Is it a remnant from winter snow shoveling? The use of orange cones to “reserve” parking spaces is standard practice on some streets. North End resident, Andy, was walking around the neighborhood and shared these photos.
Parking Cones Used to Reserve Spaces in North End
BS – if I ever see a cone saving a spot I move it onto the sidewalk. These are city streets with resident parking, which means no saving spaces with cones unless the city gives special consideration (like snow storms)
Yes and the look one gets if even a glance indicates that one might move it, to park. After driving around for 45 minutes, more than once, I’ve actually driven to park in a friend’s driveway, out of the NE, and gotten a ride back. Only to have to take public transportation the next day to get my car and start the search all over again. Not everyone can afford the garage rates. I LOVE the NE, but this practice is not fair.
Someone on the end of Stillman St has been using a Boston Police Department barricade he/she must have “borrowed” when we had the water main break flooding a few months ago. Priceless.
This is such BS! There is no parking in the NE anyways. It’s one thing if you shoveled out your car, but during non-snow months, sorry, but I’ll be moving the cones and parking there. And if you damage my car in anyway, I’ll be filing a police report.
Absolutely – you owe it to move these cones onto the sidewalk or into the trash when you see them. Even worse is the restaurants on Salem and Hanover that place their billboards and chairs in the street.
The first two pix don’t look like cones that are being used to reserve spots. One is there to show it’s an active driveway, which I have no problem with. Another looks like it’s being used to keep another car from hitting the end of the van that’s precariously (but legally) parked. The others, however, look to be used as a reservation.
I have come across this a few times on my street. It is really frustrating when you are looking for a spot. I use the Citizen’s Connect App on my phone, take a photo and submit it to the city of Boston. The city comes and removes the illegal parking cone/construction barriers within 24 hours. By doing this it solves the problem and I am not the “bad guy” for moving the cone/construction barriers that are illegally there in the first place. This app is easy and great for reporting all sorts of minor issues (i.e. graffiti, pot holes, single street light outrages).
Am I seeing things or are there Handicap Only Parking Signs the entire length of Cooper Street.
My favorite is one near Endicott Street near Endicott Court. The same man travels in from who knows where every morning (I see him as I am heading to the subway) and he parks in the handicap spot that he has reserved for himself with cones the night before. He puts his cones back every evening and leaves in time to get home to the suburbs for dinner. Happens every day. I don’t take too much note of it on weekends but I think he is there every day. No resident sticker but is clearly friends with people in the neighborhood so maybe he grew up here. Most days he doesn’t even move the cones. He places them close enough to the curb so that he can fit his car without having to do any extra work. I feel sorry for the first person who decides to move them!
Maria if you paid any attentiion you would realize that elderly man lives right next door. He does not live in the suburbs he lives about 10 ft from the spot. He is an elderly man and does not have the energy to walk around the north end for a spot
then why is his car gone every evening. I pay attention enough to notice that. The spot is open-with cones reserving it- every evening. Also, he is able enough to walk to the club about 3 blocks away. Never struck me as elderly or lacking energy.
Why don’t the people that check for parking permits remove these? They must have seen them
Cones are only part of it… Employees on Salem Street are consistently taking chairs from a restaurant and placing them on the street to block off the 2 spots in front of the restaurant. There are others that do it as well…
I am a life long north end resident and these pictures taken do not tell the full story. Over half of these cones are placed there by the elderly who live close by(i know that for a fact) they are old in age and cannot park on hanover street if they live on endicott st. For example, the picture of the cone on prince st behind the Lincoln is places there by literally a 90 year old man because he lives next door. So if you go by and move his cone when he leaves he may have to walk a pretty long distance and possibly get hurt. Make sure you know all the facts guys before your start attacking people.
Kick them into the street.
@ North Ender, I’m sorry that they are elderly and can’t walk far but I’m a life long North End Resident also (raising my family here too now) and my parents can’t walk far and they park in the garage!!! Its still doesn’t give them, elderly or not, the right to put a cone in a parking stop! They do not own the spot. If they are the old and ill, then maybe they shouldn’t be driving…….
There is a new handicap spot on North Margin that 90% of the time is used by people that aren’t even handicap. I’ve literally seen many occasions a girl with a black sedan and a cat sticker on her back bumper that has a handicap placard and is no way handicapped. If anyone knows how to report please tell me.
1. I didn’t know that being morbidly obese allows you to get a handicapped plackcard! I’m shocked at how many obese, young people get out of their cars after parking in a handicapped spot (on my street alone).
2. Just because you have handicapped poles put in (maybe in front of your building or next door, ect.) it is not “yours”! Anyone, even out of state with handicapped plates, can park there.
3. I have called the Mayor’s 24-hour hot line 100s of times to report handicapped spaces that the person that they were put there for has either passed away or is now in a nursing home and they never get removed. The families used them as private parking space.
I’m sick of the North End people that just do whatever they want from parking space to trash out whenever they feel like doing it, to dog shit everywhere, to parties, you name it and its in the North End. Where are the meter maids???? They could make a killing………..
I apologize for the complaints but I could go on and on and on. Just walking to work this morning I was gagging the whole time walking down Salem Street with the stench from the restaraunts’ barrels and the filth on the sidewalks and in the streets. Disgrace!!!!!!!!
The stench from on Salem Street from the commercial garbage pick up in the mornings is horrendous. The trucks leak the waste liquid all down Salem St. and it collects in pools with other trash and debris. I have called the city about this and I urge others to do so as well.
I cannot agree enough with this post and the general comments of this thread. I know that parking is a hot commodity in the city, especially the North End. But really, having to do laps for 30+ minutes to find an open spot is ridiculous. ESPECIALLY when I pass a handful of reserved handicapped spots that go unoccupied late at night and also other spots that are staked out with cones from residents or restaurants.
About a week ago I was doing the rounds hunting for a spot and saw two 20-year old guys walking out of Thatcher Court with a police horse and two orange cones. They walked to their car on Thatcher Street and while one pulled out the other set-up the police horse and cones in the spot to save it for their return later that evening.
It’s the most frustrating thing to watch these things happen and see 3-4 handicapped spots held with multiple cones every night. I still don’t understand how people who are disabled and considered handicapped are able to get out of their car, move 2-4 cones out of an already vacant spot and then pull in. Maybe people who are spotted doing this should have their handicapped plates revoked? Just like the people I’ve seen run to and jump into the driver’s seat in a car with handicapped plates. This brings up an even bigger question – what are the requirements for a handicapped permit? Seems like it might be a benefit that someone at City Hall is extending to friends and family in the N. End.
when I was a kid my father always parked his car up the ramp as it was knicknamed..(the top of the brinks building) one day he gets a notice the rent was going up he says the hell with this ..ill park in the street.. mistake if he and my mother went out it took them forever to find a spot ..so he went back and parked up the ramp.. it was just more convient for him..i understand that the rent to park a car must be expensive, but the north end is prime real estate.. and what your paying for rent that’s another expense.. if I was still living in the north end I probally rent a zip car for the day and do a huge shopping or leave my car at my in laws and take the t o their home.. its a hassle having a car in the north end and has been since cars were invented.. some people are handicapped and appearences are funny they might look healthy or they may have a disabled parent they are taking care of or a disabled child.. and to think the snow hasn’t arrived yet and parking already causing problems.. good luck..
As for handicap plates or placards a little known fact is a person with a handicapped plate only allows them not to pay a parking meter in the city of Boston.If you have a handicapped plate you MUST also have a resident sticker to park in the NE or any neighborhood in the city.. The law is not enforced & if you go to the Mass Dot RMV website & check handicapped plates & placards the law is in black & white.