Parking Dibs Are The Stuff Of Fights

Really, people?

Since we've already been blessed/damned by 56 inches of snow this winter (and it's not even February yet), we must continue our question about whether parking dibs—as in claiming a parking space on a public street that you've shoveled out for your car—are acceptable. While most of our readers think parking dibs are a joke, they clearly don't live in the heart of Parking Dibs land, Middle Village, Queens. After the Daily News found passionate parking dibs supporters there, WCBS 2 sent reporter John Slattery to the belly of the beast... and he found trash cans, traffic cones, and chairs reserving spaces.

One resident seemed forgiving, “In a way you can’t blame ‘em. They shovel it and when they get home they want a spot. You can’t blame them," but he added, "Personally, I don’t do that." But another who does said, "You put two garbage cans out in front of your house and you hope for the best. You hope nobody moves them.... There are people who don’t and that’s where you get problem. Cops come. I’ve seen it. It’s not nice, you know.”

Dibs are a huge issue in Chicago. So huge that a group called Chair Free Chicago was launched in order to rid the city of dibs. Copy from one of its ads: "Yes, you shoveled out your parking space after the last snow storm. La-di-friggin'-da. That doesn't mean the space is permanently yours, asshat. You want to shovel the whole street? THEN we can save you a spot."

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By Jen Chung in News on January 29, 2011 5:28 PM

Comments [rss]

drew_o

Car culture cultivates the ugly American.

soxinthecity

The guy across the street from me uses the 2nd car usually parked in his driveway to claim the spot in front of his house all year long. If I'm home when there is street cleaning in front of his house, I make a point to grab that spot a half hour before alternate side parking is up and hang out in the car. Then I go out of my way to leave the car parked there for as long as possible. Just to piss the self entitled SOB off.

nicemarmot

I'm pretty amazed nobody tries to steal the chairs. I mean, this is New York. I don't leave anything outside unless I want somebody to take it.

just saying

There's this guy across the street who's taking up multiple (already scarce) parking spaces with his car. Every other day or so he goes out and cleans off his car and then shovels the snow from about 7 feet in front and 7 in back of the car. He never moves the car. Okay, that's kinda annoying but you can live with it.

However, today this tool apparently decided that there's now too much snow on his side of the street. So with each shovel of snow that he removed from around his car and sidewalk today, he then walked across the street and deposited said snow on the other side of the street.

Of course, it took this tool many more hours to transfer all his snow to the other side of the street. So on my side of the street now there is an even more humongous frozen mound of snow which is also now covering the fire hydrant.

robingee

Dude sounds like a world-class dickhole.

Rocknrope

It would have been awesome if you took the time to redeposit it back on his side. The look on his face would have been worth the work.

just saying

True, unfortunately I don't have the patience necessary to spend hours moving snow aimlessly back to the other side of the street. Besides the larger snow mound is now probably frozen rock solid.

(However, it did occur to me to throw a few buckets of water on top of his car thereby turning it into an icicle car.)

SwampYankee

I believe it was Winter 95 when this shit happened last. It was the last straw and the year I left the city. Living large on Long Island with my 3 car driveway shoveled out. Happy to visit everyday, but you guys can keep this crap.

Communist

So hold on, they put garbage cans in the spot. Meaning either they are using property of the actual house owners OR that they own the house?

You own a house without parking spot? Please. They are bunch of scum bags who have their own parking spots but choose to take up public parking anyways so nobody parts in front of their overpriced house.

And when they get their car out they are too lazy to shovel their garage/space to put the car back in there instead.

Every time I see that type of bullshit when I'm on foot I simply go and throw their garbage cans across the street.

larkman

You're an idiot. Not every house has it's own parking spot. Especially in NYC.

diablofreak

in middle village most houses have their own driveways and garages - both private and common (back alleys)

i live there. and they should stop complaining - it's one of few non-private neighborhoods in queens that does not have alternate side parking during weekdays