Parking on 14th Street Sidewalk…Again
A few years ago I blogged about city employees parking on the eastside 14th Street sidewalk which resulted on a policy change and keeping the sidewalk open for pedestrians. Last weekend driving home I saw a more egregious use of  the sidewalk for parking.
I was livid as I watched a pedestrian forced to walk in the roadway. Fourteenth Street has four lanes yet someone decided cars should take over the sidewalk too!?!
A new effort is underway to plan streetscape changes on 14th from Washington Ave to Clark St., I’ll need to suggest street trees and/or bollards to physically protect the pedestrian space. I shouldn’t have to spend so much time just trying to keep cars off sidewalks downtown.
 – Steve Patterson
WTF? Whoever “approved” this needs to be fired or forced to spend a week in a wheelchair!
WTF? Whoever “approved” this needs to be fired or forced to spend a week in a wheelchair!
A week isn’t nearly enough time!
In my 2nd year of college each on of us in architecture school had to spend 24 hrs in a wheelchair as part of learning ADA. It’s absoluetly amazing what you can learn in a day, let alone longer, about what someone in that position has to deal with.
A week isn’t nearly enough time!
insane. any idea who all these cars belong to? seems like a lot of SUV’s, and other over-sized pathetic ego type of cars. ridiculous and shameful behavior.
insane. any idea who all these cars belong to? seems like a lot of SUV’s, and other over-sized pathetic ego type of cars. ridiculous and shameful behavior.
Maybe it was a bunch of moms. They drive SUVs, too.
Absolutely ridiculous. Â I would love to find out whose brilliant idea this was. Â Hopefully some of the people that parked there scuffed their rear bumpers on their cars since a fence runs behind a portion of that sidewalk. Karma, you know…
Aren’t there parallel parking spaces alongside 14th between Market Street and Clark Avenue anyway? Â I doubt there’s that much of a need for parking, because I’ve never had trouble parking in the city lot behind this building and/or City Hall. Â If these people need dedicated parking spots, there is most definitely a way to accommodate them without endangering pedestrians.
Side note: Â If I had to walk down 14th Street, I would rather walk on that side anyway because it is more “open” and pedestrians are more visible. Â This is a concern because I have seen vagrants sitting and lying on the ground next to Scottrade Center on many occasions.
One more tangential observation: Â Why are there so many spots in the city with reverse 45-degree angle parking? Â I understand it’s easier to get out of the spot once you leave, but those spots are a pain to back into for anyone in my opinion, and there’s more of a risk for accidents if one is waiting for traffic to clear so he/she can back into a reverse angle parking spot. Â I’ve never seen this done anywhere besides St. Louis, so it just seems like another local oddity to me.
Absolutely ridiculous. I would love to find out whose brilliant idea this was. Hopefully some of the people that parked there scuffed their rear bumpers on their cars since a fence runs behind a portion of that sidewalk. Karma, you know…
Aren’t there parallel parking spaces alongside 14th between Market Street and Clark Avenue anyway? I doubt there’s that much of a need for parking, because I’ve never had trouble parking in the city lot behind this building and/or City Hall. If these people need dedicated parking spots, there is most definitely a way to accommodate them without endangering pedestrians.
Side note: If I had to walk down 14th Street, I would rather walk on that side anyway because it is more “open” and pedestrians are more visible. This is a concern because I have seen vagrants sitting and lying on the ground next to Scottrade Center on many occasions.
One more tangential observation: Why are there so many spots in the city with reverse 45-degree angle parking? I understand it’s easier to get out of the spot once you leave, but those spots are a pain to back into for anyone in my opinion, and there’s more of a risk for accidents if one is waiting for traffic to clear so he/she can back into a reverse angle parking spot. I’ve never seen this done anywhere besides St. Louis, so it just seems like another local oddity to me.
They do the “backwards” angle parking in Denver, as well. In theory, it’s safer, since traffic has to stop for you to back in, while it’s usually harder to see if traffic is coming if/when you’re backing out of a spot. The real challenge is that most drivers these days don’t know how to do onstreet parking anymore, parallel or angled, or as parker or considerate following driver. But here’s how it’s done in “real cities”: http://youtu.be/bsK5C8m44JY
I find that if you come to a stop, put your turn signal on, and shift into reverse (thus turning on the white rear lights), following drivers usually get a clue and give you some space to back into a spot.
As a former resident of a larger, denser cities, I do find the average St. Louisan motorist’s parallel-parking skills woefully bad. Also, motorists around here often feel free to park in any old place and don’t bother to observe whether their parking choices might negatively impact others or be illegal (e.g., I’ve had to call the police numerous times to ticket and tow cars that have blocked the entry to my apartment building’s garage driveway in the CWE).
ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!! Those were the first words to come to my mind too. Those people should have had to just park someplace else and WALK a little more for cryin out loud!
I was actually going to say, “hey at least they are doing back-in angle parking on that sidewalk!”
As JZ71 pointed out, back-in angle parking is actually much safer than head-in. But a benefit that many may not realize is that back-in angle parking does
not require as much space (the length of the spaces is shorter versus
head-in) so in many cases they can be added on a street too narrow to
accommodate head-in. Or a bike lane could be added if the parking is
converted from head-in to back-in.
This is happening in many cities. Here in Kansas City more and more angle parking is being converted to back-in.
Parking in these spots is actually quite easy… it’s just the first point of parallel parking. I am actually happy to hear that St. Louis has quite a bit of it!
Come on, we all know democracy, particularly in the City of St. Louis is an illusion. Everyone knows that the privileged can do whatever they want, and the government can break as many laws as they want.
Come on, we all know democracy, particularly in the City of St. Louis is an illusion. Everyone knows that the privileged can do whatever they want, and the government can break as many laws as they want.
Did you call the police? You could have had these cars ticketed or towed.
Did you call the police? You could have had these cars ticketed or towed.
They do the “backwards” angle parking in Denver, as well. In theory, it’s safer, since traffic has to stop for you to back in, while it’s usually harder to see if traffic is coming if/when you’re backing out of a spot. The real challenge is that most drivers these days don’t know how to do onstreet parking anymore, parallel or angled, or as parker or considerate following driver. But here’s how it’s done in “real cities”: http://youtu.be/bsK5C8m44JY
I haven’t seen cars parked like that during the day but…. I know they valet park cars like that on the sidewalk for the priviledge elite for events at the Peabody Opera House.
I make sure to spit on those cars as I walk back to my car after hockey games.
I haven’t seen cars parked like that during the day but…. I know they valet park cars like that on the sidewalk for the priviledge elite for events at the Peabody Opera House.
I make sure to spit on those cars as I walk back to my car after hockey games.
ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!! Those were the first words to come to my mind too. Those people should have had to just park someplace else and WALK a little more for cryin out loud!
I find that if you come to a stop, put your turn signal on, and shift into reverse (thus turning on the white rear lights), following drivers usually get a clue and give you some space to back into a spot.Â
 As a former resident of a larger, denser cities, I do find the average St. Louisan motorist’s parallel-parking skills woefully bad. Also, motorists around here often feel free to park in any old place and don’t bother to observe whether their parking choices might negatively impact others or be illegal (e.g., I’ve had to call the police numerous times to ticket and tow cars that have blocked the entry to my apartment building’s garage driveway in the CWE).Â
These people should be ashamed of themselves. Other than that, I’m at a loss for words…
These people should be ashamed of themselves. Other than that, I’m at a loss for words…
In my 2nd year of college each on of us in architecture school had to spend 24 hrs in a wheelchair as part of learning ADA. It’s absoluetly amazing what you can learn in a day, let alone longer, about what someone in that position has to deal with.
Isn’t the police station right around the corner from all of these cars? Shame on the cops, shame on the event that these cars were a part of, shame on the people that parked them, and shame on city hall for turning their heads to this act.
Isn’t the police station right around the corner from all of these cars? Shame on the cops, shame on the event that these cars were a part of, shame on the people that parked them, and shame on city hall for turning their heads to this act.
This has been happening for years during blues game.Â
Nothing really new. Gotta get those people into the Kiel center ASAP!!!
This has been happening for years during blues game.
Nothing really new. Gotta get those people into the Kiel center ASAP!!!
I think you’ll find that some of those on the 3rd floor at City Hall might well have been among the favorite sons (and daughters) parking on the sidewalk that night…..and other nights.
I think you’ll find that some of those on the 3rd floor at City Hall might well have been among the favorite sons (and daughters) parking on the sidewalk that night…..and other nights.
I was actually going to say, “hey at least they are doing back-in angle parking on that sidewalk!”
As JZ71 pointed out, back-in angle parking is actually much safer than head-in. But a benefit that many may not realize is that back-in angle parking does
not require as much space (the length of the spaces is shorter versus
head-in) so in many cases they can be added on a street too narrow to
accommodate head-in. Or a bike lane could be added if the parking is
converted from head-in to back-in.
This is happening in many cities. Here in Kansas City more and more angle parking is being converted to back-in.
Parking in these spots is actually quite easy… it’s just the first point of parallel parking. I am actually happy to hear that St. Louis has quite a bit of it!
What’s the law regarding walking over the hoods of these cars if they are parked on the sidewalk? Â I don’t want to step in the streets for the benefit of my own personal safety.
What’s the law regarding walking over the hoods of these cars if they are parked on the sidewalk? I don’t want to step in the streets for the benefit of my own personal safety.
ridiculous!
ridiculous!
Wow, that’s bold.
Wow, that’s bold.
A well-applied key should do the trick.
A well-applied key should do the trick.
Maybe it was a bunch of moms. They drive SUVs, too.