AARoads Forum

After the recent winter storm, it's time for the old furniture and other junk to come out to claim shoveled out parking spaces in and around Chicago.  How many other places have this practice?

It's even a question in the mayoral races here: With flakes falling, Chicago mayoral candidates weigh in on "˜dibs' parking practice (https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-mayoral-candidates-dibs-20181126-story.html).

There are even columns on it: First big snowfall brings Judge Dibs to the bench (https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/kass/ct-met-judge-dibs-kass-0209-story.html)

Around here, the only things that take up multiple parking spaces in winter that aren't meant to be in parking spaces are snow and Christmas trees.

Quote from: 1 on November 27, 2018, 02:01:46 PM
Around here, the only things that take up multiple parking spaces in winter that aren't meant to be in parking spaces are snow and Christmas trees.

What?  You live in Eastern Massachusetts and you've never heard of the space saver?  I'm surprised.

Probably any big city...or any area where street parking is a premium...it's an issue.

It's been a big issue in Philly for decades as well.  Lately the heat has been turned up a bit lately, although it's probably due to the freedom of Twitter.  I think, if I recall correctly, some Philly officials don't want people saving spaces, and other Philly officials either say it's traditional Philly to save spaces, or just want to stay clear of the issue. 

Ultimately, the guys on the road (cops) enforce whatever standard they want, and I believe they just want to be hands off.  If they have a choice about busting someone saving a spot with a lawn chair, or, say, doing anything else, they're going to do anything else.

I live in the suburbs and there is no tradition of space-saving here. The one fellow in our neighborhood who seemed to feel otherwise moved away a few years ago. I must hasten to note that he didn't use a space-saver nor any other object to "claim"  a space–in fact he left a space vacant for more than 48 hours and then got outraged that it was occupied. Regardless of anyone's feelings on the "dibs"  practice (I personally take a dim view of it), I thought it was pretty much universal that in places where such a custom is accepted, you have to use something to "claim"  the space. Just removing the snow isn't enough.

I know in the District of Columbia  there have been problems over the years caused by conflicts between people hailing from places like Chicago and Boston who think their cities' practices are obligatory everywhere else and people who come from places with no "dibs"  custom. The city's position is that you can't legally claim a space on a public street, but it doesn't stop some of the more obnoxious people from vandalizing cars and the like.

Quote from: 1995hoo on November 27, 2018, 02:30:55 PM
it doesn't stop some of the more obnoxious people from vandalizing cars and the like.

That right there is the only thing that keeps me from getting out, picking up the object, moving it onto the lawn, and then parking it "their" spot.

I'm so happy we've had garage parking for 4 of the 5 years we've been back in Chicago and, consequently, I don't have to have an opinion on dibs.  The one year we didn't have off-street parking, I accidentally parked in front of someone's driveway (the snowfall was so heavy, I didn't notice it) and, mercifully, our car was not vandalized, only ticketed.

Quote from: 1995hoo on November 27, 2018, 02:30:55 PM
I live in the suburbs and there is no tradition of space-saving here. The one fellow in our neighborhood who seemed to feel otherwise moved away a few years ago. I must hasten to note that he didn't use a space-saver nor any other object to "claim"  a space–in fact he left a space vacant for more than 48 hours and then got outraged that it was occupied. Regardless of anyone's feelings on the "dibs"  practice (I personally take a dim view of it), I thought it was pretty much universal that in places where such a custom is accepted, you have to use something to "claim"  the space. Just removing the snow isn't enough.

I know in the District of Columbia  there have been problems over the years caused by conflicts between people hailing from places like Chicago and Boston who think their cities' practices are obligatory everywhere else and people who come from places with no "dibs"  custom. The city's position is that you can't legally claim a space on a public street, but it doesn't stop some of the more obnoxious people from vandalizing cars and the like.

DC only gets snowstorms heavy enough for anyone to even consider dibs once every 5-10 years.  In Chicago and Boston, they happen at least once a year.  That's why citizens of these cities have given it more thought than citizens of DC.

If I ever live in Chicago, I'll pay extra $ to have a reserved spot

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 27, 2018, 02:54:36 PM
I'm so happy we've had garage parking for 4 of the 5 years we've been back in Chicago and, consequently, I don't have to have an opinion on dibs.  ....

I know my feeling might vary if I lived in a dense urban area where I had to park on the street, but in general, my thoughts are (1) you can't save space on a public street, and (2) more importantly, you're not shovelling out the space to perform a public service–rather, you're shovelling out the space because you want to remove your car from that space. I know some people say there's sweat equity or similar, but I don't buy it. The "reward" for all your "hard work" is that you get to drive your car. You shouldn't get some kind of gold star on top of that.

My grandparents lived in Bay Ridge (Brooklyn) and there was no tradition of space-saving there despite the more frequent need to shovel and the scarcity of parking spaces. If someone took "your" space, you did the same thing you did all the other days of the year when you couldn't find a space–you went around the block and tried again, and it would sometimes take half an hour or more to find a space. The only "unofficial" parking custom they had involved the acceptance of double-parking on alternate side days, and it was universally understood in the neighborhood that you had to leave a note on your dashboard with your address so the person you blocked could come ring your doorbell if he needed to move his car.

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 27, 2018, 02:54:36 PM
....

DC only gets snowstorms heavy enough for anyone to even consider dibs once every 5-10 years.  In Chicago and Boston, they happen at least once a year.  That's why citizens of these cities have given it more thought than citizens of DC.

The problem happens when those massive snows occur, such as January 2016. The city has made it clear many times–space-saving is against the law in DC. Doesn't stop the Chicago and Boston transplants from wanting to pretend their cities' customs apply. Look, if you want to push the snow back into the space or dump it on the car that took "your" spot, whatever. That's a nuisance for someone else, but it doesn't cause property damage or financial loss. It's the vandalism that's unacceptable, ESPECIALLY when someone from Chicago or Boston moves elsewhere but then think it's OK to vandalize because that's what he does at home. It is in no way OK to slash someone's tire (potentially a $200+ expense, depending on the type of tire) just because that person parked on a public street.

I agree that vandalism of cars that "stole" a cleared space is never acceptable.

I think what makes things even more frustrating for the individual who shoveled the parking space is the giant wall of frozen slush generated by snowplows that also needs to be dug through.  That is not something I ever experienced while living in DC; if the snow got that high, the car would probably just need to sit there until it melted.

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 27, 2018, 03:23:22 PM
I agree that vandalism of cars that "stole" a cleared space is never acceptable.

I think what makes things even more frustrating for the individual who shoveled the parking space is the giant wall of frozen slush generated by snowplows that also needs to be dug through.  That is not something I ever experienced while living in DC; if the snow got that high, the car would probably just need to sit there until it melted.

I grew up in a small town with very wide streets.  After heavy snowfalls, the snow trucks used to run the main streets with their plows angled toward the middle of the street instead of the edge.  Business entrances stayed clear that way, but turning left was always an adventure.

Quote from: kphoger on November 27, 2018, 03:36:45 PM

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 27, 2018, 03:23:22 PM
I agree that vandalism of cars that "stole" a cleared space is never acceptable.

I think what makes things even more frustrating for the individual who shoveled the parking space is the giant wall of frozen slush generated by snowplows that also needs to be dug through.  That is not something I ever experienced while living in DC; if the snow got that high, the car would probably just need to sit there until it melted.

I grew up in a small town with very wide streets.  After heavy snowfalls, the snow trucks used to run the main streets with their plows angled toward the middle of the street instead of the edge.  Business entrances stayed clear that way, but turning left was always an adventure.

I'm interested in seeing how VDOT plows the street into and out of our neighborhood this winter if we get enough snow for it to be necessary. The road was repaved this summer and received bike lanes as part of the project. It'll be interesting to see whether the bike lanes get plowed or whether the plows use them as the space for the wall of frozen stuff abefroman329 mentions. (In this picture, the SUV is illegally parked in the bike lane. At the spot where I was standing, the other side of the road is configured differently and has a parking lane between the bike lane and the curb, but the side where I was standing doesn't have the parking lane until up ahead there.)

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180427/c1401b7f1f75042c7a056c8f37a18f70.jpg)

Quote from: ET21 on November 27, 2018, 03:08:04 PM
If I ever live in Chicago, I'll pay extra $ to have a reserved spot

How many extra $?  I've seen reports of condos with the option of parking being priced $25k or even $50k more.

Quote from: roadman on November 27, 2018, 02:17:02 PM

Quote from: 1 on November 27, 2018, 02:01:46 PM
Around here, the only things that take up multiple parking spaces in winter that aren't meant to be in parking spaces are snow and Christmas trees.

What?  You live in Eastern Massachusetts and you've never heard of the space saver?  I'm surprised.

It's nonexistent where I live. Maybe it's different in Boston proper.

By the way, I misinterpreted the OP. I thought it was about spaces in parking lots, and I thought the "furniture and other junk" was there due to neglect.

Don't live somewhere that you have to rely on street parking and not have your own private place to park your car.

We had an issue a few years ago where we were repaving a one-way city street in one of our towns that is a state-maintained highway. We had to have the street completely cleared of vehicles before milling and paving could begin. I don't know where the street parkers ended up parking their cars, and I also don't remember if we had to have any of the cars towed or not. I certainly wouldn't want to live somewhere that forced me to park on the street and I didn't have my own driveway.

But unless local law allows for reserving spaces on streets for owners/occupants of certain houses, I can't see how this practice could even be considered acceptable. Common courtesy might dictate that you don't park in a spot that someone else cleared, but how is that enforceable?

Quote from: hbelkins on November 27, 2018, 05:27:11 PM
But unless local law allows for reserving spaces on streets for owners/occupants of certain houses, I can't see how this practice could even be considered acceptable. Common courtesy might dictate that you don't park in a spot that someone else cleared, but how is that enforceable?

It's apparently enforced by vandalism.

Quote from: kphoger on November 27, 2018, 03:36:45 PM

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 27, 2018, 03:23:22 PM
I agree that vandalism of cars that "stole" a cleared space is never acceptable.

I think what makes things even more frustrating for the individual who shoveled the parking space is the giant wall of frozen slush generated by snowplows that also needs to be dug through.  That is not something I ever experienced while living in DC; if the snow got that high, the car would probably just need to sit there until it melted.

I grew up in a small town with very wide streets.  After heavy snowfalls, the snow trucks used to run the main streets with their plows angled toward the middle of the street instead of the edge.  Business entrances stayed clear that way, but turning left was always an adventure.

Yeah, you couldn't do that here and still have two clear lanes (one in each direction).

But, as they would remind us in DC during one of the blizzards, the snowplows plow streets to make sure emergency vehicles can get around, not so private citizens can drive their cars around.

Quote from: 1 on November 27, 2018, 04:56:09 PM

Quote from: roadman on November 27, 2018, 02:17:02 PM

Quote from: 1 on November 27, 2018, 02:01:46 PM
Around here, the only things that take up multiple parking spaces in winter that aren't meant to be in parking spaces are snow and Christmas trees.

What?  You live in Eastern Massachusetts and you've never heard of the space saver?  I'm surprised.

It's nonexistent where I live. Maybe it's different in Boston proper.

By the way, I misinterpreted the OP. I thought it was about spaces in parking lots, and I thought the "furniture and other junk" was there due to neglect.

Nope, not neglect at all.
http://chicagodibs.tumblr.com/

Quote from: 1 on November 27, 2018, 04:56:09 PM
....

By the way, I misinterpreted the OP. I thought it was about spaces in parking lots, and I thought the "furniture and other junk" was there due to neglect.

Or there was the time Cartman tried to call dibs on a toilet:



(The scene continues with him putting on a bow, going to the girls' restroom, and announcing he's "transginger"  and exercising his right to identify with the sex of his choice. He then proceeds to take a dump in the girls' restroom.)

Quote from: 1995hoo on November 27, 2018, 06:18:03 PM

Quote from: 1 on November 27, 2018, 04:56:09 PM
....

By the way, I misinterpreted the OP. I thought it was about spaces in parking lots, and I thought the "furniture and other junk" was there due to neglect.

Or there was the time Cartman tried to call dibs on a toilet:

(The scene continues with him putting on a bow, going to the girls' restroom, and announcing he's "transginger"  and exercising his right to identify with the sex of his choice. He then proceeds to take a dump in the girls' restroom.)

Did they ever explain why Butters drops his pants and underwear to the floor when he's at the urinal?

Not that I recall. Butters does take off his pants and underwear when he takes a dump, but that's because he sits facing the wall, using the toilet tank as a shelf for his book.

Quote from: 1995hoo on November 27, 2018, 06:30:40 PM
Not that I recall. Butters does take off his pants and underwear when he takes a dump, but that's because he sits facing the wall, using the toilet tank as a shelf for his book.

Jesus Christ.

I remember he drops trou at the urinal when Cartman is a hall monitor/Dog the Bounty Hunter. He also sings a song, something like "hello Mr. Weiner, whaddya say."

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 27, 2018, 06:25:10 PM
Did they ever explain why Butters drops his pants and underwear to the floor when he's at the urinal?

I vividly remember a classmate in kindergarten trying to get me in trouble for pulling my pants all the way down to my ankles to use the urinal (that's just the way I did things).  When we came out of the bathroom, he announced my terrible behavior to the teacher.  The teacher didn't care.

This is now getting into bandit957 territory...

Quote from: kphoger on November 27, 2018, 06:59:47 PM

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 27, 2018, 06:25:10 PM
Did they ever explain why Butters drops his pants and underwear to the floor when he's at the urinal?

I vividly remember a classmate in kindergarten trying to get me in trouble for pulling my pants all the way down to my ankles to use the urinal (that's just the way I did things).  When we came out of the bathroom, he announced my terrible behavior to the teacher.  The teacher didn't care.

This is now getting into bandit957 territory...

Not unless one or both of you were bubbling at the time.

or roads scholaring

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181128/9bb1f1a5a922afab937713e0a9ce6acf.jpg)
Tea Time?


iPhone

Quote from: hbelkins on November 27, 2018, 05:27:11 PM
Don't live somewhere that you have to rely on street parking and not have your own private place to park your car.

We had an issue a few years ago where we were repaving a one-way city street in one of our towns that is a state-maintained highway. We had to have the street completely cleared of vehicles before milling and paving could begin. I don't know where the street parkers ended up parking their cars, and I also don't remember if we had to have any of the cars towed or not. I certainly wouldn't want to live somewhere that forced me to park on the street and I didn't have my own driveway.

But unless local law allows for reserving spaces on streets for owners/occupants of certain houses, I can't see how this practice could even be considered acceptable. Common courtesy might dictate that you don't park in a spot that someone else cleared, but how is that enforceable?

City of Boston allows use of space savers for up to 48 hours after a declared snow emergency ends.  And I respectfully disagree with your assertion about "common courtesy" regarding cleared spaces.  We're talking about PUBLIC streets here, and the right of the public to use those streets extends to parking on those streets as well.

Quote from: Tonytone on November 27, 2018, 07:47:56 PM
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181128/9bb1f1a5a922afab937713e0a9ce6acf.jpg)
Tea Time?

See now, fear of vandalism would be the only thing keeping me from moving that table and chair into the lawn and parking in that spot.

---

Quote from: roadman on November 28, 2018, 09:25:29 AM
City of Boston allows use of space savers for up to 48 hours after a declared snow emergency ends.

It would not have occurred to me before this thread that saving a parking space on a public street was legal at all, anywhere.

I think fear of vandalism is what the people in those cities rely on when they put out their household detritus to "reserve" spaces. It seems highly unlikely that any city law enforcement will give anyone a ticket for parking in a "saved" space, especially given the difficulty the space-saver would face in proving the object was there when the person parked. (Next thing we'll see will be people rigging up webcams and the like in order to post photos or video of "space-stealers.")

Quote from: kphoger on November 28, 2018, 09:52:41 AMIt would not have occurred to me before this thread that saving a parking space on a public street was legal at all, anywhere.

In both DC and Chicago, the only two cities where I've done this, it's legal for private citizens to put up no-parking signs that they've obtained from the city government in order to reserve sufficent space to park, say, a moving truck on a city street.  The trouble is that, in Chicago, they're completely unenforceable, and in DC, you have to beg a meter maid to ticket a car that's parked there, and they won't tow it.

Quote from: 1995hoo on November 28, 2018, 09:57:24 AM
I think fear of vandalism is what the people in those cities rely on when they put out their household detritus to "reserve" spaces. It seems highly unlikely that any city law enforcement will give anyone a ticket for parking in a "saved" space, especially given the difficulty the space-saver would face in proving the object was there when the person parked. (Next thing we'll see will be people rigging up webcams and the like in order to post photos or video of "space-stealers.")

On a related note, it might be a good idea to rig up some cameras in your car to catch vandals, should you choose to park there.

(Your tag line is appropriate for this thread:  You never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed.)

Quote from: kphoger on November 28, 2018, 09:52:41 AM

Quote from: roadman on November 28, 2018, 09:25:29 AM
City of Boston allows use of space savers for up to 48 hours after a declared snow emergency ends.

It would not have occurred to me before this thread that saving a parking space on a public street was legal at all, anywhere.

Me neither. I think a more appropriate alternative would be for cities to pass ordinances granting residents the right to park in certain parked spots and then post signs saying, "reserved parking for residents of 1234 This Street."

Quote from: hbelkins on November 28, 2018, 11:51:24 AM

Quote from: kphoger on November 28, 2018, 09:52:41 AM

Quote from: roadman on November 28, 2018, 09:25:29 AM
City of Boston allows use of space savers for up to 48 hours after a declared snow emergency ends.

It would not have occurred to me before this thread that saving a parking space on a public street was legal at all, anywhere.

Me neither. I think a more appropriate alternative would be for cities to pass ordinances granting residents the right to park in certain parked spots and then post signs saying, "reserved parking for residents of 1234 This Street."

Kind of like this (https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=18766.msg2172798#msg2172798) but without the obvious restriction.

Quote from: hbelkins on November 28, 2018, 11:51:24 AMI think a more appropriate alternative would be for cities to pass ordinances granting residents the right to park in certain parked spots and then post signs saying, "reserved parking for residents of 1234 This Street."

DC does something very similar: https://dmv.dc.gov/service/residential-parking-permits
Chicago does something very similar: http://www.chicityclerk.com/city-stickers-parking/about-parking-permits

It's far more prevalent in DC; thanks to its relatively compact geographic size, commuters from DC and VA were driving in, parking on residential streets, and walking to their office jobs to avoid paying to park in parking garages.  In Chicago, it's mainly limited to Wrigleyville, Lincoln Park, and other neighborhoods where street parking is at a premium due to many visitors driving there from outside the neighborhood.

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 28, 2018, 12:16:54 PM
Wrigleyville

Early childhood memories of my dad hunting for a parking spot for Cubs games.

example of a sign (https://goo.gl/maps/MuQch1ihm5q)

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 28, 2018, 12:16:54 PM

Quote from: hbelkins on November 28, 2018, 11:51:24 AMI think a more appropriate alternative would be for cities to pass ordinances granting residents the right to park in certain parked spots and then post signs saying, "reserved parking for residents of 1234 This Street."

DC does something very similar: https://dmv.dc.gov/service/residential-parking-permits
Chicago does something very similar: http://www.chicityclerk.com/city-stickers-parking/about-parking-permits

It's far more prevalent in DC; thanks to its relatively compact geographic size, commuters from DC and VA were driving in, parking on residential streets, and walking to their office jobs to avoid paying to park in parking garages.  In Chicago, it's mainly limited to Wrigleyville, Lincoln Park, and other neighborhoods where street parking is at a premium due to many visitors driving there from outside the neighborhood.

Boston, Cambridge, and other adjacent communities have resident parking permit programs.  Just another form of entitlement as far as I'm concerned.  Public streets should be accessible to all members of the public - and that includes parking.

Quote from: roadman on November 28, 2018, 01:03:45 PM
resident parking permit programs.  Just another form of entitlement as far as I'm concerned.  Public streets should be accessible to all members of the public - and that includes parking.

I'm OK with posted, legal restrictions like that.  It's functionally not much different than having driveways but no on-street parking.  What I'm not OK with is letting everyone do it–snow storm or not.

Quote from: roadman on November 28, 2018, 01:03:45 PMBoston, Cambridge, and other adjacent communities have resident parking permit programs.  Just another form of entitlement as far as I'm concerned.

Doesn't bother me at all, I think the residents of that street should get, well, dibs on the spaces on that street.  The programs in DC and Chicago have exemptions for drivers visiting residents of that street or zone (though I wonder if that's getting abused thanks to AirBnb).

Quote from: roadman on November 28, 2018, 01:03:45 PMPublic streets should be accessible to all members of the public

They're not - see, e.g., Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 15th Street and 17th Street in DC.

There are also handicap spaces, which are likewise signed and require a permit.

Quote from: kphoger on November 28, 2018, 01:26:02 PM
There are also handicap spaces, which are likewise signed and require a permit.

Which is the ONLY legitimate exception to my earlier statement.

I think the difference between requiring a parking permit and allowing "dibs" is that the permit doesn't necessarily guarantee you a space, much less a specific space. The "dibs" concept allows a resident to claim a particular spot and exclude anyone else from using it. That's a very different concept.

Quote from: roadman on November 28, 2018, 01:28:25 PM

Quote from: kphoger on November 28, 2018, 01:26:02 PM
There are also handicap spaces, which are likewise signed and require a permit.

Which is the ONLY legitimate exception to my earlier statement.

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmyofficeandmore.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F03%2FParking-Commercial-Vehicles-e1491336845620.jpg&hash=799758c1e45d7c7bec1e2a3b11b4852b74edd4bd)  ?

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 27, 2018, 06:25:10 PMDid they ever explain why Butters drops his pants and underwear to the floor when he's at the urinal?

No - it's just something Butters does because he's Butters.

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 27, 2018, 06:42:08 PM

Quote from: 1995hoo on November 27, 2018, 06:30:40 PM
Not that I recall. Butters does take off his pants and underwear when he takes a dump, but that's because he sits facing the wall, using the toilet tank as a shelf for his book.

Jesus Christ.

They actually pass comment on that one* in the episode where Clyde's mom dies because Clyde didn't put the toilet seat down (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_Cowgirl_(South_Park)) - the ghost of John Harrington (who, as inventor of the flush toilet, is being sued for the death of Clyde's mom) says that everyone has been using his invention wrong, except for Butters.

*which we only find out about in the episode.

Quote from: 1995hoo on November 27, 2018, 06:30:40 PM
Butters does take off his pants and underwear when he takes a dump, but that's because he sits facing the wall, using the toilet tank as a shelf for his book.

I don't see how sitting backwards on a toilet requires removing one's pants anyway.  Pants go around your ankles, legs straddle the toilet, all is good.

I don't object to resident parking programs.  What causes me great concern are no-free-parking policies.

I recognize that they are the reality in large, densely populated cities, but as a car owner I would feel uncomfortable living in a property that did not have its own off-street parking, because that would leave me in a legally vulnerable position if vehicle immatriculation lapsed for some reason (e.g., couldn't buy license renewal decals because the jurisdiction requires emissions inspection and the car failed).

Quote from: kphoger on November 28, 2018, 02:01:47 PM

Quote from: 1995hoo on November 27, 2018, 06:30:40 PM
Butters does take off his pants and underwear when he takes a dump, but that's because he sits facing the wall, using the toilet tank as a shelf for his book.

I don't see how sitting backwards on a toilet requires removing one's pants anyway.  Pants go around your ankles, legs straddle the toilet, all is good.

That wouldn't work if the toilet had a cistern.  Your pants would be resting on the part that connects the bowl to the cistern.  That's disgusting.

Quote from: english si on November 28, 2018, 01:53:36 PMJohn Harrington (...inventor of the flush toilet)

At least they didn't falsely claim the toilet was invented by John Crapper, which is a popular urban legend.

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 28, 2018, 02:27:06 PM

Quote from: kphoger on November 28, 2018, 02:01:47 PM

Quote from: 1995hoo on November 27, 2018, 06:30:40 PM
Butters does take off his pants and underwear when he takes a dump, but that's because he sits facing the wall, using the toilet tank as a shelf for his book.

I don't see how sitting backwards on a toilet requires removing one's pants anyway.  Pants go around your ankles, legs straddle the toilet, all is good.

That wouldn't work if the toilet had a cistern.  Your pants would be resting on the part that connects the bowl to the cistern.  That's disgusting.

??  Please explain.  To me, a toilet cistern is the same thing as a toilet tank–which would not be in contact with one's pants.

Quote from: kphoger on November 28, 2018, 02:32:17 PM

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 28, 2018, 02:27:06 PM

Quote from: kphoger on November 28, 2018, 02:01:47 PM

Quote from: 1995hoo on November 27, 2018, 06:30:40 PM
Butters does take off his pants and underwear when he takes a dump, but that's because he sits facing the wall, using the toilet tank as a shelf for his book.

I don't see how sitting backwards on a toilet requires removing one's pants anyway.  Pants go around your ankles, legs straddle the toilet, all is good.

That wouldn't work if the toilet had a cistern.  Your pants would be resting on the part that connects the bowl to the cistern.  That's disgusting.

??  Please explain.  To me, a toilet cistern is the same thing as a toilet tank–which would not be in contact with one's pants.

Where are your pants resting if they're around your ankles and you're straddling a toilet?

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 28, 2018, 03:04:49 PM

Quote from: kphoger on November 28, 2018, 02:32:17 PM

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 28, 2018, 02:27:06 PM

Quote from: kphoger on November 28, 2018, 02:01:47 PM

Quote from: 1995hoo on November 27, 2018, 06:30:40 PM
Butters does take off his pants and underwear when he takes a dump, but that's because he sits facing the wall, using the toilet tank as a shelf for his book.

I don't see how sitting backwards on a toilet requires removing one's pants anyway.  Pants go around your ankles, legs straddle the toilet, all is good.

That wouldn't work if the toilet had a cistern.  Your pants would be resting on the part that connects the bowl to the cistern.  That's disgusting.

??  Please explain.  To me, a toilet cistern is the same thing as a toilet tank–which would not be in contact with one's pants.

Where are your pants resting if they're around your ankles and you're straddling a toilet?

In front of the stool.
Follow the steps below, and your feet never have to move. ***

1.  Face the toilet.
2.  Pull your pants down.
3.  Sit on the toilet, straddling it with your legs.

This gentleman's body posture could remain more or less the same if his pants were around his ankles:
(https://cdn2.tmbi.com/TFH/Step-By-Step/display/FH09MAR_REPTOI_13.JPG)

---

edited at the request of my lawyer

***  If you start to lose your balance, please do move your feet to avoid unnecessary injury.

Hmmm...  Upon further reflection practicing in the bathroom at work just now, it occurs to me that I have an important advantage over many people, and certainly over the characters of South Park:  long legs.  The procedure I described may very well not work for those with shorter legs.

Quote from: kphoger on November 28, 2018, 03:28:37 PM
Hmmm...  Upon further reflection practicing in the bathroom at work just now, it occurs to me that I have an important advantage over many people, and certainly over the characters of South Park:  long legs.  The procedure I described may very well not work for those with shorter legs.

I've noted two important differences between most of the workplace toilets I've encountered versus the ones at home: (1) The workplace ones are generally the type that's open underneath, i.e. bolted to the wall, such that in theory it would be easier to sit facing the wall because you wouldn't have to tuck your legs backward as seen in the photo above because they could just slide under the bowl. (2) The workplace ones often have a different style seat from the ones at home in that they usually have the open end, which might or might not be important depending on how your arse is positioned. (At home we have the "comfort height" toilets with the "elongated" bowls as opposed to the "round front" bowls. The elongated-style seat tapers a lot more at the one end, so precise positioning would become a lot more important if one were to try going Butters-style.)

I think I'll continue to sit on the toilet facing forward, thanks.

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 28, 2018, 03:40:40 PM
I think I'll continue to sit on the toilet facing forward, thanks.

But (to bring this thread back onto the topic of parking dibs) if you took a dump facing the wall, and you positioned some kind of basin or other dish in an appropriate spot to catch anything that might "miss" the bowl, you'd then have a "space saver" for your parking dibs that almost nobody else would be willing to remove!  :-o

Quote from: 1995hoo on November 28, 2018, 03:32:25 PM
(At home we have the "comfort height" toilets with the "elongated" bowls as opposed to the "round front" bowls. The elongated-style seat tapers a lot more at the one end, so precise positioning would become a lot more important if one were to try going Butters-style.)

Indeed, your stalactite might become a pillar (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speleothem#/media/File:Labeled_speleothems.jpg).

Quote from: NE2 on December 01, 2010, 01:52:31 PM
pooing is cool.

Quote from: 1995hoo on November 28, 2018, 03:45:02 PM
But (to bring this thread back onto the topic of parking dibs) if you took a dump facing the wall, and you positioned some kind of basin or other dish in an appropriate spot to catch anything that might "miss" the bowl, you'd then have a "space saver" for your parking dibs that almost nobody else would be willing to remove!  :-o

Or you could just poo in the street, and save yourself a few steps. :bigass:

How about we bring this tread full circle by leaving a steaming pile of turds in the spot that you've just shoveled, just to mark the territory?

Quote from: formulanone on November 28, 2018, 05:59:49 PM
How about we bring this tread full circle by leaving a steaming pile of turds in the spot that you've just shoveled, just to mark the territory?

1995hoo beat you to that joke.

Or line the parking space in yellow-dyed snow scattered about in trace amounts.  The snow would be dyed yellow with food coloring, but other people won't know that...

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 28, 2018, 06:40:09 PM

Quote from: formulanone on November 28, 2018, 05:59:49 PM
How about we bring this tread full circle by leaving a steaming pile of turds in the spot that you've just shoveled, just to mark the territory?

1995hoo beat you to that joke.

Sorry, I skipped the crap talk; figuring that being vile would move it back to its original discussion matter.

How about they create parking garages or parking lots in every neighborhood & this wouldn't happen, or even better , Ban car use in cities


iPhone

Quote from: Tonytone on November 29, 2018, 12:36:23 AM
How about they create parking garages or parking lots in every neighborhood & this wouldn't happen, or even better , Ban car use in cities


iPhone

OK, what do you suggest we do with a city block that's filled with postwar apartment buildings that don't have off-street parking for all of its residents?  Tear down one or several to build a parking garage?  Dig an underground parking garage under the buildings?  Build a garage over the buildings?

There's no need to ban cars in cities, I think making it really inconvenient for many people to own a car in the city has had the desired effect.

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 29, 2018, 09:40:33 AM

Quote from: Tonytone on November 29, 2018, 12:36:23 AM
How about they create parking garages or parking lots in every neighborhood & this wouldn't happen, or even better , Ban car use in cities


iPhone

OK, what do you suggest we do with a city block that's filled with postwar apartment buildings that don't have off-street parking for all of its residents?  Tear down one or several to build a parking garage?  Dig an underground parking garage under the buildings?  Build a garage over the buildings?

There's no need to ban cars in cities, I think making it really inconvenient for many people to own a car in the city has had the desired effect.

You got it abe, thats exactly what I was thinking, tear one house down & make sort of a half parking garage or little parking lot, orrr build underground parking & I only said to ban cars in cities, is because it seems to only get worse, as cities start to get bigger & bigger.


iPhone

Quote from: Tonytone on November 29, 2018, 09:44:38 AM

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 29, 2018, 09:40:33 AM

Quote from: Tonytone on November 29, 2018, 12:36:23 AM
How about they create parking garages or parking lots in every neighborhood & this wouldn't happen, or even better , Ban car use in cities


iPhone

OK, what do you suggest we do with a city block that's filled with postwar apartment buildings that don't have off-street parking for all of its residents?  Tear down one or several to build a parking garage?  Dig an underground parking garage under the buildings?  Build a garage over the buildings?

There's no need to ban cars in cities, I think making it really inconvenient for many people to own a car in the city has had the desired effect.

You got it abe, thats exactly what I was thinking, tear one house down & make sort of a half parking garage or little parking lot, orrr build underground parking & I only said to ban cars in cities, is because it seems to only get worse, as cities start to get bigger & bigger.


iPhone

Already been proposed many times by local alderman. Newer constructions have started the "solve" the parking issue but mainly the city is promoting using public transit or biking to get around.

Quote from: formulanone on November 28, 2018, 05:59:49 PM
How about we bring this tread full circle by leaving a steaming pile of turds in the spot that you've just shoveled, just to mark the territory?

I've got no problem driving my car over a steaming pile of turds and parking it there.  I'll just make sure to switch the vent to recirculate first.

Quote from: paulthemapguy on November 28, 2018, 08:04:42 PM
Or line the parking space in yellow-dyed snow scattered about in trace amounts.  The snow would be dyed yellow with food coloring, but other people won't know that...

Similarly, no problem here.  If it's snowy enough for this to be an issue, then I'm wearing serious boots that I don't worry about getting dirty.

Well, this thread certainly went to crap.

Quote from: hbelkins on November 29, 2018, 11:56:08 AM
Well, this thread certainly went to crap.

Not my fault. I was just trying to add some color  :bigass:

Quote from: hbelkins on November 29, 2018, 11:56:08 AM
Well, this thread certainly went to crap.

paulthemapguy at least tried instead to piss you off.

Quote from: 1995hoo on November 29, 2018, 12:16:15 PM

Quote from: hbelkins on November 29, 2018, 11:56:08 AMWell, this thread certainly went to crap.

paulthemapguy at least tried instead to piss you off.

Yeah, he can be a real whiz sometimes.

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 29, 2018, 12:19:36 PM

Quote from: 1995hoo on November 29, 2018, 12:16:15 PM

Quote from: hbelkins on November 29, 2018, 11:56:08 AMWell, this thread certainly went to crap.

paulthemapguy at least tried instead to piss you off.

Yeah, he can be a real whiz sometimes.

Toilet humor can leak into any thread.

Quote from: Brandon on November 27, 2018, 01:55:26 PM
After the recent winter storm, it's time for the old furniture and other junk to come out to claim shoveled out parking spaces in and around Chicago.  How many other places have this practice?

It's even a question in the mayoral races here: With flakes falling, Chicago mayoral candidates weigh in on "˜dibs' parking practice (https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-mayoral-candidates-dibs-20181126-story.html).

There are even columns on it: First big snowfall brings Judge Dibs to the bench (https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/kass/ct-met-judge-dibs-kass-0209-story.html)

I understand there are now parking reservation services. I keep seeing ads on Gas Buddy

No piss.  Only food coloring.

Quote from: US71 on November 29, 2018, 12:35:10 PM

Quote from: Brandon on November 27, 2018, 01:55:26 PM
After the recent winter storm, it's time for the old furniture and other junk to come out to claim shoveled out parking spaces in and around Chicago.  How many other places have this practice?

It's even a question in the mayoral races here: With flakes falling, Chicago mayoral candidates weigh in on "˜dibs' parking practice (https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-mayoral-candidates-dibs-20181126-story.html).

There are even columns on it: First big snowfall brings Judge Dibs to the bench (https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/kass/ct-met-judge-dibs-kass-0209-story.html)

I understand there are now parking reservation services. I keep seeing ads on Gas Buddy

That's for off-street parking, either in private parking garages and lots or, in the case of SpotHero, sometimes it's people who will rent out their personal parking spaces in an "AirBnB for parking spaces"-type scenario.  Those have been around for years.  There's no way to reserve on-street parking.

Quote from: abefroman329 on November 29, 2018, 01:31:10 PM

Quote from: US71 on November 29, 2018, 12:35:10 PM

Quote from: Brandon on November 27, 2018, 01:55:26 PM
After the recent winter storm, it's time for the old furniture and other junk to come out to claim shoveled out parking spaces in and around Chicago.  How many other places have this practice?

It's even a question in the mayoral races here: With flakes falling, Chicago mayoral candidates weigh in on "˜dibs' parking practice (https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-mayoral-candidates-dibs-20181126-story.html).

There are even columns on it: First big snowfall brings Judge Dibs to the bench (https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/kass/ct-met-judge-dibs-kass-0209-story.html)

I understand there are now parking reservation services. I keep seeing ads on Gas Buddy

That's for off-street parking, either in private parking garages and lots or, in the case of SpotHero, sometimes it's people who will rent out their personal parking spaces in an "AirBnB for parking spaces"-type scenario.  Those have been around for years.  There's no way to reserve on-street parking.

I suppose if it meant enough to you, you could set something up where you pay someone else to park their car in your spot, sit there, and wait for your return. I can see no way that would be illegal.

Here, we have solved the problem with the foolproof solution of living somewhere where it doesn't snow (and we don't have much on-street parking to begin with). As for the inclement weather we do have, it's generally accepted that if your spot is vacated during a tornado, you don't have dibs on it, mostly because it will take the insurance company too long to cut you a check so you can park something else there.