Tensions were running high on Manchester Street last week, thank to a Mitsubishi SUV that was parked for a long-term stay while taking up two (2!) street parking spaces.
The car was finally moved over the weekend, but not before Neighbor Chris reported that the natives had become restless:
Anyway, on Friday I saw a funny scene of a car that’d obviously been parked waaay too long on our block, and taking up 2 spaces as well, adding salt to the wounds of those circling the block looking for spaces: I can’t decide if we are just way too lenient over here on Manchester for a vehicle to acquire that much literature, or if this car had some special anti-towing force field that can only be neutralized with more notes.
Let’s zoom and enhance to get a closer look at the messages, shall we? On the passenger side of the vehicle, we had one (possibly) official warning and an angry note that ended with a wholly insincere expression of gratitude:
On the driver’s side, we had one confirmed angry note that clearly included exasperated underlining, a second likely angry-note candidate (folded), and a pink item on cardstock that could have been a business card solicitation from a handyman or house-cleaner:
Since the car is gone as you now read this, our hope is that the neighbors on Manchester are now free turn their attention to other literary pursuits.
UPDATE, 29 August: On behalf of the Citizens of Oregon, The Oregonian has issued an apology to all the Citizens of Bernalwood for the behavior of this vehicle. In return, Bernalwood would like to convey our most sincere air-kisses and good cheer to The Oregonian.
PHOTOS: Neighbor Chris
Bernalwood 
seems like a good spot for a parklett
Well played.
+1
Dang oregonians coming here and taking our parking spots! Get the pitchforks!
Each of us should have a pad of giant post-its with “You’re a jerk parker!” or “Space Hog” or “Learn to Park!” printed hugely, and just slap them on these offenders….
“The spots are marked by gray paint”
Since when does MTA use gray paint to mark parking spaces?
Gray paint may have been used to obliterate illegal red/blue/yellow/white paint neighbors commonly use to mark-it-yourself on the curb to discourage parking.
Grey is used to cover tagging.
Let me remind everyone that if you have an out-of-state car that “lives” on your street, you have every right to report it. Often people don’t register to avoid registration fees, or they have cars that cannot comply with the air pollution laws. See the CHP website for more info!
I know a woman who has been a resident of SF, & a homeowner in BH since the 1980’s, and she “still” has an Oregon License Plate! She has also bought new car, after new car…but the Oregon Plate remains on every car she has owned. This is cheating U, me, & the State of California out of much need revenues. Please do report, it can be done anonymously.
Oregon doesn’t deserve our tax revenue! While we have to deal with their air pollution! I bet she still registers her bike there too and not with the Ingleside police station!
You’re not supposed to park longer than 72 hours, but the reality is you can park for 9 days before the city takes any action. If you call 311 to report a car that’s been parked for 72 hours, it will take them up to 72 hours to come and put the official warning on the car. Then if the car is still there 72 hours after that, they will tow the car. Somebody has to call in the complaint both times (1 – the car has been parked in the spot over 72 hours and, 2 – the car has the warning notice on it and it’s been over 72 hours). My block, on the north slope, has no street cleaning, so people know they can leave their car there for over a week with no repercussions.
Ahem….. what street do you live on?
We get the most idiotic parkers here in BH than anywhere else in the city. I’m always leaving notes on cars to let them know that taking up 2 parking spaces is not cool. Usually too the cars are the expensive ones (Benzo’s, Beemers, Jags, etc…). When you buy one of those cars, do you get a certificate to park like that? Just plain idiots!
True, they will Block your drive-way, and can careless about it, even with your curb painted red…grrrrr!
well, I just floated the idea of getting residential parking in out neighboorhood. I live on Shotwell/Mirabel and am interested in any one who would like to join the effort. We need at least a mile radius and 250 signatures, anyone willing to help??? It would at least get rid of all the long term parkers. It has become a nightmare and I feel we should give it a try. Please reply if willing to help
Curious why all of SF doesn’t have this and why would neighborhoods be against it? The revenue opportunity for the city seems like a win. Surely enough to pay the salary of the “meter maid”.
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Residential parking permits cost $109 annually and even permitted cars are supposed to be moved at least every 72 hours. Sorry, Beth, but I hope you are not able to get 250 signatures. Next thing you know people will start calling for the street cleaners in Bernal, too, which will turn parking here into true joy.
How this will help is that non-permitted cars can be towed after 2 hours (or whatever the limit is).
I would be happy to pay the $109/year to make parking easier near my home. And this has nothing to do with street cleaning, nobody is calling for that.
I am not in favor of street cleaning, mainly because there is NO WHERE to park due to long term parkers who don’t even live here. I would also assume that if you have a permit they are not looking to tag your car, besides why can’t you move your car every 3 days??As it is now if you go on an extended trip you still have to deal with that issue. The funny thing is you are the first (out of 25 on the Mirabel blog) to mention the cost and I thought that would be a bigger deal. I’m just trying to come up with a possible solution to the problem.
The street cleaners are already in Bernal. . .and what’s wrong with them anyway? I think they are the solution to your problem anyway. The long term parkers seek out streets without street cleaning so they can leave them their for more than seven days while they are on vacation, up to no good, or just don’t want to deal with their car. Street cleaning would mean they would need to move their car at least once during a seven day period, most likely on a week day. That is usually counter to what the long term parkers are looking for.
We have street cleaning on our street and it’s glorious: we get sparkly clean and fresh streets, no long term parkers, and it forces a mid week shuffle that discourages the > 72 hour parkers. Wins all around in my book.
No residential parking stickers! They are such a hassle. For example, when my elderly relatives come to visit, I don’t want them to have to move their car after two hours or face a big ticket. Residential parking permits are a racket to increase ticket revenue for the city.
If you have a problem with people parking long term who don’t live here, file a report via 311. I’ve done it; it’s surprisingly fast and easy.
311 is a great resource and I applaud that you are proposing a solution without imposing further costs (permit stickers) on those that live here.
311 is a great resource expect between the time you notice the car over parked and the time they come out and ticket it and the time they have to remove it you’re talking a minimum of 8 days!! The car is usually moved to another spot to repeat the process. I am looking at at least 4 hour permits which doesn’t seem unreasonable. $109 a year is less than the aggrevation of not being able to park within 2 blocks at night and the city can use the revenue. Why should our neighborhood be used as a free parking zone for the rest of the city? I wish it hadn’t come to this, but something has to be done as our quality of life has become compromised and as you can see tempers are flaring!!
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It certainly seems easy to blame this on those pesky non-Bernalites but before you go to the trouble of adding one more log to the fire of parking insanity are you really sure permits are the right solution or even a solution? If people are parking on your street at night permits won’t apply.
I am not blaming anyone other than people who use our streets for long term parking. When I go to other neighborhoods I abide by their parking rules. It would at least help get rid of stowed cars and if that frees up a couple spots on each block for those of us who live there then I’m happy.
The owner of the car apologized profusely to the lady whose house he was parked in front of. The gray parking space markers on Manchester are hard to see at night.
All the car parking discussions on this site make me think that as cool as we think we are in Bernal that we are uber car dependent and that not very many people are walking, riding a bike or taking transit in our neighborhood.
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