Dear PoPville,

I wanted to email you about valet companies/restaurants probably illegally profiting from the use of public parking spaces.

I was meeting a friend last night for dinner in Chinatown, and found a spot to park. It was by 7th and Indiana. As I was in the middle of parallel parking, a man in a valet parking uniform came up and blocked my way claiming it was a valet spot.

I’m a little familiar with Chinatown and I know that certain spots are marked as valet spots. I challenged the guy and said ‘doesn’t look like it. There’s no special valet sign, just a normal sign stating the zone and that it’s a 2 hour spot.’ We argued back and forth for a bit but as he was not budging and another spot opened up, I just went ahead and took that spot. I was pretty sure the guy was being sketchy so I called Dc police to ask about parking policy; I was told that if there’s no special valet sign they can’t just randomly claim any parking space by standing on it. The police said that they would be happy to come over and settle the dispute. I said it was okay as I had found another spot and that I wanted to know what to do in the future.

Of course, I pretty much knew that those sketchy valets knew but I decided to confront them and tell them that they were wrong. They pretended to play stupid and instructed to talk to the restaurant manager that they were working for. When I spoke to the restaurant manager, she instructed me to call the valet company they use to contract out the job. Of course, neither party is taking any responsibility and is not even pretending to remedy the obvious abuse of public property. (I.e “We will look into it.”)

Anyways, it incenses me that private companies like this should be profiting from public parking spaces like that. They should at least do the decent thing and get a permit for that like most every other restaurant. So anyways, I would like to write a letter to the appropriate DC government agency and I was wondering if you could direct me.

District Department of Transportation?

Example of how a valet sign should look:

Dear PoPville,

My girlfriend and I live in a small apartment building. Since we moved in six months ago, we’ve been having a problem with this loud knocking/banging noise coming from inside the wall that happens most nights and keeps us awake, sometimes for a long time. We’re pretty sure it’s the water pipes, because when we run the hot water from our kitchen sink, the noise happens. But it also happens at other times when our water is off–presumably when one or more other tenants in the building uses hot water–including when we need to sleep.

We have tried earplugs (various types) with no luck. We’re used to some noise (we live on 16th Street) but this is very loud and right in our bedroom.

Our property manager hasn’t fixed it. We have sent him email after email for five months and he just keeps saying he will talk to the contractor. But nothing has changed. It’s incredibly frustrating.

Do we have any way to force the property manager to fix this? Can we hire our own plumber, even though this likely involves the plumbing of other units in our building too?

Whatever suggestions you can give us would be a huge help. We are tired of this literally and figuratively.

Any suggestions beyond contacting the Office of the Tenant Advocate?

Dear PoPville,

As of last week, it appears that DC Parks and Rec has banned patrons from bringing water bottles to all DC Pools. From what I understand, a DC health official shut down/fined Wilson Aquatics Center for allowing swimmers to have water bottles on the pool deck. They are arguing that allowing water bottles on the pool deck violates District of Columbia Register Vol. 55 No. 52 Part 1 Section 6403.4(f) (December 26, 2008).

The regulation basically prohibits “the consumption of food or beverages in areas other than the specifically designated eating areas that are separated from the swimming pool.” I’ve attached the regulation. [DC swimming pool regs - DCR vol 55 no 52 part 1 Dec. 2008] Relevant language on page 7, highlighted. I don’t think this regulations is currently being applied as intended.

As you can imagine, this ban on liquids is problematic for people training for swimming events, especially as many DPR facilities don’t have functioning drinking fountains. It will also become increasingly problematic, and a health hazard for everyone, as we move into the summer with increasing temperatures and the opening of the outdoor pools.

Marion Barry is the Council Chair over the committee that covers Parks and Rec. Here are the other Council members on the committee.

I think contacting Barry or other members of the Council could be helpful.

UPDATE: NBC4′s Tom Sherwood tweets:

“DC Recreation & public health dept say they will NOT ban water bottles at Wilson, other city pools.”

Dear PoPville,

I’ve a got a problem and I would appreciate PoPville’s advice. I live in a row house near the corner of a major street in Columbia Heights. The problem is that me and my neighbor’s alley fence seem to be a preferred spot for inebriated individuals and the homeless to relive themselves – No. 1 and 2. In addition to using our fence as a toilet, the alley is also a preferred place to down some brews and bum wine based on the trash I pick up there almost weekly.

It’s vile – I can’t even spend time in my backyard the smell is so bad.

Is there anything I can do to make the area less attractive to guys looking for relief?

“Dear PoPville,

Im shocked that DC may be the first US city where I’ve lived and can’t find a Polish deli. Any suggestions on the best ones in the suburbs?”

I know there is the The Kielbasa Factory in Rockville, MD. Anyone know of others?

Dear PoPville,

Just wanted to let you know about a scam that has been occurring on 15th Street between and around Massachusetts and P Streets, NW, area. A dark-skinned man with a Kangol-like cap claims he’s a taxi cab driver and approaches pedestrians who are usually walking alone and rushing to their destination. He has two $10 bills in hand and asks if the pedestrian has a $20 bill in exchange for the two $10 bills. The pedestrian provides the guy a $20 bill and takes the two $10s. As the pedestrian walks away, he yells out, indicating that the pedestrian gave him a dollar, not a $20. Embarrassed, the pedestrian takes the $1 bill back and gives the man a $20.

They guy just made $19. The pedestrian had given him a $20 bill originally, and he quickly switched for a $1 bill, subsequently yelling after the pedestrian for giving him the small bill.

I got scammed this way last week in front of Latrobe Apartments on 15th, a block up from Whole Foods, realizing minutes after the exchange that I originally had $45 on me, two $20s and a $5 bill, that is, I had no dollar bills to mistakenly give this guy. My coworker was just approached this morning on 15th and Massachusetts in the intersection. Knowing about how I was scammed, she gave the guy a firm “no” and continued on her way. Can’t help but wonder what happens when the pedestrian has no other $20 bills to give to the guy (i.e., if he or she had only one $20 bill to begin with and thus couldn’t exchange it for a $1 bill even if he/she wanted to).

Dear PoPville,

I’m desperate! An apartment building that adjoins our property keeps a garbage bin right next to our property. Every few days it overflows, and trash is thrown next to the dumpster by residents even when it is not full- I’ve even seen them throw it down (and miss) from the fourth story window!

This has been going on for many months and I’ve contacted the management company multiple times, suggesting that they take measures to control the rats (I’ve seen them climbing out of the dumpster!) and the amount of garbage and overflow: more frequent pick ups, add an extra dumpster, etc.

The dumpster is located on private property near Logan Circle. I have documented the overflows with pictures- probably more than 20 over the past year (some of which I have sent to the management company). I’m at my whits end! Who in the city government (or elsewhere) can help?

Dear PoPville,

I’ve lived on my street in lower Shaw for seven years, not that it should matter. Our building has a small patch of grass with no fencing. We’re really the only non-wrought iron fenced lawn on the block. We’re also the crappiest building on the block, but again, that shouldn’t matter. I’m writing because recently I’ve started politely asking people not to curb their dog on our lawn. I’m a tenant, it is private property and the many children in the building play on this space. Dogs are not permitted in the building so it’s not an issue with the tenants who share the property. I’ve encountered everything from “I’ve lived in this neighborhood for X years!!” to anger and people flinging curses at me to the weirdest “Go back to Norther Virginia (bleep bleep)!” I’m working with the landlord to put up those no-pooping signs, but in the meantime I just wanted to see if anyone out there in PoPville can tell me why my neighbors feel so entitled to let their dog feces be, even if temporarily, plotzed upon private property? Would it be okay if I curbed a dog on your fenced lawn even if I cleaned it up? I’m frustrated and pretty sure the next time someone reacts with anything but “Oh, no problem” I’m going to scream like a crazy person.

Open to Suggestions

Dear PoPville,

As I was leaving the arboretum today I noticed a white surveillance balloon rising above New York Ave east of Bladensburg road.

No idea what this is about. but it seemed kind of peculiar.

It looks like it is Air Photos Live, a “Digital Design & Imaging Service”.  In the past we’ve seen them spotted them on 14th Street in Logan Circle.

Photo by PoPville flickr user A. Drauglis

Dear PoPville,

Everyday on my walk to the Columbia Heights metro, I cross 16th street on Park road, but yesterday I noticed that there are no longer men lingering outside the Hermano Pedro Day Shelter / Shrine of Sacred Heart Church.

Having had several scary experiences with men blocking my way on the sidewalk, shouting profanities, spitting in my face, and then banging on the windows of cars stopped at the stoplight on Park, I can’t say that I’m not pleased. Just curious about whether this is part of some larger change in the neighborhood.

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