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No school for BPS kids - and 48 hours' worth of space saving
By adamg on Mon, 02/12/2024 - 10:19am
Mayor Wu has declared a snow emergency for Tuesday, which means BPS schools and municipal buildings will be shut.
That also means Boston residents will get 48 hours after the end of the snow emergency to whip out those traffic cones and saint statues and save their parking spaces - well, except in the South End, where space savers are not allowed and nobody ever violates that.
Everything you could want to know about snow emergencies in Boston.
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Comments
South End and space savers
What did the South End do, to get the city to enforce its own laws and forbid saving spaces specifically in the South End. Why don't the rest of us get the same enforcement? What can we do to get the deal that the South End is getting?
The neighborhood civic
The neighborhood civic association (or associations if there are multiple) need to let the city know that their community is in favor of getting rid of space savers.
We don't want this "deal"
Here in the heart of Dorchester, on residential streets., we like our space savers . And after a big storm like the one that is forecasted for tomorrow, we use space savers for as long as we need to. Occasionally the city will collect space savers, but only on trash day, so we proceed accordingly.
It continues to be my observation that the loudest objectors to space savers are people that don't have cars or enough money to pay for parking spaces in garages, as is the case in the South End.
It also continues to be my observation that if you owned a car, and lived in my neighborhood, you would also use a space saver.
I have an old chair all ready for tomorrow.
I’m with you
I was so naive when I moved to the City. I laughed at people who put out space savers. I converted after my first winter here and I believe it doesn’t matter how much snow we get, if you shovel the spot you own it. Within reason, we haven’t had snow where you had to shovel in awhile.
But you don't
Yes, well, there are people who believe the earth is flat, too. They and you are both wrong.
You are trying too hard to
You are trying too hard to fit in.
And you are behind the times.
Simple question
It’s a snowy night. You and I live on the same block. I’m working 3rd shift, so my car was parked at work during the storm. I come home at 9AM. You have left for work and left a space saver in the space where your car was parked. In fact, every space on the street has either a car or a space saver in it. So I go park in a pay lot.
When, by your logic, am I allowed to park on the street again?
Just for the record
Just for the record I have a car and a rather pricey parking space. The reason I object to space savers is that I understand the system dynamics of hoarding during times of scarcity. If you normally use a parking space 12 hours per day, and then you throw a space saver into the mix, you’ve just doubled your consumption, right at the time the system can least tolerate it. You’re imposing a big cost on your neighbors.
It’s not hoarding
Hoarding would be exemplified by not shoveling out your car after a major storm, thus cementing that the space is yours. Yet that would be fine by you
By now you know whyI think it could be an earned spot, so we won’t go over that again. I can say with hindsight that no one should be saving spaces after this “storm.”
It’s not enforcement, it’s cultural
I grew up in the South End in the 80-90s, and the reason the South End was spared the curse of the Space Saver is simply that a bulk of neighbors refused to abide them and so new neighbors quickly learned they held no power here.
I’d love to know more about how this came to be, but my parents and neighbors all say that’s just how it was done.
Tradition, then formalized in 2015
South End bans parking spot savers
By Billy Baker Globe Staff,January 4, 2015, 12:41 a.m.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/01/04/south-end-says-space-savers...
48 Days of space saving
Got it. Thanks for the update. /s
Bussing on the Red Line should be fun tomorrow.
From Alewife to Harvard on a bus in a snowstorm. Sounds like fun.
School's out for summer!
School's out for summer! School's out forever! School's been blown to pieces!
And only 48 hours to report unshoveled sidewalks after the storm
(Maybe others have a different experience but I recall not being able to open tickets days after a storm recently)
Although to be fair, I've recently seen the option come up when I was reporting a blocked sidewalk the other day on Bos311.
Its really frustrating how the same repeat offenders in my neighborhood only face consequences IF a report is made and IF the sun hasn't melted the snow/ice by the time they check.
yup
Yup, same in Chelsealand.
The electrical contractors office on the corner will not shovel the sidewalk on either side of their corner. And its across from a elementary school! They do this every.single.storm.
They only shovel after I lodge a complaint in the city's app.
I don't get it. There's city officials (multiple) at this intersection every day yet it takes me to put in a request.........
Not my experience
After whenever that storm was that wasn't too bad except that whatever was on the ground froze, I put in a complaint about an uncleared walk- to be clear, no effort was spent on clearing it- and it got a ticket a few hours afterwards.
In past years, I've put in tickets up to a week after storms about uncleared paths- and yes, there are property owners on my various walking and running paths that just won't make an effort- and they've been handled.
I implore you to get out and
I implore you to get out and save those spaces now and avoid the rush,
I’ll be going out tonight
I’ll be going out tonight after work to shovel ahead of time as well
In the event it snows
Look around 2 or 3 days after, even a week after, and see how many vehicles are still covered and buried in snow and haven’t moved. I have more of a problem with this than some poor dude shoveling his spot and using a space saver.
Someone has an unhealthy obsession
The declaration of a snow emergency has nothing to do with space saving. Cars need to be moved from snow emergency arteries so that emergency vehicles can pass safely during the storm and during the main removal period. That the City is tolerating space saving for 48 hours after the end of the snow emergency is immaterial at this stage.
well
It has a lot to do with having less available spaces. I live near an evacuation route, and I try not to park on it just because it also has weekly street cleaning all year. I try not need to drive because it is kinda silly to not share a space. I have all wheel drive and I don't generally need to shovel much. Not since 15.
That’s the dilemma
Calling the snow emergency constricts parking while the emergency is in place, but it keeps the roads more open for first responders. Much like calling a snow day at school, the authorities weigh a lot of factors.
We really should stop
Canceling school this far in advance.
If the current run of weather models is correct, the snow tomorrow may be little more than a nuisance. I guess it helps parents make plans, but if the storm fails to materialize then we don't deal with all of this and wind up with egg on our face.
If the storm does wind up being a dud, though, it will be real egg on the face of the weather models, which will have completely busted until about 18 hours before the precipitation was supposed to start. The European model went from 9" to 1", the HRRR from 8" to 2". They could both be wrong-ish and the next suite of models to come in may bump it back up. But right now the trend—for snow lovers, at least—is not your friend.
Meh, you can't win
They announce a closing early and there's no snow, the city looks dumb and parents are annoyed they made alternate plans for nothing.
They wait until the last minute and cancel, the city looks dumb for waiting and parents and teachers are annoyed they were left in the lurch for so long.
The wait until the last minute and don't cancel, parents and teachers are annoyed they were left in the lurch for so long.
They announce no closing early but there's heavy snow anyway, the city looks dumb and everyone is angry.
They wait until the last minute and cancel
Back when you had to listen to WBZ at 15 and 45 past the hour, they would never cancel school the day before.
At least wait until the 12Z model run comes in … so about 4 o'clock.
NYC schools cancelled but are doing a few hours of virtual learn
I think that is a good idea to give kids some learning time.
BPS has so many low income families the parents need extra time to make childcare plans. If they cancelled the day of many kids would be left to fend for themselves.
I trust Newton schools will
I trust Newton schools will be a game-time decision.
Looks like they stayed open
Looks like they stayed open today.
Northeastern Univ cancelled classes tomorrow
Which as best I can tell is the first official snow day at NU (no virtual, hybrid, "instructor discretion" etc) since March of 2018.
It's barely a university
It's barely a university
Same for BU
Both the Charles River and Medical Campuses will be closed. Interestingly, the official announcement was sent at 6pm, so after the most recent forecast of lesser impact.
Could be a chance both schools
Are concerned with the Beanpot outcome.
There should never be classes the day after the final.
Cancelling before one flake falls
Is the new norm.
Sometimes it's smart, sometimes it's not.
Yeah
The old Norm would never say anything like that.
Channeling my best Cliff Clavin
Woody: Aren't you gonna finish your mail route, Mr. Clavin?
Cliff: Are you kidding? There's too much snow and sleet out there. Besides...it's getting a little dark.
Its just about the communication
If they could get the word out, they would have canceled more often. 20 years ago, I showed up for work several times when it was actually closed. It is just safer to close school and other businesses when the weather is bad. The small business won't get much trade one way or another. If one life is saved it is worth it. BPS has plenty of days to spare.