I wish I had a dollar for every time someone asked me if I had something better to do than what I was doing at the moment. Such was the situation with a letter we received this week asking if we had better things to do than issue parking tickets at Peterson Park for vehicles parking directly under NO PARKING signs.
Hmmm, let me think about this one for a moment...
As a matter of fact, we do have other things we could be doing. However, none are more important than ticketing lazy drivers who choose to ignore the signs erected to create a safe zone for people to walk on the side of the road.
If you have ever attended a game at Peterson Park and had to park in the farthest lot, you realize there is very limited space to walk up to the fields along the main road into the park. Drivers who choose to ignore the NO PARKING signs and park along the roadway instead of the outer lot end up forcing pedestrians to walk in traffic and dodge cars - not a very safe option.
The signs were installed there for a reason rather than by accident or with the intent to harass people - the signs are there to provide a safe walking path for pedestrians, particularly kids, by keeping them out of the main roadway. We have enforced those no parking restrictions in the past and have every intention of enforcing them this year, too.
In my opinion, this one has an easy fix - help keep our kids safe by obeying the NO PARKING signs. You'll avoid getting a parking ticket and allow us to focus enforcement efforts on other areas that require our attention.
- Asst Chief Bill LePere
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