Safety risk when parallel parking and neighbors plant flowers/shrubs right next to the street

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you need to reevaluate your definition of "safety risk", or you are going to have a couple of very scary decades.

OP here. I can see why you'd say this without knowing me or where I live, but trust me when I tell you I'm not usually uptight about stuff like this. But I live on a one-way street that is a main thoroughfare and has parking along both sides, and there really is very little room to stand in the street. A few months ago my neighbor actually had his passenger side door clipped by someone driving too close.

If they just planted flowers it would be fine, but when they put up a little barrier or start with actual shrubs and bushes, it gets very difficult. In one case the guy has these tall plants (yucca, maybe?) with long sharp pointy leaves sticking out up to about chest height. Even when it's just flowers they are often knee-high and thick, and I can't see where my feet are while holding 30 pounds of squirming toddler. (I say "baby" by force of habit, but he's almost 18 months.)

I think it's fine to beautify the neighborhood, but this is a bit out of control.

This is why I moved farther out. I needed a secure and definitive place to park. Sorry, but these are the trade offs you make when you decide to stay in the city.

[Anonymous]

OP - are you saying there is a fence around the entire perimeter of the tree box, including along the street, right next to the curb? I've never seen a fence like that, and if that is the case, it's a bit much - it would make it difficult to open the car door in many instances. Otherwise, though, I think you need to just deal. Step on the flowers if you have no other choice, but I agree with another PP - plants are much preferable to dog poop and bottles.

[Anonymous]

OP, can you have a nice conversation with the gardener(s) and say that you really appreciate their efforts, but that you'd appreciate it they would be mindful of parking practicalities. Surely they must also be aware of the difficulties of parking.

--Former Dupont mom

[Anonymous]

Don't knock Lenexa, Kansas. There are idiots anywhere you go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is sometimes necessary to retrieve children from the street side. Yes, it should be avoided whenever possible, but you'll need to get comfortable doing this quickly and without sticking too far out for too long. You mentioned a baby, so I think this is just something you'll learn to coordinate as you go along a bit farther.

I've also done some pretty acrobatic seat-climbing to avoid this. Motherhood involves a lot of inconvenience.

OP here. It's not about convenience. My kid is almost 30 pounds and sits rear-facing in a Britax convertible in the center position--I'd have to be in Cirque de Soleil to get him out through the front seat.

Urban Moms, raise your hands if you've earned your Cirque du Soleil membership cards one way or another... see, that's most of us here.

If I had a toddler in the center position, I would handle the unbuckling from the seat to one side... and my car is a compact. It's awkward, but can be done. I do hear you on the traffic issue, but it's such a common situation that many of us have navigated many times. I'd like to think it's ultimately safe to exit from the traffic side quickly but carefully.

Hopefully, there isn't a medical condition that will limit your child's controlled participation in the getting out of the car process before too much longer. This awkward stage (heavy but helpless) is usually a very temporary problem.

Cities really shouldn't be prioritizing drivers over pedestrians, which is what they'd be doing if they limited protections for treebox plantings more aggressively.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - are you saying there is a fence around the entire perimeter of the tree box, including along the street, right next to the curb? I've never seen a fence like that, and if that is the case, it's a bit much - it would make it difficult to open the car door in many instances. Otherwise, though, I think you need to just deal. Step on the flowers if you have no other choice, but I agree with another PP - plants are much preferable to dog poop and bottles.

I'm not OP, but this is a fairly common practice in my Adams Morgan neighborhood. It goes a little farther toward keeping the dogs out, but does inhibit car doors. Still, there's a lot of value to well cared for plantings according to the "broken windows theory".

[Anonymous]

Move the seat to an easier position in your car, get in the car on the other side when you can and shut the door to get your child in or figure out something else. To expect your neighbor to pull up everything so you don't have to climb over it with a child is a bit much. Sure, having young kids and I do is a huge hassle with car seats, but that is time limited and will not last forever. Or, get an easier car seat to use.

[Anonymous]

A baby is more important than plants, and plants are safer than the road.

So step on the plants if you have to.
Dry out your pant suit and wipe the mud off your shoes as soon as you get home.

It'll be fine. Please avoid the road, no matter what everyone says, that is the greatest danger!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Move the seat to an easier position in your car, get in the car on the other side when you can and shut the door to get your child in or figure out something else. To expect your neighbor to pull up everything so you don't have to climb over it with a child is a bit much. Sure, having young kids and I do is a huge hassle with car seats, but that is time limited and will not last forever. Or, get an easier car seat to use.

OP here. I'm not going to report this or make an issue, and I do agree that there are benefits to the plantings. It's just annoying, and I was mostly just venting.

But to address this PP and the cirque du soleil comment--the reason why my kid is in the center is because it's the safest. It also enables me to get into the backseat and close the door to unbuckle him from either side, thus not having to stand very long in the street. Our carseat is not hard to use. It's just that there is only about 8-10 inches of vertical clearance between the top of the seat and the ceiling of the car. I could climb into the backseat but it wouldn't make a difference because I'd still have to get him OUT somehow. I have tried to lift him into the front seat but I'm not really strong enough to do it from a kneeling position, and I end up knocking his head into the roof of the car. My concern is for having to walk around the car while holding my kid, and there's no amount of climbing that would keep me from having to do that.

To the posters who suggested the suburbs, are you saying that a person can't have a single gripe about living somewhere and still be happy there overall? By that logic, my neighbors should move to the burbs too so they will have more room to garden.

[Anonymous]

"My concern is for having to walk around the car while holding my kid"

OP, I'll grant you that it's less than ideal, but it still seems to me like a pretty ordinary thing to have to do on occasion. Keep your eyes open and time your exit carefully.

[Anonymous]

Having a child in the center seat is only slightly safer than on the side according to the research, especially when you look at what the swedish do, who are far more advanced with their rear facing till age 4 (which is far more important than being in the center).

[Anonymous]

I'd say call 311- it's one of the few good service the city provides. The neighbor doesn't need to know it's you- if they are violating a city code an official can deal with it.

Otherwise, the plants have to get stepped on (although some of your plants sound too high for that)

I agree with you- these "fences" are horrible- I have the same problem on my street.

I'm sure your nice neighbor doesn't realize what trouble they are causing- but if they aren't sensitive to this already- they will probably not handle your feedback well. Indeed, so many people that responded didn't handle it well and it doesn't affect them directly.

Sorry, I know it's frustrating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you should pick another parking spot. You have no right to tell your neighbors what to plant in their tree boxes, sorry.

If you want a safe private parking spot, put one in your backyard or rent a dedicated spot. Street parking is first come first serve.

It's not their property.

Doesn't matter if it's their property, they are allowed to plant there. What are you going to do, walk around with a machete and cut it all down? I also have a hard time picturing this super busy Capitol Hill street. Most streets in the neighborhood are so quiet, I'd wager you could always go around the corner or park next to a bike lane if you really can't handle this stupid tree box problem of yours.

[Anonymous]

Acccording to this, tree boxes are only allowed to be enclosed on the three non-curb sides: http://www.thehillishome.com/2011/04/ask-nichole-4/

Now, whether you want to report your neighbor's violation is another question. Why risk the possibility of years of resentment in search of a solution to a temporary problem?

[Anonymous]

I live on the Hill and I know exactly what you're talking about. I'm not going to go out of my way to step on someone's plants, but if they're in the tree box and I can't avoid it, well... it is what it is. The tree box is not anyone's personal garden and you're right, it makes taking not only the baby, but groceries, etc... a huge PITA. This is not something to lose sleep over, OP.