What’s up with that?

Written by Peter Gailunas

For the past few weeks, the City has been towing cars that are parked on East Fourth Street between M and N Streets.  I understand that these cars are parked illegally – well, at least I assume they are even though there are no signs posted.  The City is on it daily towing cars parked in these spots.  But why aren’t they towing a few blocks down in the area in front of the post office on Emerson Street? 

How many times have you gone to mail a letter or buy a book of stamps at the post office on East Third Street and then abandoned the task all together because there is nowhere to park or nowhere to drive for that matter?  What is up with the jumble of cars in the middle of East Third and Emerson?  Without designated parking spots with lines to guide people parking their car, there is no sense of decorum at all.  It’s cars facing Emerson and cars facing East Third.  It’s cars hanging out into the middle of the street and cars parked on the ends.  It’s like a bad set of teeth – all crooked and ugly. 

It doesn’t matter whether you are driving down Emerson towards Dorchester Street or Emerson towards H Street.  It’s like driving the wrong way on a one way street when in fact it is a two way street.  Numerous times I’ve had to back up because another car was coming the other way and there was nowhere for me or the other car to go thanks for the crazy cluster of cars.  Also, if you are on Emerson and need to cross over to East Third behind the crazy cluster, you take your life into your own hands because cars can come at you at every angle. Complete chaos. 

And God help the poor bastard that dares to double-park to quickly mail a letter.  In an instant, there is automatic gridlock and the person mailing the letter is subjected to dirty looks and verbal abuse. 

So why then, are there never any parking tickets?  Why does the City turn a blind eye to this cluster but then ticket and tow every chance they get in the patch of land where Emerson and East Fourth come together in front of Emerson Cleaners.  At least there is a little bit of organized effort there.  I realize that it is a bus route and that if people park too far down on East Fourth towards N Street, a bus can’t fit.  But those times are few and far between.  I feel like what’s good for one end of Emerson should be good for the other.  So either let cars park in designated spots or ticket and tow.  Simple as that.