27 Responses to “street cleaning as profit opportunity?”

1. posted by Nordy at June 11, 2008 2:55 pm :
   

   And not nearly as vigilant about posting beforehand…I believe they missed at least half a block, yet still towed all the cars they could.

   By the way, the city impound lot caught fire last night. Or so the Times Dispatch said.

2. posted by Eric S. Huffstutler at June 11, 2008 3:43 pm :
   

   Actually, I am surprised that they haven’t towed more by now. In fact, at least 5 years ago I was towed away when it was raining just knowing they would cancel street cleaning that day.

   It isn’t anything new, all big cities tow when you are obstructing cleaning the curbs out. Richmond is just now catching up to where they should be and people have had it on Easy Street too long.

   When a sign says “No Parking”… it doesn’t mean ignore it.

   Eric

3. posted by 30th and broad at June 11, 2008 7:51 pm :
   

   It is clearly just a fund-raising campaign based on towing fees. Just because other cities do it does not make it the right thing to do (remember elementary school?) The streets need to be cleaned about 1/4 of the time they actually do it, save resources and cut back on the pointless street watering.

4. posted by Kiko at June 12, 2008 10:36 am :
   

   Another scam. A few months ago I forgot to move my vehicle, but heard the tow trucks pulling up and I ran out to my car. The tow truck driver was just connecting his chain to my vehicle, when I got there (hadn’t even lifted it or anything)…. I still had to pay 30 DOLLARS on the spot just to get him to disconnect the chain (that he had just connected). If the goal was just to legitimately move vehicles that were obstructing cleaning they so could have just let me drive my car out of there. So in other words, it’s not about providing a public service. It’s about making money. What Richmond’s management has never figured out is that, while this type of policy may be a way of collecting some pocket change, it’s also the kind of thing that makes people NOT want to reside or do business in Richmond - which means losses of BIG dollars in the grander scheme of things.

5. posted by william at June 12, 2008 10:41 am :
   

   Get over it… It happens in every city across the country. What part of that “No Parking” sign couldn’t you read?

6. posted by mike at June 12, 2008 11:03 am :
   

   Kiko:

   That tow truck driver does not work for the city. That $30 went straight into his pocket. He scammed you, not the city.

7. posted by Nordy at June 12, 2008 11:15 am :
   

   Perhaps the part of the NO PARKING SIGN that was not there… Usually, it is well marked. But in my case, in this instance, it was not. There were no signs on the side of the street I was on on that block. Hence the 3 cars (the only ones not driven to work that day) towed. However this is not something you can fight and win. Because the NO PARKING sings are taken down before you come home from work and find a disappeared car.

   And I am not sure how effective the cleaners are when they go by at 35 mph. I know I am exxaggerating, but I usually have to resweep my sidewalk to clean up all the debris the cleaners throw up on to it while hauling ass down the street.

   Plus, they do strange things like sweep Chimbo park in the middle of the night.

   .

8. posted by william at June 12, 2008 11:22 am :
   

   OK then…. can you suggest an alternative method for cleaning the streets?

9. posted by Ramzi at June 12, 2008 12:52 pm :
   

   I’d like to know what percentage of the money from towing actually goes to the city, they may just get money from writing the tickets. Once a vehicle is ticketed I think anyone with a tow truck can grab it, but I’m not really sure.

10. posted by Kelly at June 12, 2008 1:32 pm :
    

    Consider ourselves lucky-in San Francisco they clean opposite sides of the street 3 times a week. There is so much cleaning that the signage is permanent and you need to move your car every day (another reason not to have one there!)

    It would be nice to have them cleaned here the day AFTER trash pick up versus the day BEFORE.

11. posted by Bob at June 12, 2008 2:28 pm :
    

    I don’t have a problem with them towing, and I appreciate the street cleaning. My only complaint would be that they usually put just one(l) No Parking Sign on a block and if you pull up at the end of the block, you may not see it.

12. posted by Nordy at June 12, 2008 2:50 pm :
    

    I have lived in cities with little or no street cleaning and…guess what…the streets are not pig stys.

    I just wanted them to post the cleanings better.

    Perhaps, when they tow you, they have to write a note saying “parked ____ yards from posted sign” to prove a sign was there.

13. posted by Jennifer C. at June 12, 2008 3:26 pm :
    

    Actually, Kiko got lucky - if one of the “community enforcement officers” (or whatever they call the fake po-po with gray uniforms in the real cop cars) is there, you get a forty-dollar ticket. On real paper. Even if you move your freaking car (hubby was sick and his car wasn’t on its way to school before eight as expected). I had a not-very-attractive tantrum right in the middle of the street when that happened.

14. posted by tiny at June 12, 2008 4:22 pm :
    

    It was pretty inconvenient that the streets adjacent to Bellevue were scheduled for street cleaning today, as today was the 5th grade graduation and parking was a bear! It would have been nice if they could have scheduled the street cleaning for that area for another day.

15. posted by Eric S. Huffstutler at June 12, 2008 5:52 pm :
    

    Bob said…”My only complaint would be that they usually put just one(l) No Parking Sign on a block and if you pull up at the end of the block, you may not see it.”

    Do you live in a world of blinders and can’t see something unusual on the block as white signs wrapped to trees?

    Eric

16. posted by Bob at June 12, 2008 6:36 pm :
    

    “Do you live in a world of blinders and can’t see something unusual on the block as white signs wrapped to trees?”

    Sure don’t Eric, and I wasn’t one of the many whose cars got towed. But there were three tow trucks parked in front of my house yesterday and they all had cars on them to be towed. I am sure some of the folks towed probably didn’t see the signs as most folks have things on their minds and don’t scope the whole block before entering their homes. I don’t believe most would purposely leave their cars if they had.
    I don’t quite get the scarcasm. All I suggested is maybe they could post signs a little user friendly

17. posted by 30th and broad at June 13, 2008 11:58 am :
    

    My main issue with the cleaning is that it is completely unnecessary and a waste of money and resources. I think one time a year would cover the needs of the streets to be cleaned. We get enough rain that after living here for 5 years I have never seen a curb and thought, “Gee, that really needs cleaning.” If the city reinvested the time and energy it uses on street cleaning into community development/beautification/urban renewal, we would all be much better off. I am sure this can be said of many of the ventures the city pursues.

18. posted by tiny at June 13, 2008 12:16 pm :
    

    Well, I am glad they clean the curbs. I see trash there all the time. I live by a school and man, the trash is out of control most of the time.

    One thing I really did like about DC is that they cleaned the gutter every night to get rid of the cigarette butts.

19. posted by buddycorbett at June 19, 2008 9:46 am :
    

    hey bob ,in case you havent figured it out this website has been taken over by a crotchety old lady named “eric” AND YOU DONT WANT TO TAKE ON THIS POSTMENOPAUSAL GRANNY.he works for a downtown lawfirm see and he has magic powers that allow him to know everything. for gods sake put a limit on how many times one know it all half a yuppie dork can bore the shit out of the rest of us. now cry a little bit for us eric but for godssake get a freakin life!

20. posted by Eric S. Huffstutler at June 19, 2008 10:07 am :
    

    Sorry Bob… some people here want to take things to the extreme hiding behind fake monikers to post - afraid to come out in the open like adults and talk rather than slam people over different viewpoints. Yes, it has gotten out of hand and yes, makes me grouchy or frustrated at times because of all of the childish and selfish people here.

    That said, it is easy to see the street cleaning signs and they are usually up almost if not a week prior to the date. At least on my block so I make sure I have mine moved before the zero hour morning but most times I have already left for work by then.

    buddycorbett (if that “is” your name) - sounds like you need to get a life. t is one thing to disagree, even strongly about an issue but another to blatantly slander someone openly in public and think even illegal…

    Eric

21. posted by buddycorbett at June 21, 2008 3:19 am :
    

    yes my real name is buddycorbett and your crybaby mewling is just what i would expect from a knowitall dork who seems to know the price of everything but the value of nothing. be glad we dont live in the past when a fellow of your stripe would be horsewhipped for his rude condesending remarks. eric you talk the talk but you cant walk thewalk.if your gonna run your mouth expect some backlash. heavens to betsy “slander”. written like thecrybaby you seem to be.

22. posted by Laura Daab at June 21, 2008 10:21 am :
    

    I think that the signs are posted pretty well, but it’s easy to just forget to move your car. I know that’s happened to us and to many of our neighbors.

    If we see cars parked on the side they are going to clean that morning, we try to knock on everyone’s door so they don’t get towed.

    Maybe folks can set up a similar system on their block to help each other out.

23. posted by Eric Huffstutler at June 24, 2008 3:30 pm :
    

    Corbett… do you still live on 23rd St? can I come by and we “straighten” this out?

    Eric

24. posted by Anony-mouse at June 24, 2008 5:23 pm :
    

    whoa. i think we have all pushed eric a bit too far! why don’t we all calm down? have a drink, watch some sports, just like all the other American guys out there. put on our company polo shirts and just chillax. no need to straighten anyone out. we’re straight, yo.

25. posted by buddycorbett at June 24, 2008 8:04 pm :
    

    hey little lord fauntleroy eric i have made a living straightening out loudmouth jackoffs for a long time in this town. do yourself a favor and continue to be cybertough. in fact lets just drop this public spat and when i see you we will have an entirely different conversation that will involve you soiling yourself. perhaps i will help you get that handicap parking space you have whined so piteously about in some of your previous crybaby postings. hmmm? hmmm? see, i wouldnt threaten you but you really better pick on somebody that wont drop a house on your wicked witch of 27th street punkass . i wll see you around sweetie you can bet on it.buddy (yes its my real name)corbett

26. posted by Bill Hartsock at June 24, 2008 8:14 pm :
    

    John…Let’s put a stop to these postings.

27. posted by john_m at June 24, 2008 8:39 pm :
    

    I’m locking comments on this one.

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