I support police enforcement of laws curbing reckless and dangerous behavior, and even blocking travel on sidewalks, but RPD seems to have a widely varying policy on law enforcement in the city and lens toward the low hanging fruit. They’ll ticket a scooter doing more than 35 mph but can’t manage to ticket a driver/car owner involved in a hit and run with an uninsured vehicle (true story), or solve the majority of the hit and runs, or even ticket the numerous red light violations each day. Again, low hanging fruit may be easy to net, but doesn’t help any of us live in a safer city.
Chris, if you’re right, does this mean CCFATCH is back? Man the pink flamingos! For those that weren’t in the neighborhood 5 or so years ago, someone was sending their neighbors letters signed Concerned Citizens for a Tasteful Church Hill. The clever response from Jim Beckner, a recipient, was to ask through the newsletter that everyone opposed to CCFATCH put tacky pink Flamingos in their yard. Some are still around, albeit a bit sun faded.
As a former scooter rider myself, I am all for tucking them in anywhere you can. The closer to your building the better since they get stolen all the time, but I’ve noticed the parking of the scooter in front of The Roosevelt to be particularly obnoxious at times. We have plenty of citizens in wheelchairs who use our sidewalks and need the extra room.
So I think that Mark Holmberg wants to work on this tonight. John, can you get me in touch with the person who owned this scooter? Or anyone who wants to talk about parking on sidewalk for safety reasons (I do)? Thanks. Abryan@wtvr.com or 254-3684.
I agree w/ Mark Holmberg’s take on this issue. Scooters should be able to park on the sidewalk–as long as they don’t block access to curb cuts, wheel chair ramps, stoops, staircases and doorways. There is a reasonable solution to this. Go to any European city and there are scooters/mopeds parked everywhere.
Richmond–possibly led by an inspired city council person–needs to do the right thing here: hash out the concerns with interested parties (citizens, police, safety and environmental advocates) and write a new ordinance that is fair and easy to understand.
After all, scooters fit quite nicely with the City of Richmond’s Sustainability Plan.
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A related, and helpful article from the good people at Scoot Richmond: http://www.scootrichmond.com/scooters/sidewalk-parking.html
I support police enforcement of laws curbing reckless and dangerous behavior, and even blocking travel on sidewalks, but RPD seems to have a widely varying policy on law enforcement in the city and lens toward the low hanging fruit. They’ll ticket a scooter doing more than 35 mph but can’t manage to ticket a driver/car owner involved in a hit and run with an uninsured vehicle (true story), or solve the majority of the hit and runs, or even ticket the numerous red light violations each day. Again, low hanging fruit may be easy to net, but doesn’t help any of us live in a safer city.
This is just great!
Should have ticketed him. City could use it and maybe people would stop being so discourteous.
In which part of Church Hill was the scooter parked?
25th and M Street, at the Roosevelt
TAZE THE OFFENDER! TAZE HIM!
I wonder what the chance is that an actual police officer wrote this as opposed to a neighbor wanting to sound official.
Chris, if you’re right, does this mean CCFATCH is back? Man the pink flamingos! For those that weren’t in the neighborhood 5 or so years ago, someone was sending their neighbors letters signed Concerned Citizens for a Tasteful Church Hill. The clever response from Jim Beckner, a recipient, was to ask through the newsletter that everyone opposed to CCFATCH put tacky pink Flamingos in their yard. Some are still around, albeit a bit sun faded.
Heh, dunno. I just can’t see a cop doing something like this.
As a former scooter rider myself, I am all for tucking them in anywhere you can. The closer to your building the better since they get stolen all the time, but I’ve noticed the parking of the scooter in front of The Roosevelt to be particularly obnoxious at times. We have plenty of citizens in wheelchairs who use our sidewalks and need the extra room.
So was it a 49cc scooter, or higher? Tags, no tags?
49cc, no tags
So I think that Mark Holmberg wants to work on this tonight. John, can you get me in touch with the person who owned this scooter? Or anyone who wants to talk about parking on sidewalk for safety reasons (I do)? Thanks. Abryan@wtvr.com or 254-3684.
I’ve put out on the twitter.
I’m not exactly sure who scooter the note was left on.
Ok, thanks!
Seems a little much to make a tv news segment about this
Should scooters and mopeds get a sidewalk parking pass?
http://wtvr.com/2012/06/06/should-scooters-and-mopeds-get-a-sidewalk-parking-pass/
Excellent news segment! This is an issue that needs to be addressed by the city ASAP considering the prevalence of scooters in RVA.
I agree w/ Mark Holmberg’s take on this issue. Scooters should be able to park on the sidewalk–as long as they don’t block access to curb cuts, wheel chair ramps, stoops, staircases and doorways. There is a reasonable solution to this. Go to any European city and there are scooters/mopeds parked everywhere.
Richmond–possibly led by an inspired city council person–needs to do the right thing here: hash out the concerns with interested parties (citizens, police, safety and environmental advocates) and write a new ordinance that is fair and easy to understand.
After all, scooters fit quite nicely with the City of Richmond’s Sustainability Plan.
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