Huge Pet Peeve

The last snowstorm in Boston was over 10 days ago, but this does not stop my biggest pet peeve about living in Boston from continuing: .parking spot blocking.

According to the city law, if one shovels a spot out, one is entitled to mark that space using a cone, laundry basket, chair, whatever, for 48 hours. I completely understand this. For 48 hours. People work very hard to shovel spots. It is not fun and it is even less fun to shovel for two hours, pull away and come back an hour later only to find that spot occupied by a person who most definitely did NOT shovel it.

But come on people. 11 days after the storm is ridiculous. Our neighbors are still blocking the spot they shoveled, despite the fact that the rain and warmth has whittled the snow away and gradually left only pavement. Yet they feel entitled to hold their spot, possibly until spring.

The logical solution would be to move whatever object one's bad neighbor has placed in the spot. But in Boston (and in the Ville), such an infraction can get you punched, screamed at--or worse. Many people have had their tires slashed, their cars keyed. One year I got a very nasty note after parking for five minutes in someone's shoveled spot. The note essentially threatened my life and the life of my family should I ever make such a mistake again. Yeah. This city is so FU*%$(# up.

Ok, so I know that this city is notoriously rude and parking is notoriously scarce. Once a person has lived in Boston for 10 years, they are officially bestowed with the term "Mass Hole." Yep, that's me. I learned to drive here. Yes, I flash my middle finger at slow or rude drivers. Yes, I honk with wild abandon. And yes, I have had screaming matches with errant cabbies out the window of my car while doing 45 on Storrow. But I DO not block off parking spaces for more than my allotted 48 hours. And neither should you.