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Post by playlax16 on Oct 27, 2017 11:24:45 GMT -4
About a week ago at Safeway I witnessed a man politely ask a woman to ‘please not park in the fire zone, it makes it dangerous for pedestrians and blocks emergency vehicles that may be called for whatever reason’. The woman responded defensively as if the man was doing something wrong and not her. I watched the gentleman walk away and noticed that the car waiting for him in a parking spot had a handicap placard, and I found myself angry at the able bodied people who for whatever reason think they can park where ever they want. I approached the woman in the store and her reasoning was she was ‘just going to be a minute’. When I told her I also was just running in to the store for a minute but parked in a assigned spot, she told me to mind my own business. Well, this IS my business, it is the business of everyone because these people not only park illegally and may inhibit any emergency vehicles from responding to a fire or medical call, they do make a dangerous situation for pedestrians exiting stores to walk back to their legally parked cars. I have seen small children escape their parents control more than once and dart out from between two illegally parked cars and each time my heart has stopped. I called the sheriff to discuss this problem, and after being told more than one person has called I am wondering why the ‘No Parking’ fire lanes are not enforced? Why can’t tickets be issued based on pictures taken by phones that always have a time and date stamp attached? There is an app to report cars in handicap spots but QAC does not subscribe to it, and I am aware if at least one to report other illegal parking. I have seen patrol cars pass by and also parked along with cars, although the officers were visiting stores on what seemed to be official business, and not one ticket was issued? Food Lion/Thompson Creek area seems to be the worse place for this entitled type of parking. These pictures were taken over three days, all between 3:30pm and 5:00pm, I imagine the busiest times of the day for a food and liquor store. If anyone recognizes their car, be respectful and chose to park in the designated spaces within the parking lot. If you recognize the car of someone you know, either show them this post or speak up about their illegal parking habit. If anyone feels the need to add pictures of other cars feel free, maybe this will get people to think twice about where they park. I chose to black out license plates and commercial names on the vehicles, the choice is up to the person doing the posting. I am thinking of the man at Safeway as I write this. He was not older, early 40’s, yet he or his wife who was in the car, or their child perhaps, are handicap and deal with mobility issues daily. Stop the laziness, self centered thinking. It could get someone hurt.
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Post by constructr on Oct 28, 2017 7:48:36 GMT -4
You can add ignorant and selfish to the list too. Probably liberals, too. Go figure.
BMW - MD 2CX7933
Toyota Camry - MD 5AL1973
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Post by alanr on Oct 28, 2017 12:36:01 GMT -4
I agree with everything the writer said but when it comes to a handicap placard you never know to real issue. I have one and seldom use it unless I have to. Two neck fusions, rod in my right left and a plate in my back. 90% of the time I walk perfect but the other 10% like now, forget it. You never know why someone has it. Do I take advantage of it, NEVER.
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Post by gbcpki on Oct 28, 2017 18:29:33 GMT -4
I agree that people should not park in the Fire Lane or use the handicap spots illegally. The space between the Food Lion and the liquor store, however has no red curb, no yellow curb and no 'no parking' signs. What makes it wrong to park there?
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Post by falgar25 on Oct 29, 2017 13:15:08 GMT -4
I agree that people should not park in the Fire Lane or use the handicap spots illegally. The space between the Food Lion and the liquor store, however has no red curb, no yellow curb and no 'no parking' signs. What makes it wrong to park there? Answer: Some combination of common sense, common courtesy, and safety. Common sense: In a paved area full of lined spaces (i.e. a parking lot), common sense would say it was never intended for vehicles to drive up onto the curb to park on the grass (or the mud and gravel area that used to be grass before people parked on it). Would it occur to someone to drive through the bushes on one of the end caps and park there? then what makes the curb and grass between the buildings look more like legitimate parking areas? Common courtesy: Parking in those areas block access to the businesses. A sufficient supply of parking spaces exist - I've never seen them full. It takes very little to be courteous to others around you but it seems even that little is too much to ask. Safety: Blocking the lane, even partially, reduces a two-lane roadway into a single lane. Cars need to pull around the parked vehicles into oncoming traffic and risk collisions. People trying to access the business from the parking spots have to weave between these vehicles and into that traffic as well. Lazy is a given but beyond that it's hard to tell if it's more entitled or ignorant. I sat in my car once (in a marked spot out of the way) and watched an individual struggle to get a walker out of his vehicle and make his way slowly and probably painfully across the parking lot. When he reached the store he then had to walk around a truck that was parked in the fire lane. This man NEEDED to park as close to the store as possible yet still chose a marked space. What this poor man didn't need was the extra steps to get around the illegally parked vehicle. I never saw the individual with the truck though I'm sure he/she was there for "just a quick minute" to pick up only a few things.
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Post by gbcpki on Oct 29, 2017 19:38:08 GMT -4
Common Sense: There is no reason not to park along the curb there. Park at the curb not on the grass - makes perfect sense as it is a legal parking spot.
Common courtesy - Parking along the curb between those buildings does not block access to the business.
Safety - There is still room for two cars to get by if a car is parked along the curb.
Lazy is a given but beyond that it's hard to tell if it's more entitled or ignorant.
In my opinion the lack of courtesy is someone taking and posting pictures of cars parked along the curb. But that's the world we live in.
As for entitled I have hard plates (not a placard) on my car and a wheelchair in the back. But on days I don't nee the wheelchair and can walk a distance I opt to not park in a handicap spot. I've been yelled (and cursed) at for parking in a non-handicap spot. Literally in that shopping center I was cursed at for taking the spot away from an able bodied person. Some people just feel entitled no matter what.
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Post by falgar25 on Oct 29, 2017 20:54:06 GMT -4
I was driving the car that was almost hit when someone tried to make two lanes out of what was left when someone parked along the curb. Perhaps the person who was parked next to the curb had parked poorly - I've seen the trouble people sometimes have parking between the lines of a space, it woudln't surprise me if they had an even more difficult time parking appropriately when there were no lines.
Common sense / legal: Yes, there are no red curb fire lane markings at that location so I guess that makes it legal. There are also no red fire lane markings on the roadway side of the end caps or in the lanes between the spots or even in the middle of the lane (no lane markings either) so those are legal spots too. However, I doubt anyone would think parking in the lane at the end of a row of parking would demonstrate good common sense.
Your example I would characterize more as ignorance or, at the very least, an unfortunate lack or awareness. Too many people don't think about hidden disabilities. I'm sorry that happened to you and even more sorry that it probably happens often.
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Post by bellas on Oct 30, 2017 2:02:51 GMT -4
The rocks that the line the curb between Food Lion and Thompson Creek Liquors are supposed to be a sidewalk for pedestrians connecting the two cement sidewalks in front of the stores. So when cars pull up and park on the rocks,which many do, they are parking on a sidewalk, a path reserved for pedestrians. The Maryland Driver’s Manual, Section III, Subsection J states ‘A parked vehicle must be in a space that is far enough from any travel lane to avoid interfering with traffic and visible to vehicles approaching from either direction. You should always park in a designated area as required.’ Parking in the section of street between Food Lion and Thompson Creek Liquors is IN the travel lane and not only interferes with traffic but also the safety of pedestrians, There have been so many cars parked there that I have almost hit one that was pulling away from it’s curbside spot because I was not able to see it. I assume, in this scenario, the parking lots in front if both FL and TCL fulfill the 'designated parking area as required'. Blocking access to the businesses is not the main issue, the safety of people/customers walking between the parking lots and businesses should be of greater concern. The manual also states ‘You are responsible for making sure that your vehicle is not a hazard when it is parked.’ The picture I posted happens in every single parking lot where inconsiderate drivers think only of themselves, and shows the real danger they create for others. This father, with two children in tow and a cart full of groceries has no choice but to enter the lane of traffic between two cars (yes there are two, the second on is blocked by the visible one in the picture) parked in the fire zone which obscures his presence from other drivers. Instead of waiting for a tragedy to occur to voice outrage over a preventable tragedy, use your voice now to prevent one, because sooner or later one will happen. To anyone who will use this well meaning post to pick apart why different illegal/questionable parking scenarios aren’t as bad as others, don't. Parking in handicapped spots by those who are not authorized is disgusting, be happy you have no issues that require you to need such accommodations.(Yes, I am handicapped and have been for a decade. I also use the parking spot only when I am having a more than normal bad day, and have also been yelled at/told off at different times for using both a handicap and non-designated spot. I am speaking from my experience and not assuming anything) If where you want to park seems questionable for any reason, or potentially dangerous for anyone, choose a spot that is in a parking lot. Parking in a fire zone is illegal, it is dangerous in many ways, although never to the person who chooses to park there. As the original poster mentioned, if you dare question anyone parking in such places you will be treated as of you are in the wrong. People only get mad and defensive when approached about certain topics because they know they are guilty. I do not agree that posting pictures of cars parked either illegally or creating a hazard in order to be able to show exactly what the concern is about is discourteous at all, especially when time is taken to black out the license plates. License plates are on display for all to see whenever we drive. The picture I posted also has the plates blacked out as well as any identifying elements. It is discourteous to create a potentially dangerous situation for others, not to hide identifying traits of those causing such situations. Again, my own opinion and not intended to offend anyone.
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Post by rdkntriker on Nov 2, 2017 9:49:29 GMT -4
Wonder how many that posted, change lanes without signaling, drive above posted limit, text or talk on phone while driving? I do not like seeing cars in fire lanes, but I do not like others posting tags.
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Post by playlax16 on Nov 2, 2017 13:02:10 GMT -4
All the scenarios you mentioned are dangerous driving habits, moving violations that I know are enforced when seen, although maybe not changing lanes without signaling so much. I have had speeding tickets (although not in over a decade), and know that QAC Sheriff is serious about enforcing no handheld devices while driving. My motive for starting this thread was the absence of enforcement of No Parking Fire Lanes, even when sheriff cars pass through the parking lots and the cars lining the Fire Lanes. If it were enforced at all there would be no concern. I posted pictures to show proof of a serious and potentially dangerous issue. As far as posting tags, I do not agree with that which is why I blacked out the plates. I also blacked out Company Logos/names on other pictures I have of trucks and intended to use, but decided not to out of concern that the the Company Name or truck may still be recognizable. Bellas also blacked out the tags and also the faces. I do not agree with posting tags along with the vehicle make as Constructr did, or personal attacks/assumptions, but that is his prerogative. A picture shows that the car is parked illegally, anyone can post any plate # and vehicle claiming they parked illegally when they didn’t for a myriad of reasons. I cannot edit other’s posts, if I am wrong in that belief let me know. I was trying to bring attention to an issue that is dangerous, which the picture Bellas posted shows, hoping that people would consider parking in the actual parking spaces in the lots or the Sheriff may read this and actually enforce the regulation. ‘If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don’t be afraid to speak up’ Fred Korematsu

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Post by Tommy on Nov 5, 2017 21:35:00 GMT -4
It was real bad at about 1 PM today (Sunday), I guess everyone is boycotting the Ravens/NFL. Totally filled from the liquor store to the far Food Lion entrance with cars parked facing both directions. Almost got hit by one pulling away (driver on his phone} as I attempted crossing from the designated parking lot. They also cleaned the deli department out of chicken wings.
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Post by playlax16 on Nov 22, 2017 15:55:08 GMT -4
THANK YOU to the deputies who were just ticketing cars parked in the fire lanes at Food Lion and Thompson Creek Liquor areas. The congestion was crazy and dangerous for pedestrians.
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