This is my hell. Check it out:A foot or two of snow shouldn't be enough to make someone weep. It should bring fun, tobogganing, snowmen, and skiing right to our front door.
But it's not any fun if you're trying to find on-street parking near your house.
That snowfall becomes a mountain of trouble once the plow rolls through and piles it high.
Unlike in the 'burbs, in downtown Toronto you can't hire a guy with a shovel on the front of his truck to plow your space. You can dig out a spot on the street, but that pristine piece of pavement is only yours until you need your car again. Then your friendly neighbour swoops in, takes advantage of the hours of back-breaking snow hurling you did to clear the space, and leaves you with the unsatisfactory duty of ramming your car into a snowbank and calling it "parked".
In Boston, there are rules to control this mayhem. You shovel it and the spot is yours. Yep, squatters' rights exist for up to 48 hours after a snowfall. To mark their spot, residents leave lawn furniture or recycling boxes. After 48 hours, city trash crews will come by and junk your furniture, freeing the spot again.
If you decide to be a flake and steal the shovelled-out spot, expect consequences -- everything from sliced tires to brawls have happened, the Boston Globe reports.
Last week's snowstorm had me spinning my wheels here in T.O. With our driveway blocked, and all the salvageable spots on the street gone, we ended up parking at the Catholic school down the street.
Then the plows came. First the sidewalk plow, then the street snow mover. From the back bumper of the car to the road seemed like a huge mountain to move. After 15 minutes of digging, while the snow mounted around me, a man across the street with a snowblower (and avalanche rescue training, clearly) came to my rescue.
NO WORDS NECESSARY
Doing his best Moses impression, he parted the white seas to allow my vehicle to pass. No words were exchanged between us in the blinding snow, just a nod. Beer's on me, neighbour.
After picking up the groceries I came home and stuffed the car into a snowbank, and that was that.
There has to be a better way in this city to park in the winter.
But it's not any fun if you're trying to find on-street parking near your house.
That snowfall becomes a mountain of trouble once the plow rolls through and piles it high.
Unlike in the 'burbs, in downtown Toronto you can't hire a guy with a shovel on the front of his truck to plow your space. You can dig out a spot on the street, but that pristine piece of pavement is only yours until you need your car again. Then your friendly neighbour swoops in, takes advantage of the hours of back-breaking snow hurling you did to clear the space, and leaves you with the unsatisfactory duty of ramming your car into a snowbank and calling it "parked".
In Boston, there are rules to control this mayhem. You shovel it and the spot is yours. Yep, squatters' rights exist for up to 48 hours after a snowfall. To mark their spot, residents leave lawn furniture or recycling boxes. After 48 hours, city trash crews will come by and junk your furniture, freeing the spot again.
If you decide to be a flake and steal the shovelled-out spot, expect consequences -- everything from sliced tires to brawls have happened, the Boston Globe reports.
Last week's snowstorm had me spinning my wheels here in T.O. With our driveway blocked, and all the salvageable spots on the street gone, we ended up parking at the Catholic school down the street.
Then the plows came. First the sidewalk plow, then the street snow mover. From the back bumper of the car to the road seemed like a huge mountain to move. After 15 minutes of digging, while the snow mounted around me, a man across the street with a snowblower (and avalanche rescue training, clearly) came to my rescue.
NO WORDS NECESSARY
Doing his best Moses impression, he parted the white seas to allow my vehicle to pass. No words were exchanged between us in the blinding snow, just a nod. Beer's on me, neighbour.
After picking up the groceries I came home and stuffed the car into a snowbank, and that was that.
There has to be a better way in this city to park in the winter.
And the city is threatening to fine anyone who doesn't clear their sidewalks within 24 hours of a snowfall. How about clearing my street? Its only been a week now. How's that for fair city services? Gimmie a break!
courtesy of http://www.torontosun.com/
1 comment:
Clearing your sidewalk is a thing of the past around here. I guess it's because no one walks anymore.
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