had someone to whom I could pass on Friendship Books when I got a bunch of them from the two other pen pals who tend to pass them on to me. The other day, I got a letter from her daughter. This woman had some 60 pen pals by her own reckoning, but so that might explain the brevity of this note. But, it simply said, "I know you exchanged letters with my mom. I'm sorry to tell you that she and a friend were involved in a head-on collision and died instantly."
But I can't find any information about it. No obit was included. I mean, there's no reason not to believe this, but, wow, what a shock.
Anyway, my eldest cat is staring at me. I'd better get up and fetch her food from the store or she will guilt me wit that amber-eyed stare of hers.
Short Lived Parking Victory
Jan. 17th, 2018 08:18 am So, there's this one guy in a red pick-up truck that ALWAYS parks in front of our house. He's an employee of the Neighborhood Energy Consortium, a business at the end of the block, and has been for... years? Mostly, I don't mind him. I mean so long as there are other spots to park in during the day, it's no big deal.
Yesterday was day two of the snow emergency that St. Paul called. We live on a "night plow" route, which means that the odd side of the street gets plowed at night (it's okay to park on the even side) and, the next morning, everything is reversed. It's a bit difficult to understand at first and, if my arguments with my neighbors yesterday morning are any indication, a lot of people who live on our block are actually fairly unaware how it works... despite years of Shawn and I handing out fliers explaining it (it's probably time to do it again.) Even so, 9/10ths of the neighbors get it. The problem is that we have these employees, including red truck guy, many of whom don't live in St. Paul and are especially unaware of how the snow emergency is supposed to work.
I've been trying to talk to my local city councilperson about the problems with parking in my neighborhood for months. I've lived here since 1995 and parking in front of my house during the day wasn't a problem for years. It's only been within the past... oh, year, or maybe a little more, that it's become increasingly difficult to come back to my house at 7:30 am, after dropping my family off at school and work, and find a spot to park. It only gets worse the closer to 9 am you get. The street is packed by 11am.
I suspect two culprits: the businesses at the end of the block that don't seem to have to provide off-street parking for their employees. This was less of a problem when it was only Insta-Print. Now, not only is that building occupied by these NEC folks (who. ironically, drive off in vans all day) but also Hour Car. That's two businesses where there used to be one. The second culprit is something I'm sure nothing can ever be done about, other than me whining about it a lot, and that's ditch 'n ride people who for reasons absolutely unknown to me think that parking in my neighborhood and taking the light rail from here to whichever downtown they work in is a good idea. (Why here? I mean, I suspect maybe the folks who do it tried nicer neighborhoods and discovered more patrols from parking enforcement and neighbors who were willing to call them out. But, other days I tell myself it's because my gardens are SO IRRESISTIBLE.)
Back to yesterday, right? I kind of lost it. I have watched the plows--which are supposed to tag and tow in order to enforce the plowing rules--just skim down the center of the street and be done with it. More often than not, even when I go to the trouble to move my car and encourage my neighbors to move theirs, some jerk will park right IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.
Lately, "that jerk" has been this red truck.
So I walked down to the businesses at the end of the block and asked them to please, please ask their employees to respect the St. Paul snow emergency rules. They stared at me mostly blankly, but one guy said the right things and so I left... still feeling unsatisfied. I stomped back home and emailed an angry note to the assistant to my city councilperson because she had foolishly told me I could "contact her regarding further parking concerns." I asked her if businesses had any requirement to provide off-street parking for employees (and whether now that the stadium was coming to Midway, if we could revisit any waver given to the businesses at the end of my block) and if she knew of a way that I could encourage St. Paul plowing to be more vigorous about tagged and removing the cars during the day time plow hours.
She got on it.
Before I knew it not only were the plows back on my street, but they had TAGGED AND TOWED the annoying red truck.
I was unhealthily giddy for a good two hours after that victory.
.
.
.
This morning he's back in the exact same spot.
Yesterday was day two of the snow emergency that St. Paul called. We live on a "night plow" route, which means that the odd side of the street gets plowed at night (it's okay to park on the even side) and, the next morning, everything is reversed. It's a bit difficult to understand at first and, if my arguments with my neighbors yesterday morning are any indication, a lot of people who live on our block are actually fairly unaware how it works... despite years of Shawn and I handing out fliers explaining it (it's probably time to do it again.) Even so, 9/10ths of the neighbors get it. The problem is that we have these employees, including red truck guy, many of whom don't live in St. Paul and are especially unaware of how the snow emergency is supposed to work.
I've been trying to talk to my local city councilperson about the problems with parking in my neighborhood for months. I've lived here since 1995 and parking in front of my house during the day wasn't a problem for years. It's only been within the past... oh, year, or maybe a little more, that it's become increasingly difficult to come back to my house at 7:30 am, after dropping my family off at school and work, and find a spot to park. It only gets worse the closer to 9 am you get. The street is packed by 11am.
I suspect two culprits: the businesses at the end of the block that don't seem to have to provide off-street parking for their employees. This was less of a problem when it was only Insta-Print. Now, not only is that building occupied by these NEC folks (who. ironically, drive off in vans all day) but also Hour Car. That's two businesses where there used to be one. The second culprit is something I'm sure nothing can ever be done about, other than me whining about it a lot, and that's ditch 'n ride people who for reasons absolutely unknown to me think that parking in my neighborhood and taking the light rail from here to whichever downtown they work in is a good idea. (Why here? I mean, I suspect maybe the folks who do it tried nicer neighborhoods and discovered more patrols from parking enforcement and neighbors who were willing to call them out. But, other days I tell myself it's because my gardens are SO IRRESISTIBLE.)
Back to yesterday, right? I kind of lost it. I have watched the plows--which are supposed to tag and tow in order to enforce the plowing rules--just skim down the center of the street and be done with it. More often than not, even when I go to the trouble to move my car and encourage my neighbors to move theirs, some jerk will park right IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.
Lately, "that jerk" has been this red truck.
So I walked down to the businesses at the end of the block and asked them to please, please ask their employees to respect the St. Paul snow emergency rules. They stared at me mostly blankly, but one guy said the right things and so I left... still feeling unsatisfied. I stomped back home and emailed an angry note to the assistant to my city councilperson because she had foolishly told me I could "contact her regarding further parking concerns." I asked her if businesses had any requirement to provide off-street parking for employees (and whether now that the stadium was coming to Midway, if we could revisit any waver given to the businesses at the end of my block) and if she knew of a way that I could encourage St. Paul plowing to be more vigorous about tagged and removing the cars during the day time plow hours.
She got on it.
Before I knew it not only were the plows back on my street, but they had TAGGED AND TOWED the annoying red truck.
I was unhealthily giddy for a good two hours after that victory.
.
.
.
This morning he's back in the exact same spot.
Reading and Whatnot
Dec. 13th, 2017 01:15 pm It's Wednesday! I actually spent a good portion of this morning reading so that I could report that I have FINISHED all 21 volumes of Nana by Ai Yazawa. Whoo! Of course, I raced to the end only to find out that the mangaka is on indefinite hiatus and the end wasn't the end, but sort of just stopped due to her illness. :-P Eh, the non-ending ending was traumatizing, but it was still a good (highly-addictive, very soap opera-y) series. 10/10 would recommend.
In other news, I feel fairly productive in a complaining sort of way. When I went out with the kitty litter, I discovered that our recycling bin had not been emptied. I called Eureka and talked to a very diligent person, who seemed very concerned. We've been missed a number of times, so we'll see if anything will actually be done. He promised to have the drivers tag us next time, if somehow the missed pick-up is our fault. I will be very pissed off if they say it is, however. BECAUSE our recycling is so particular, I make it part of my Monday morning routine to make sure that the bin is situated properly. They have these stupid robotic arms and so they say they have to have two feet or some crazy distance around the bin for them in order to pick it up. So, after dropping Mason and Shawn off, I always go to the back and pull in our garbage can (they ALSO come on Monday, but are capable of actually just pulling the thing around to dump into their truck) and double-check to make sure the recycling bin is close to the alley and unobstructed. It's stupid and a hassle, but it sucks more when we run out of room in the bin because they miss us for weeks at a time.
But, having had a mostly successful conversation with Eureka, I finally wrote a letter to my city council person, Russ Stark, about the parking situation in our neighborhood. We don't have a working garage. We never have, but that's never been much of a problem in the past, oh, 15 years or so. There was always plenty of room on our block to park in front of our house. These last few years, it's become really difficult.... in the middle of the day. I suspect Russ is NOT getting a ton of complaints about this, because many people come home AFTER the parking clears up. But, I will often come home at 8 am and there will be no place for me to park.
A lot of it, ironically, is due to the fact that we're a block from the Fairview Green Line stop. I don't know what is appealing about our neighborhood, but people come here to leave their cars and then take the train into work. I've watched them do it. One time I ended up sitting in my car for an extra fifteen minutes listening to the end of a radio program, and sure enough I watched THREE different people park their cars and walk to the train station.
The rest of the traffic belongs to employees of the businesses on the end of our block. I wish that the businesses had been required to provide parking for their employees, but for some reason they weren't. The irony is that there's a huge parking lot at the end of our block. It belongs to Wendy's and the Russian Tea House. The Russian Tea House has rented out some of their space, because the energy company parks their vans behind the tea house. But, I wish Wendy's would make a deal with the other employers. The lot sits empty and our block fills up.
At any rate, I asked Russ to consider permit parking. It would, at the very least, cut down on the ditch and ride people. (If you're going to commit to public transportation, you should go all the way!)
We'll see, once again, if anything comes from my complaint. But, hey, I've only been putting it off for months. I'm glad I at least wrote something finally.
I don't know if it's the weather or the fact that my usual Wednesday group has moved to Friday, but I'm feeling a little down today. I should be happier. Mason told us about the win in Alabama last night. But, but somehow I'm just feeling low. And work called. They want me in New Brighton from 5 to 8pm. It's only three hours, so I said yes. It'll probably be good for me to go out and earn a little money, too.
In other news, I feel fairly productive in a complaining sort of way. When I went out with the kitty litter, I discovered that our recycling bin had not been emptied. I called Eureka and talked to a very diligent person, who seemed very concerned. We've been missed a number of times, so we'll see if anything will actually be done. He promised to have the drivers tag us next time, if somehow the missed pick-up is our fault. I will be very pissed off if they say it is, however. BECAUSE our recycling is so particular, I make it part of my Monday morning routine to make sure that the bin is situated properly. They have these stupid robotic arms and so they say they have to have two feet or some crazy distance around the bin for them in order to pick it up. So, after dropping Mason and Shawn off, I always go to the back and pull in our garbage can (they ALSO come on Monday, but are capable of actually just pulling the thing around to dump into their truck) and double-check to make sure the recycling bin is close to the alley and unobstructed. It's stupid and a hassle, but it sucks more when we run out of room in the bin because they miss us for weeks at a time.
But, having had a mostly successful conversation with Eureka, I finally wrote a letter to my city council person, Russ Stark, about the parking situation in our neighborhood. We don't have a working garage. We never have, but that's never been much of a problem in the past, oh, 15 years or so. There was always plenty of room on our block to park in front of our house. These last few years, it's become really difficult.... in the middle of the day. I suspect Russ is NOT getting a ton of complaints about this, because many people come home AFTER the parking clears up. But, I will often come home at 8 am and there will be no place for me to park.
A lot of it, ironically, is due to the fact that we're a block from the Fairview Green Line stop. I don't know what is appealing about our neighborhood, but people come here to leave their cars and then take the train into work. I've watched them do it. One time I ended up sitting in my car for an extra fifteen minutes listening to the end of a radio program, and sure enough I watched THREE different people park their cars and walk to the train station.
The rest of the traffic belongs to employees of the businesses on the end of our block. I wish that the businesses had been required to provide parking for their employees, but for some reason they weren't. The irony is that there's a huge parking lot at the end of our block. It belongs to Wendy's and the Russian Tea House. The Russian Tea House has rented out some of their space, because the energy company parks their vans behind the tea house. But, I wish Wendy's would make a deal with the other employers. The lot sits empty and our block fills up.
At any rate, I asked Russ to consider permit parking. It would, at the very least, cut down on the ditch and ride people. (If you're going to commit to public transportation, you should go all the way!)
We'll see, once again, if anything comes from my complaint. But, hey, I've only been putting it off for months. I'm glad I at least wrote something finally.
I don't know if it's the weather or the fact that my usual Wednesday group has moved to Friday, but I'm feeling a little down today. I should be happier. Mason told us about the win in Alabama last night. But, but somehow I'm just feeling low. And work called. They want me in New Brighton from 5 to 8pm. It's only three hours, so I said yes. It'll probably be good for me to go out and earn a little money, too.
Neighborhood Antics
Aug. 19th, 2017 08:41 am Our neighborhood, Midway, is often, as we say here in Minnesota, "interesting." Last night, around 7 or 8 o'clock we heard a lot of swearing outside. Now, I have to admit, this is a common enough of an occurrence that I didn't think much of it at first, but it went on and on and on. To the point where, if nothing else, I wanted to stick my ear to the open window to find out if it was the kind of argument where the cops might have to be called.*
Of course, my whole family, being terrible gossips, all joined me as we strained to hear what our neighbor is yelling about. We quickly determined that it was "Boat Guy." We have nicknames for all our neighbors that we know by sight, but which we haven't yet had an opportunity to be introduced to. Boat Guy lives at the end of the block, opposite us, and has a fishing boat that he dotes on. Unfortunately, he always parks it in the street. This is a little annoying, because, lately, our block has been filing up with the cars of the people who work at Hour Car and NEC (the Neighborhood Energy Consortium.) I particularly hate the NEC people because they drive their cars into our neighborhood, park in front of my house, and DRIVE OFF IN COMPANY VANS. I might also be less annoyed with an Energy company's employs parking their cars all over, if their business weren't a block and a half from a Green Line stop and a bus didn't have a stop LITERALLY on their corner.
So, anyway, we can clearly see Boat Guy roaming up and down the street swearing up a storm because some f*cker f*cking had his f*cking boat f*cking towed and he was f*cking mad about it. He was literally trying to call people out by saying "I know who you are!" and "I'll make you have to pay $200 by slashing all your tires." He raged up and down the street, even once turning on his radio super loud to try to get people's attention I'd guess, until his wife came out and said, "That's enough, honey. Come in."
I feel for Boat Guy, honestly.
It's not okay for him to park his boat on the street. It takes up two spots AT LEAST and I'm pretty sure there are regulations about where boats are supposed to be stored. But, if his house is anything like ours, he doesn't have a decent garage, IF he has one at all. Hardly any of the houses in our neighborhood have off-street parking options. In fact, a lot of my neighbors on this side have been using the empty grass lots on the other side of the alley to park their cars in because parking is SUCH a pain around here. His alley, like ours, ends in a pretty abrupt t-interection so I'm sure it's a pain to even try to get his boat up and down the alley... even if he did have space for it.
I can't speak for the rest of the neighbors, because obviously someone called the parking police on him, but I'd take his boat over all the stupid strangers parking on my street. He's usually very conscientious about moving it around so that it's not always blocking the same house.
This is only going to get exponentially worse when the soccer stadium goes in.
-----
*A note: There was a time when I used to call for anything that seemed long-lasting. Now, given the current climate, I rarely do this unless someone actually threatens violence or the other person involved says something along the lines of 'don't you dare hit me.'
Of course, my whole family, being terrible gossips, all joined me as we strained to hear what our neighbor is yelling about. We quickly determined that it was "Boat Guy." We have nicknames for all our neighbors that we know by sight, but which we haven't yet had an opportunity to be introduced to. Boat Guy lives at the end of the block, opposite us, and has a fishing boat that he dotes on. Unfortunately, he always parks it in the street. This is a little annoying, because, lately, our block has been filing up with the cars of the people who work at Hour Car and NEC (the Neighborhood Energy Consortium.) I particularly hate the NEC people because they drive their cars into our neighborhood, park in front of my house, and DRIVE OFF IN COMPANY VANS. I might also be less annoyed with an Energy company's employs parking their cars all over, if their business weren't a block and a half from a Green Line stop and a bus didn't have a stop LITERALLY on their corner.
So, anyway, we can clearly see Boat Guy roaming up and down the street swearing up a storm because some f*cker f*cking had his f*cking boat f*cking towed and he was f*cking mad about it. He was literally trying to call people out by saying "I know who you are!" and "I'll make you have to pay $200 by slashing all your tires." He raged up and down the street, even once turning on his radio super loud to try to get people's attention I'd guess, until his wife came out and said, "That's enough, honey. Come in."
I feel for Boat Guy, honestly.
It's not okay for him to park his boat on the street. It takes up two spots AT LEAST and I'm pretty sure there are regulations about where boats are supposed to be stored. But, if his house is anything like ours, he doesn't have a decent garage, IF he has one at all. Hardly any of the houses in our neighborhood have off-street parking options. In fact, a lot of my neighbors on this side have been using the empty grass lots on the other side of the alley to park their cars in because parking is SUCH a pain around here. His alley, like ours, ends in a pretty abrupt t-interection so I'm sure it's a pain to even try to get his boat up and down the alley... even if he did have space for it.
I can't speak for the rest of the neighbors, because obviously someone called the parking police on him, but I'd take his boat over all the stupid strangers parking on my street. He's usually very conscientious about moving it around so that it's not always blocking the same house.
This is only going to get exponentially worse when the soccer stadium goes in.
-----
*A note: There was a time when I used to call for anything that seemed long-lasting. Now, given the current climate, I rarely do this unless someone actually threatens violence or the other person involved says something along the lines of 'don't you dare hit me.'
Neighborhood Politics
Mar. 1st, 2014 11:28 amI'll be honest. We have a lot of issues in my tiny Midway neighborhood, not the least of which is three--count 'em THREE--abandoned houses on the block on the other side of our alley.
But you know what makes people REALLY scream on our local e-forum? The new ban on street parking.
I actually don't blame them. The plowing in St. Paul has been sucking for a number of years now, and it's fairly ridiculous when you go to the suburbs and discover dry, wide roads that seemingly miraculously have been plowed to the curbs (proving both are POSSIBLE). It does make a person wonder what they have in the suburbs that we don't have in the city (besides, presumably, money).
Also, my street is clogged with cars on a good day; parking has always been difficult given our proximity to University Avenue and the people who work at the various businesses at the end of our block. Plus, a lot of residents, including myself, have no working garages. (We have a "garage" but it has barn doors and probably last fit a car the size of a Model-T.) This is fairly typical up and down our alley. Plus, we are in what is politely called a "high-density" neighborhood, which means a lot of what look like single-dwelling houses are actually duplexes, triplexes, and more. So, though it looks like we only have half-a-dozen houses on our block, in reality, that's more like fifteen or more families, many of whom own more than one car.
So, yeah, I'm not sure how things are going to go. I wish, in fact, if St. Paul was going to do this, they'd give residents in neighborhoods like ours parking permits and ticket and tow all the neighborhood "interlopers." I doubt I'm going to get to park in front of our house any time soon. I suspect that during these frigid weeks I may have to park blocks away and haul groceries and kid the distance....
On the flip side, right now, we have to skid to one side or another if two cars are coming down the same street from opposite directions. Because the roads are already piled high with snow and ice that are inches from the curb, the streets really are dangerously narrow when cars are parked on both sides--especially since people won't go all the way up to what exists as a curb because they still want to get out on their passenger side doors.
It's a gnarly business, though I can't help but side with the people who are screaming WELL, IF YOU'D PLOW RIGHT THE FIRST TIME WE WOULDN'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM, WOULD WE???!!
But you know what makes people REALLY scream on our local e-forum? The new ban on street parking.
I actually don't blame them. The plowing in St. Paul has been sucking for a number of years now, and it's fairly ridiculous when you go to the suburbs and discover dry, wide roads that seemingly miraculously have been plowed to the curbs (proving both are POSSIBLE). It does make a person wonder what they have in the suburbs that we don't have in the city (besides, presumably, money).
Also, my street is clogged with cars on a good day; parking has always been difficult given our proximity to University Avenue and the people who work at the various businesses at the end of our block. Plus, a lot of residents, including myself, have no working garages. (We have a "garage" but it has barn doors and probably last fit a car the size of a Model-T.) This is fairly typical up and down our alley. Plus, we are in what is politely called a "high-density" neighborhood, which means a lot of what look like single-dwelling houses are actually duplexes, triplexes, and more. So, though it looks like we only have half-a-dozen houses on our block, in reality, that's more like fifteen or more families, many of whom own more than one car.
So, yeah, I'm not sure how things are going to go. I wish, in fact, if St. Paul was going to do this, they'd give residents in neighborhoods like ours parking permits and ticket and tow all the neighborhood "interlopers." I doubt I'm going to get to park in front of our house any time soon. I suspect that during these frigid weeks I may have to park blocks away and haul groceries and kid the distance....
On the flip side, right now, we have to skid to one side or another if two cars are coming down the same street from opposite directions. Because the roads are already piled high with snow and ice that are inches from the curb, the streets really are dangerously narrow when cars are parked on both sides--especially since people won't go all the way up to what exists as a curb because they still want to get out on their passenger side doors.
It's a gnarly business, though I can't help but side with the people who are screaming WELL, IF YOU'D PLOW RIGHT THE FIRST TIME WE WOULDN'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM, WOULD WE???!!
