parking

About those New ‘Expired’ Visitor Parking Passes You Got in the Mail

By Prince Of Petworth

16002721971_110e472bfa_z

“Dear PoPville,

I received in the mail today a new Visitor Parking Pass for 2013-14, which expired in September. I understand that they are actually valid through the end of the year, but why go through the expense and effort of sending out new passes this late in the year?

Maybe it’s a DDOT holiday gift? Maybe it’s the thought that counts?

Curious if any POPvillagers have received new passes as well…

Oh, and in anticipation of potential comments —

1) we already have a VPP for 2013-14 (so this isn’t in response to a request)

2) the envelope doesn’t look like it was lost in the mail for months (so it’s not an issue of it having been lost in USPS’s hands for most of the year)”

another reader writes:

“A few weeks ago I registered for a 2015 parking pass from DDOT. So I was surprised today to receive in the mail an expired 2014 parking pass, along with a letter that says my “new” pass is valid from Oct. 1, 2013-Sept. 31, 2014. Is this a glitch? Am I alone, or did this happen to people all over the city? I know this particular DC program has been a garbage fire for a while now, so I’m eager to learn whether we’re witnessing new depths of incompetence.

For the record, DC will continue to recognize the 2014 parking passes through Dec. 31 of this year. But it still makes no sense to send out the letter and pass shown in the attached photograph.”

Last night in trying to clear up some of the confusion @DDOTDC tweeted:

“Regarding VPP, If you registered b4 the 2015 pass opened Oct. 1, you were sent a 2014 pass. You will get a 2015 pass by December 31, 2014.”

Ed. Note: Reminds me a bit of the upside down flag fiasco.

UPDATE from Judi Gold – Deputy Director, Constituent Services – Councilmember Muriel Bowser:

“Some of you have been in contact with us regarding the expiration date on your new Visitor Parking Permits. I have been in touch with DDOT and they have provided the following information.

More than 22,000 residents have registered for a 2015 Visitor Parking Pass (VPP). An additional 3,900 residents registered and may have received a 2014 Pass in error. Furthermore, the website and the letter mailed with the 2014 VPPs were confusing. We take full responsibility for all of this. Please note that every resident who registered for a Visitor’s Parking Pass between August and December 15th will receive a 2015 VPP by December 31st. If you experience problems registering for Visitor Parking Pass online, please contact DDOT’s call center at (202) 671-2700.”

“This pilot will use the Chinatown/Penn Quarter area as a laboratory to test state-of-the-art strategies to make it easier to find parking spaces”

By Prince Of Petworth

chinatown_parking
Photo by PoPville flickr user Joseph Leonardo

From DDOT:

“The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) recently announced the launch of parkDC: Chinatown/Penn Quarter, the multimodal value pricing pilot, which is expected to make parking easier and reduce congestion. The pilot will encompass all 1,300 metered on-street parking spaces in the area bounded by H Street, NW; E Street, NW; 11th Street, NW; and 3rd Street, NW. This pilot will use the Chinatown/Penn Quarter area as a laboratory to test state-of-the-art strategies to make it easier to find parking spaces and reduce congestion. The project will accomplish this by doing the following:

(a) Providing real-time parking-availability information so customers spend less time searching, and

(b) Changing parking pricing so more spaces are available,

(c) Making parking signage more easily understood. (more…)

Be Careful How You Park Your Car in Cleveland Park

By Prince Of Petworth

IMAG0056

“Dear PoPville,

This was stuck on a car windshield on Porter Street this morning.

Having seen the comments on bad parking on PoP many times, I know someone will say, “Well maybe they parked in between two cars that were there at the time and that’s why they are taking up a spot and a half…”

This car was at the end of the parking lane, with five feet between their rear bumper and the parking zone sign.

So it really was a douchie parking job…”

Heads Up – DDOT “under no obligation to post signs giving advance notice of zoning changes”

By Prince Of Petworth

15767091227_0a7c366668_z

“Dear PoPville,

Does anyone know if the city is required to provide advance warning to residents if it intends to turn an unzoned street into a newly zoned parking area requiring the appropriate permit? I’m asking because I came home from work one day in August to find that the unzoned street I was parked on in north Petworth (Gallatin Street) had suddenly become a Zone 4D, permit-only area. The city provided NO advance notice that this change would happen and — even better — immediately ticketed all of the cars that were parked there without the proper permit! I had three tickets for $90 waiting for me the same day the change went into effect.

I challenged my tickets. I lost. I also reached out to DDOT, which just got back to me (months later) and claims it is not responsible for putting up signs that warn people that the parking rules are about to change. Feels very much like a kangaroo court to me…

PS — If anyone feels that I am in the wrong for parking on an unzoned street, it’s because I LIVE on an unzoned street and do not qualify for an RPP. In other words, I had no choice.

PPS — Also, as it happens, DDOT got back to me after I e-mailed you and confirmed that they are under no obligation to post signs giving advance notice of zoning changes. The DDOT person actually told me that it would be a great thing to take up with my elected officials and she agreed my tickets were unfair. (Still had to pay them, though!)“

A Friendly Reminder That, No, You Can’t Park in Crispus Attucks Park

By Prince Of Petworth

10509481_10152433953411811_6501351309580763240_n

From Crispus Attucks Park:

“For anyone who regularly traverses the park: it is against park policy to park anywhere on park property–even by a foot. This is because we spend a significant amount of effort each year on planting and maintaining the grass and shrubbery. And of course, it’s not in our by-laws to maintain a parking lot.

Thus, please never hesitate to call 911 and request and officer to come ticket the vehicle. They will then put in an order to have it towed after the ticket is issued. When providing the address, state the car is illegally parked in the alley space behind the nearest address. This will help for the operator to avoid confusion.”

Crispus Attucks Park is located in the alley between 1st Street and North Captiol and V St and U St, NW.

Council Members Parking Badly Vol. 77: “It was like some sort of caricature of a political fat cat”

By Prince Of Petworth

image

UPDATE from Council Member Evans:

“I want to apologize for parking in a fire hydrant zone on Thursday evening. To be honest, I didn’t realize there was a fire hydrant. That is, of course, no excuse, and I now fully recognize that was not a legal parking spot.”

“Dear PoPville,

My husband and I were having dinner with friends at West End Bistro when we noticed a back car doing a pretty sloppy job of parallel parking, bumping the other two cars enough to draw our attention. To make it even more entertaining, the driver was attempting to park right in front of a fire hydrant. Then we noticed the license plate said DC Council! We assumed the driver/apparent councilperson hadn’t seen the hydrant, and would realize their error as soon as they opened the car door. Nope.

15789218812_1bcd0981a2_z

Jack Evans stepped out in a tux, looked straight at the fire hydrant, put a cigar in his mouth, and walked toward the entrance of the Ritz. It was like some sort of caricature of a political fat cat. We left maybe 45 minutes later and he hadn’t returned, so it wasn’t as if he ran a quick errand.

In front of a hydrant?! Really??”

Ed. Note: We’ve previously learned that Council Members are not obligated to follow parking regulations however, I’m not sure if that applies to fire hydrants given the safety risk.

image-1

Who’s Responsible? “my car was ticketed and towed at the behest of a contractor who was renovating a house across the street.”

By Prince Of Petworth

6773338962_9df87eefea_z
Photo by PoPville flickr user philliefan99

“Dear PoPville,

Wonder if anyone in PoPville have experience with pressing the city for reimbursement for expenses incurred with private companies. Basically, my car was ticketed and towed at the behest of a contractor who was renovating a house across the street. I was headed out of town for a week and I parked outside the no parking signs he had erected for more than a year.
I documented that my car was legally parked and the ticket was dismissed.

I sought reimbursement for the $220 in towing and storage fees since the ticket that provided the basis for the towing was dismissed. Now DC says that they have no responsibility because the contractor called the towing firm. However, the ticket clearly is checked “towing requested.”

Even tough it was towed by a private entity, isn’t DC responsible for authorizing the tow?
And since the original ticket was dismissed is DC not responsible for the towing and storage fees?”

From the Forum – No Parking Signs outside of Cardozo High School

By Prince Of Petworth

cardozo_parking

No Parking Signs outside of Cardozo High School:

“I’m posting this to make others aware of the new no parking signs on Clifton St outside of Cardozo HS, and also ask if/where I can file a complaint about them.

I’ve lived in this neighborhood for 3 years (13th and Clifton), and have never had trouble finding parking. I parked, as usual, in the 1200 block of Clifton outside of Cardozo last week on a Sunday. When I went to use my car 3 days later, I had been ticketed 3 separate times for parking in a restricted zone. At some point between when I parked and when I got the first ticket, the city had posted no parking signs in front of Cardozo, decreasing parking on the street by at least 40%. The entire block is now restricted. To make matters worse, the no parking signs are tiny, do not specify restricted hours, and could be very easily missed by anyone (including those of us who have been residents for a while, apparently). The entire block was parked up by residents, and all of us had multiple tickets.

Anyone know who I can contact to complain about this? Surely we should have been given some notice of the parking changes, and surely the signs could limit parking within school hours, while allowing residents to park over the weekend or in the evenings.”

You can see all forum topics and add your own here. If you are having trouble uploading your question to the forum please try clearing your cache. If it still doesn’t work please email me at princeofpetworth(at)gmail

View More Stories