An Open Letter to All New Bedford Residents Still Using Spot Savers

Dear New Bedford residents,

I woke up today and decided to give a little PSA to the good people of my city. Living only five minutes from the radio station, my commute is very short. However, within those five minutes, you'd be surprised at how many space savers I saw that are still being utilized.

First, for the uneducated, all street parking in the city of New Bedford is not assigned to anyone and belongs to the City, with the one exception of handicapped parking (a placard must be visible and displayed correctly inside the vehicle). The property you bought or rent may belong to you, but that sweet spot outside your door is a free-for-all.

When it comes to snowstorms and parking bans, finding a place to park your vehicle in New Bedford can get a bit dicey and people become even more protective of their spot, especially after they've shoveled it out. Sec. 23-20 of the New Bedford Code of Ordinances involving "parking during emergencies; removal" states:

"The chief of police, with the approval of the mayor, is authorized to prohibit parking on any streets or parts of streets of the city and to order the removal of vehicles therefrom, for a period of time not to exceed two (2) days, to ensure the public safety or convenience or to facilitate the removal of snow or for any other reason which is the chief's opinion requires said restrictions for the proper carrying out of any civic or municipal purposes."

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The thing to remember about parking bans is that they're only temporary. When we don't work together, that's when problems arise.

Secondly, as a resident of New Bedford myself, I understand the frustration of not being able to secure the spot that may have taken over an hour if not longer to shovel out. It's just the nature of the beast, which is why I will never understand why anyone thinks it's ok to use chairs, furniture, and odds and ends as spot savers. Technically, it's an ordinance violation and street obstruction.

What I'm trying to get across is this: just because you place a couch pillow or a Tonka truck in a parking spot doesn't give you the right to save that spot. I can just as easily move it if I want and park there. Not that I ever would, but understand that there's no binding law that grants you the right to any shoveled-out spot.

Space savers are nothing more than a waste of space, and with the snow pretty much cleaned up and melted for about 98 percent of the city, there should be no reason or excuse to continue to use them.

Of course, there will always be that unwritten rule about respecting someone's shoveling job, but that doesn't guarantee a saved spot. I'm sorry, but that's the cold hard truth (pun intended), so please, for the love of all that's holy, stop dumping your lawn furniture into the streets. It's called littering and yes, you can get fined if the right officer is in the right mood.

Don't say me I didn't warn you.

Love,

Gazelle