Parking

We've lived in our home for almost eleven years.  We didn't anticipate staying in this house for this long, but as we know all too well, sometimes life has a way of changing an agenda when you least expect it.  So, we're still here, quickly growing out of this house, but we'll probably be here for a couple more years.

The house is great; we just need more room.  The location is good (close to schools, shopping, entertainment), and we can get downtown or across town with few problems.  Overall, the school district is fine (having a child on an IEP, we're bound to have some issues with any school district; that's just a sad fact), and the neighborhood is ok.  We have the same neighborhood drama that probably everyone has; there's always "that" neighbor who gets on everyone's nerves (or maybe you are "that" neighbor, ha!).  We hear fireworks every night in July (not just the 4th!), kids roam about unsupervised, lawns don't get cut maybe as often as they could.

I can live with that (ok, I complain about it, as I'm sure Mark would quickly tell you), but the one thing that is constantly on my nerves are the cars parked (permanently, even!) on the street.  Drives.  Me.  Crazy.

It's not that some houses don't have garages, or driveways.  Nope.  Everyone has a two car garage, and a driveway that could fit two cars.  So, theoretically, a single family could accommodate four vehicles and not have to utilize the street.  But some people do anyway.  All the time.  Drives. Me.  Crazy.  (Yep, typed it twice.)

I completely understand that sometimes there is a need for street parking.  Parties, driveway maintenance, or car troubles are all good reasons to utilize alternate parking options.  A few weeks ago, when Mark's car died, the tow driver dumped his car right in front of our mailbox, and we had to leave it there because the road was so icy that we couldn't even push it out of the way (we tried...I'm sure it was quite comical to watch us slipping about, trying to maneuver the car out of the way).  But that was a rare circumstance, and we had the car towed off as soon as we could.  Other people choose to park their cars on the street, every day.  Or, the cars aren't used, perhaps (there is one right now with at least two flat tires...that thing probably isn't going anywhere soon), so they're just dumped in the street...out of the owners' way, but in the way of everyone else.

Our streets aren't super wide, so when there are cars parked in the street, traffic becomes an issue.  Few people know the appropriate driving rules; I can't tell you how many times I've had to stop, even though I have the right of way, to avoid being hit head on by someone who can't pause their commute for thirty seconds because there is a car parked on their side of the road.  Ugh!  Frustrating.

It all comes down to respecting your neighbors and being considerate.  Unfortunately, sometimes those things seem difficult to pull off, leaving "rule followers" like me to pull our hair out in irritation.  I know, it's not an end-of-the-world situation, and I'm sure that other people have bigger neighborhood issues than this. But, I'm guessing it will be something that continues to bug me.

That is, until we can move into a different, bigger home...and then I'll find something else that annoys me.