For some reason, brain dead drivers seem to think it’s okay to park on the sidewalk at the Tacoma street liquor store. Why? They pull up off the parking lot roadway, probably thinking they can’t park in the road, so to move out of the way of other cars, they pull up onto the sidewalk. Where pedestrians are walking(odd place for us to be, I know, but us walkers are totally freaky). There’s even been some big yellow posts put up to stop this from happening, which shows how often it happens, but there was a few feet of space between the liquor store and the grocery store that didn’t get any put in, so that’s where the drivers still head for. Apparently, they haven’t clued in to why the posts were put up. They must think that was left for their special parking needs.
News flash- it’s illegal to park on sidewalks! And yes, you are parked. Leaving your buddy in the passenger seat while the car is still running and you run into the store, still qualifies as parked. Any time you shift into the “P” gear, you are parked, whether it’s for twenty minutes or twenty seconds. Even if it wasn’t considered parked- it’s a freakin’ sidewalk, cars do not belong there!
What if you hit somebody? Which one came close to doing to me the other day. I’d love to hear your defense when the police come- “geez, officer I honestly thought I was allowed to park on the sidewalk. I didn’t expect there to be people walking there.”
There’s a whole parking lot there to use, just because you’re only popping in to buy some booze, does not give you permission to do stupid things. And it is stupid. And thoughtless.
—Po’d Pedestrian
This article appears in May 21-27, 2009.
that reminds me of the dickheads who park in fire zones with their 4-ways on. do they really think that having their 4-ways on makes it legal? I used to watch people doing it at the liquor store in sackville while the cops sat their and wrote tickets. unbelievably, people argued with the cops about it!
What most people don’t realize, is that when you’re parked illegally, your insurance is null and void. Say you’re parked in a fire lane and a fire breaks out. The fire trucks show up and you’re in the way, so they smash out your windows and feed the hoses through your car. Guess what? They’re not liable for it, you are. If you’re parked on the sidewalk and someone smashes into your car, you’re 100% at fault (unless they’re driving illegally ie drunk, stoned, no license etc). It’s the same for kids who still have the N on their license. Drive after midnight and your insurance is null and void.
I don’t know shit about driving, because I can’t drive. But even my ignorant ass knows sidewalks are for feet and roads are for wheels.
I wish someone would tell that to the fuckers that drive the trucks to northwood. They are always on the sidewalk. You have to walk out on the street to get around them. In the winter you have to climb the snowbanks to get to the street to get around them.