Dear Parking: You're a Bitch

In the words of the great Randy Newman, 
I Love L.A. But I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate parking in L.A. Deciphering parking signage in this city is absolutely insane. Non-Angelenos: check out the picture to the right, and you tell me when you want to park there.

The latest infuriating parking inhibitor? Those god-damned PODS. As if parking wasn't hard enough, some lazy neighbor has had one of those PODS delivered to the curb outside their building/house. The POD takes up at least 1.5 legitimate parking spots and it sits there FOREVER.

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation states, "no vehicle may be parked continuously at one location on any public roadway for more than 72 hours." In addition, "parking of unattached semi-trailers is prohibited on any street."

However, LADOT also states, "parking an unattached semi-trailer on any street is prohibited, except for semi-trailers used for carrying personal property or for recreational purposes."

I don't know what the POD is. It's not a vehicle, so it must be a trailer of some sort, but I suppose it's carrying personal property. In any case, how come it gets to sit there for weeks at a time taking up seriously valuable real estate on the curb outside my apartment? Does it have to move every 72 hours? Does it have to clear out between 4:00pm and 7:00 to facilitate the rush-hour lane? Does it have to set it's alarm for 7:45am one day a week to move before street-cleaning?

Besides my jealousy over the POD's giant parking spot, those things are also something like 37,000 feet tall and stick out into the street much farther than a regular vehicle. Find one near the corner and then try to turn around it. Better yet, have one parked next to your driveway, and then try to back out on to the street. Your death would be ruled a suicide.

So, all prepared to wage war against the city for allowing these crazy things to hang out, I make a few calls. Parking Violations Bureau, LADOT, DMV, and finally the Bureau of Street Services, where I talk to a woman who informs me that before I get all uppity, I should know that these things are actually illegal. Woohoo!

Well, OK, the actual POD is not illegal, but putting random crap out on the street is. She even gave me the municipal code: 56.08 regarding the obstruction of public streets. When asked how companies like PODS get away with dumping these things on the corner, my Street Services source tells me "they just hope no one will say anything."

Luckily, we can stop this madness! OK, maybe I'm being a little dramatic, but it's the little things in life, you know? In any case, Street Services Lady shared my passion, and was more than happy to provide the phone number for the Street Services Investigation & Enforcement Department, where you can file a complaint. And don't worry about any POD related retaliation. You can file anonymously, and SS will send a Sherlocke Holmes/ Nancy Drew type out to do the dirty work. Renters of the POD will be warned and potentially fined, and YOU get your parking spot back!

Oh City Services. I (sometimes) Heart You.

Ready to dial? Call 1-800-996-2489 or 1-800-996-CITY to file a complaint.

Oh right, one more note that is completely unrelated but somewhat interesting for all you Prius drivers. Discovered this while browsing fascinating City of Los Angeles websites...

IMPORTANT UPDATE: The City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) will begin citing alternative fuel vehicles parked at expired parking meters starting March 1, 2009. Therefore, starting March 1, 2009, the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) will begin citing all alternative fuel vehicles parked at expired meters. FYI.



"Parking Rules" Photo by Flickr User John and Keturah
Pod Photo: Seattle PI