Streetcleaning: double edged sword for cyclists...

who own motor vehicles.

What I dislike about streetcleaning, like many other city services, is its guise.  Yes, it's a necessary service, especially for cyclists.  It's this very sweeping of debris that keeps us from getting more frequent flats.  It seems we get screwed more often though.  Well at least those of us who own motor vehicles, since we tend to drive less and often park on the street.

I have come to terms with the fact that streetcleaning is a means to acquire revenue for the city.  Yes they are doing a service, but they are also counting on motorists not moving their vehicles so that they can collect revenue.  If everyone moved their vehicles accordingly, I am sure the mayor would be fairly upset.  It's this opportunistic behavior I hate, yes hate!  Kind of like that guy in the earlier thread.  The one about the abandoned bike...you know he didn't want the owner to claim the bike, so he could take it as his own.   

So as I stare out my window and look at that bright orange ticket splattered on my windshield, I am upset.  So much so that I gave myself a headache.  Not at having to pay, but at having forgotten to move my car yet again.  I feel like the guy from memento, hopefully I wont get run down by a (insert mode of transportation here) as I am wandering on the (insert location here) aimlessly in a senile stupor one day.  rant over.   

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Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on August 4, 2010 at 5:57am
Is there also some devious scheme behind the occasional power washing of the CTA train platforms too?

"I have come to terms with the fact that streetcleaning is a means to acquire revenue for the city."

If this were remotely true, they'd post the notices in the middle of the night(with hours like 12AM-4AM listed), clean the streets, then give your car a nice orange addition for you.

Checking for temporary NO PARKING signs on a regular basis might help.
Permalink Reply by heather s on August 4, 2010 at 6:41am
It is not opportunistic to fine people who don't follow the rules. Do you feel this way about all revenue-generating means of law enforcement, or only this one instance which actually affects your? Is it opportunistic to ticket and fine people who speed or drive recklessly? How about parking in front of a hydrant or bus stop?

If they didn't issue fines, then no one would move their cars. If no one moved their cars, the street couldn't be swept properly. So if you don't want to be ticketed, then set an alarm or something so you won't forget to move your car.

I can see that you're acknowledging your fault here, but I think there are plenty of easy solutions to this problem other than blaming the city for enforcing the rules.
Permalink Reply by mike w. on August 4, 2010 at 7:08am
Street cleaning is bad enough, and i do remember when in certain areas the signage would not be posted until the morning of (they used to do that a lot by my old college.) The other thing they still do is not pull the signs down right away. If you do park there after the cleaner passes but before the signs come down, you're hit. They often pass before 9AM, but leave the signs up all day.

But they have been getting better at posting the signs well in advance. The thing that gets me riled is the zoned parking. In the zone where i work there are several different time spans that are used (7:00-4:00, &:30-9:00, All day, Weekdays, etc, etc), and in some streets they vary from one side to the other and sometimes in mid block.
Permalink Reply by David on August 4, 2010 at 7:30am
I know you're just venting over a ticket, but the city has no choice here. If they didn't give tickets, people wouldn't move their cars, and the monthly street sweeping really does make the city much more livable.

I used to forget street cleaning day all the time. This year, though, I went to my ward's website where all the cleaning dates are posted, added them all to my google calendar, and set it to send me both an sms and an email the day before and the morning of the street cleaning. If you don't use your car every day, I highly recommend doing something like that. Don't wait for the signs to go up, if you're a bike commuter, you'll never notice them.
Permalink Reply by Duppie on August 4, 2010 at 7:32am
Adriana said:
If this is the case, why did the city lower the number of outstanding tickets to two in order to make your car bootable? The City wants its money!

Of course they want their money. And they should want it, since as a citizen of this fine city, it is also "my" money (i.e. traffic fines go into general funds that pay for services that benefit me, and everybody else)

I live close to a MickeyD and you might be surprised how might garbage blows down our street. I hate it when on street cleaning day a park is car is parked in front of our house and prevents the street from being swept.
Lack of attention from the owners part should not make it my problem.
Permalink Reply by Duppie on August 4, 2010 at 7:39am
Adriana said:
Really? How do I improve my short term memory? This is my underlining problem and frustration.

I think the underlying problem is that you don't take personal responsibility and blame it on your short term memory. If you cannot remember, and accept, all the rules and responsibilities that come with car ownership, then maybe you shouldn't own a car?
Permalink Reply by Duppie on August 4, 2010 at 7:47am
I agree that a lot of money in this city is not spent appropriately. But that is a different discussion than the one at hand.

Adriana said:
Hey, hey, hey the rest of that statement included Not that there's anything wrong with that and I do check, I do...I just have the short term memory of a goldfish. I am not stupid, and my lack of attention causes me much pain... I am a citizen too and I love this city, doesn't mean that "my" money is being used appropriately!

Duppie said:
Adriana said:
If this is the case, why did the city lower the number of outstanding tickets to two in order to make your car bootable? The City wants its money!

Of course they want their money. And they should want it, since as a citizen of this fine city, it is also "my" money (i.e. traffic fines go into general funds that pay for services that benefit me, and everybody else)

I live close to a MickeyD and you might be surprised how might garbage blows down our street. I hate it when on street cleaning day a park is car is parked in front of our house and prevents the street from being swept.
Lack of attention from the owners part should not make it my problem.
Permalink Reply by Ricardo Cervantes on August 4, 2010 at 8:19am
Double edged swords on streets should definitely be cleaned. They can lead to more flats.
Permalink Reply by S on August 4, 2010 at 8:28am
Ricardo Cervantes said:
Double edged swords on streets should definitely be cleaned. They can lead to more flats.

And impalements, I hate it when I accidentally fall on a sword (my own or otherwise).

Permalink Reply by milesperhour on August 4, 2010 at 8:40am
Thankfully, I have a garage, but I feel for the original OP. In my neighborhood, they put signs up a day before the street cleaning. I can completely understand how someone may miss the signs if they don't drive every day or are on a business trip. So I agree, it is a revenue source for the city. If not, they would put signs up several days prior. I think most cars get ticketed because they didn't know, not because they're too lazy to move their car. Who here likes getting ticketed?

To make it worse, they don't put up enough signs on my street. You could park at the beginning of the block and not see the sign on the next block and then get ticketed, which is exactly what happens. If that happened to me, I would fight it.
Permalink Reply by T.C. O'Rourke on August 4, 2010 at 4:21pm
Why the hell do we allow individuals to store their private property in the public right of way to begin with?

Regardless, were you really imagining sympathy over your parking tickets from the bicyclist forum?
Permalink Reply by heather s on August 4, 2010 at 4:24pm
Look, I offered a simple solution to a simple problem. I can't remember everything I need to do either, which is why I keep a calendar.

Also, sorry to derail into semantics, but 'opportunistic' actually does have a negative connotation. You can't use that word and then say "morality is not in question." It doesn't only mean 'to take advantage of an opportunity;' it also means to act selfishly and without principle, in one's own interest, without regard for the impacts on others. Ticketing for illegal behavior is not opportunistic. Its nature is fundamentally civic.

Adriana said:
.... So if you don't want to be ticketed, then set an alarm or something so you won't forget to move your car.

Thank you for your in-depth solution.

I can see that you're acknowledging your fault here, but I think there are plenty of easy solutions to this problem other than blaming the city for enforcing the rules.

Really? How do I improve my short term memory? This is my underlining problem and frustration.

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