The very height of entitlement

I'm in Maplewood Village yesterday walking back to my car when I notice a guy in a blue Acura park in an illegal spot across from Arturos.  PSE&G asks the guy to move his car because they need to park there to fix a utility issue.  The guy starts arguing with PSE&G that he's not going to move his car because he only needs to pick up his pizza.  PSE&G once again tells him to move the car because they need the spot to fix a utility problem.  

So, the guy gets back into the car only to park once again illegally only this time completely blocking a crosswalk.  When I pointed out to him that this was illegal and creating a very dangerous situation for pedestrians, he shrugged and said he would be back in 4 minutes because he only needed to pick up his pizza.  

I called the Maplewood PD non emergency line to report him and I'm sure he left before they got there.  I just wanted to come here and vent because I am so sick of this type of entitled behavior that goes on around here.  I cannot believe this guy truly thought his pizza was more important than other pedestrians.   All he had to do was park one street over and there was plenty of legal parking.  

maybe you would have got a different response if you told him you wanted to give him a friendly warning that people are keying cars parked in crosswalks. 

I haven't tried the "car keying warning" but I have told illegal parkers that they would get a parking ticket if they parked in an illegal spot.  Didn't faze these persons in the least. We need enforcement to back up the threat.  So far, whatever the traffic division is doing doesn't seem to have an impact.

I frequently see ticket campaigns on the state highways. Seat belt enforcement, no drink no drive check points. Aren’t towns always looking for ways to raise money? A parking enforcement campaign. It could be fully funded by the end of a week with the way things are going. 

ElizMcCord said:
I frequently see ticket campaigns on the state highways. Seat belt enforcement, no drink no drive check points. Aren’t towns always looking for ways to raise money? A parking enforcement campaign. It could be fully funded by the end of a week with the way things are going. 

Hi guys, I’m here from the future. Maplewood adds a full time parking enforcement officer just to ticket people in these types of situations. 

Then behavior changes and you’ve got a full time parking enforcement guy with nothing to do. Then he starts slipping down the ladder away from “crosswalk enforcement” and into “over time limit enforcement.” Then everyone complains about that. 

Who remembers the cop on the motorcycle who used to be right on that intersection? Cigar in one hand and a chalk in the other, marking the tires. No one would park illegally anywhere on Baker or Maplewood Ave. How times have changed huh...

RobB said:

ElizMcCord said:
I frequently see ticket campaigns on the state highways. Seat belt enforcement, no drink no drive check points. Aren’t towns always looking for ways to raise money? A parking enforcement campaign. It could be fully funded by the end of a week with the way things are going. 

Hi guys, I’m here from the future. Maplewood adds a full time parking enforcement officer just to ticket people in these types of situations. 


Then behavior changes and you’ve got a full time parking enforcement guy with nothing to do. Then he starts slipping down the ladder away from “crosswalk enforcement” and into “over time limit enforcement.” Then everyone complains about that. 

Them we’re back to the thread title. Entitlement LOL. Can’t win I suppose. Though to be fair the overtime limit people are on point. I once got a ticket for being 10 min over in South Orange. It hurt to pay that ticket, I was never late again. 

When does the "no public shaming" rule stop applying?  If the driver does it twice, obstinately does it when it's pointed out to him, and is certainly "in public" as he does it, why not a plate picture?

joan_crystal said:
I haven't tried the "car keying warning" but I have told illegal parkers that they would get a parking ticket if they parked in an illegal spot.  Didn't phase these persons in the least. We need enforcement to back up the threat.  So far, whatever the traffic division is doing doesn't seem to have an impact.

 I agree with you 100%.  I plan on sending emails to the TC about this.  I'm sure I'll get the response that the police can't be everywhere.  However, I think things have gotten bad enough in the Village that they need someone from the traffic division stationed there to start enforcing laws.  At least until it starts to have a meaningful impact.   There is only so much law abiding citizens can do when pointing out illegal parking to people. If the illegal parkers could care less, the only thing that will help is to ticket them. 

South Orange is littered with cars parking illegally, turning into spaces illegally and blocking traffic. The biggest nightmare is at the corner of the Dunkin Donuts on S.O. Ave. For some reason, this corner is the hot spot for drivers who simply don't care if they are parked legally. The activity is all around but sadly no officers are there. I don't even see the parking enforcement truck anymore. 

With the parking, traffic excitement someone could probably run a good campaign for local office on this platform alone. 

FWIW: Maplewood announced an increase in traffic enforcement. This article in Village Green was published on 6/19:

Speeding in Maplewood? Prepare to Be Ticketed — and Don’t Name Drop — Says McGehee

https://villagegreennj.com/towns/maplewood/speeding-in-maplewood-prepare-to-be-ticketed-and-dont-name-drop/

ElizMcCord said:
With the parking, traffic excitement someone could probably run a good campaign for local office on this platform alone. 

Making it a campaign issue is one thing.  Actually being able to do something about it is quite another.  If a candidate did this, I would want to hear a concrete plan based on knowledge of available finances, staffing, target areas most in need of enforcement, etc.  Parking and moving violations extend beyond the town centers and that is a big part of the problem.

I think this competes with most entitled.  From the parking thread:

jeffl

 Jun 13, 2018 at 11:13pm

No picture but a truly remarkable parking job tonight.  Picture this:  sitting outside at Arturo’s. A car drives down Baker Street in the wrong lane, going against traffic, to pull into a spot facing into Arturo’s.  And there were cars driving towards him in the left lane.  He cut them off, cut in front of them and took a left into the diagonal spot, facing the wrong way. And a cop was right there.  After he ticketed him he looked at us and said “I was too nice.  I only gave him one ticket.  Everything he did was illegal!”  NY plates.    Young guy.  

nohero said:
When does the "no public shaming" rule stop applying?  If the driver does it twice, obstinately does it when it's pointed out to him, and is certainly "in public" as he does it, why not a plate picture?

 I think the problem becomes when people see someone's car that was posted online and feel entitled to do something like key it. 

What constructive purpose would public shaming do? They're not more likely to get a legitimate ticket. And it lends itself to abuse ... very easy to post false things online to publicly shame someone that you have a beef with and let mob justice exact your revenge. I know pictures of someone parked illegally seem innocent but what about the person who decides that a slashed tire or broken headlamp is the remedy adter seeing such a picture?

ml1 said:
maybe you would have got a different response if you told him you wanted to give him a friendly warning that people are keying cars parked in crosswalks. 

 I get your message.  But, it sounds a lot more like a mob offer to provide fire insurance.

RealityForAll said:

ml1 said:
maybe you would have got a different response if you told him you wanted to give him a friendly warning that people are keying cars parked in crosswalks. 

 I get your message.  But, it sounds a lot more like a mob offer to provide fire insurance.

It's a joke  

I was walking into Trader Joe's recently and a guy was parked in the fire lane waiting in front of PetSmart. I said, "This is a fire lane."

He responded "I know" but didn't leave.

“Entitlement” can also refer to people who believe that acting as a parking enforcer will have no consequences.

Jaytee said:
Who remembers the cop on the motorcycle who used to be right on that intersection? Cigar in one hand and a chalk in the other, marking the tires. No one would park illegally anywhere on Baker or Maplewood Ave. How times have changed huh...

 That was Spence (who dated my ex).

Public shaming - as encouraged by Maxine Waters?

If somebody takes a picture of an unoccupied car in a clearly illegal spot and sends it to the PD, can the PD issue a ticket?

mjc said:
If somebody takes a picture of an unoccupied car in a clearly illegal spot and sends it to the PD, can the PD issue a ticket?

 Probably not if there is a statute of limitations on filing complaints on municipal parking violations. The photo, even if time stamped could be challenged by the entitled person and would require the photographer's presence in court to testify about the time of the offense.

annielou said:
“Entitlement” can also refer to people who believe that acting as a parking enforcer will have no consequences.

 Huh?

joan_crystal said:
I haven't tried the "car keying warning" but I have told illegal parkers that they would get a parking ticket if they parked in an illegal spot.  Didn't phase these persons in the least. We need enforcement to back up the threat.  So far, whatever the traffic division is doing doesn't seem to have an impact.

 faze (v): to disturb or disconcert

disconcert (n): why I needed to park in datspace at SOPAC

Nah, wait for Justin Hayward.

Already spent too many nights in white sedans, looking for a parking spot.

Friend: This is more like a ‘parking like a tool’ thread item. Not a whole new one about ‘entitlement’ because he drives an Acura.

Millfree said:
Friend: This is more like a ‘parking like a tool’ thread item. Not a whole new one about ‘entitlement’ because he drives an Acura.

I could care less what he drives.  I simply mentioned it in case someone else has spotted this same driver/behavior.  And yes, this is a thread about entitlement.  When you think it's acceptable to put pedestrians' safety at risk all so that you can get a pizza, that to me is the very definition of entitlement.  It goes beyond parking like a tool and it speaks to the safety issues consistently happening in Maplewood Village.