As usual, the summer months have waned too quickly, and (our beloved) Cornell students are back in the swing of their educational endeavors. For Quad Blogger and the rest of the townies, it also means the end of easy parking at: Wegmans, various spots around campus and, most notably, in and around Collegetown. You know what I’m talking about — the areas down both sides of College Avenue, Bryant Avenue, Eddy Street and the coveted 24-hour parking along Linden Avenue.
Those of us who have to drive into work every day spend a lot of time careening through these streets searching for a space, only to end up parking somewhere that might as well be in Newfield.
S’Okay. QB understands that students need to park in Collegetown as much as the rest of us do. Call it QB’s unwavering hope in a socialist utopia, but for all that’s sacred, PLEASE PARK CORRECTLY. Anyone who’s spent any amount of time with a vehicle in Collegetown must know the unholy, red-faced fury of coming upon a perfectly good space that’s being eaten up unnecessarily by a wayward, bad-mannered parker.
None of this should be taken to mean we’re assuming it’s the students alone who are the offenders. But with Collegetown now jammed to the brim with cars, it seems worthwhile to point out a few rules of etiquette surrounding parking:
1. Park as close as is legally possible to the end of a driveway. We note an egregious violation of this rule here:
A full two feet of precious space could’ve been saved had this parker pulled up closer to the driveway lip.
2. Similarly, pull up to the arrowed signs that say “No parking anytime” (beyond this point, as specified by said arrow) as close as is legally possible. In fact, cheat a little, and pull the nose of your vehicle a few inches beyond the sign. No one’s going to ticket you for that, as long as you’re substantially behind the sign, and some thankful person will come along and find a space behind you where there wouldn’t have been one otherwise. This person did not do this. It is hard to tell from the picture, but there is NOT enough room left for someone to park in front of this car, either:
These rules are very simple but very effective. Let’s all do our part. By the way, all of this goes doubly when the snow hits.
For the love of God! Is this so difficult?! I cannot tell you how many times I have attempted to park my compact car in the tiny spaces left over from people who have not backed up or moved forward as far as they can. Only to find (through much embarrassment and frustration) that even my tiny car won’t fit. And how about people who refuse to park against the curb?? And when the person in front of you parks at an angle, and you have to sidle your way out of the space for 15 minutes. Thank you for this post. And thank you for letting me rant on your site.
Phew.
No one’s going to ticket you for that, as long as you’re substantially behind the sign
Oh, QB, you are an optimistic sort.
Last year, I was ticketed for having the handle on the gate of my Subaru sticking out behind a No Parking sign. Appeal was denied.
It’s war out there, my friend.