Chief Cars Illegally Parked

[mikerabbit 2]

I have a problem. This evening I had a hard time entering a parking lot in a southern Westchester village. The problem was that their was a chiefs suburban parked at the entrance of a small lot infront of a hydrant. He was not just picking up a slice of pizza, he was there for over 30 minutes. If you are gonna block an entrance dont do it in a chiefs car, it gives all members a bad name.

[FirNaTine 370]

I have a problem. This evening I had a hard time entering a parking lot in a southern Westchester village. The problem was that their was a chiefs suburban parked at the entrance of a small lot infront of a hydrant. He was not just picking up a slice of pizza, he was there for over 30 minutes. If you are gonna block an entrance dont do it in a chiefs car, it gives all members a bad name.

Especially if your going into a Gin Mill!

Edited August 30, 2008 by FirNaTine

[OnTheWheel 43]

AMEN! And that goes for Police cars, fire trucks, ambulances etc!!!

[SageVigiles 1,194]

Simple solution, when a fire happens, put the line through the window.

[NWFDMedic 58]

I have a problem. This evening I had a hard time entering a parking lot in a southern Westchester village. The problem was that their was a chiefs suburban parked at the entrance of a small lot infront of a hydrant. He was not just picking up a slice of pizza, he was there for over 30 minutes. If you are gonna block an entrance dont do it in a chiefs car, it gives all members a bad name.

I've got to agree with you here 100%. I can understand if you're on duty (in whatever service) and need to run into a store quickly and the parking lot is not easily accessible should a call happen, but for 30 minutes??? Even if you do take a little "extra liberty" with your parking, you shouldn't be doing it in a manner that obstructs traffic.

[Guest DADAY]

I disagree %100. A chief is a chief, always in service. A Fire happens and he probably would know about it, so the line through the window is a bit over the top.

Any emergency vehicle is just that. So when an emergency happens, an a cop, firefighter, emt, medic, get a job, you want to waste valuble time having that person going to his car. Not if its my emergency.

[Guest]

I disagree %100. A chief is a chief, always in service.

that depends...i've seen chiefs at the store and disregard either fire or ems calls. just bc your a chief, doesn't mean you're acting as one.

[DR104 141]

that depends...i've seen chiefs at the store and disregard either fire or ems calls. just bc your a chief, doesn't mean you're acting as one.

I agree!!! I seen a chief in his truck over 200 miles away from his Dept(and it wasn't Lake George) Is he a Chief then?

[jack10562 414]

Parking a marked vehicle improperly while conducting any business that's NOT on an emergency or incident, is generally uncalled for.

It might be considered self-ish by some, but then there are others who could care less.

By the way, I wonder how many here even know what a Gin Mill is?

[OnTheWheel 43]

I disagree %100. A chief is a chief, always in service. A Fire happens and he probably would know about it, so the line through the window is a bit over the top.

Any emergency vehicle is just that. So when an emergency happens, an a cop, firefighter, emt, medic, get a job, you want to waste valuble time having that person going to his car. Not if its my emergency.

Waste time getting to their car?? Some regular parking spots are 30 feet from the fire lane, a light jog is 4mph therefore taking you 5.1136 seconds to cover 30 feet, step it up to 6.5 mph and it will take you 3.1469 seconds. Now let's say the lazy spot isn't open and you have to park 100 feet away, the light jog will take 17.045 seconds, and the run will take 10.49 seconds. And if you don't want to spill your coffee you can walk it at 3mph for a time of 22.727 seconds. I could go on but I'm sure you all get the point.

It will take you the same amount of time to get to your car as it did to read my reply! I hardly think that you legally parking an emergency vehicle will hinder your response time.

[Guest DADAY]

Wheel, do u park your marked vehicle legally, put money in the meter?, When is cold not leave it running?

[OnTheWheel 43]

Do I park legally, absolutely. Do I put money in the meter, no, Im not required to, do I leave it running, warm and cold yes I do, all the equipment in the car will drain the battery over time. That's not the point here. The point is that people cant park in a spot thats not too far from the fire lane, they park in the fire lane because they can and flaunt it, and in my experience its the EMS vehicles that abuse this. Send out those solicitations for donations and expect the person in a wheel chair that cant get on the sidewalk because youre parked in the fire lane in front of the ramp access to the sidewalk to send money!

Edited August 30, 2008 by OnTheWheel

[misspiggy 0]

Parking a marked vehicle improperly while conducting any business that's NOT on an emergency or incident, is generally uncalled for.

It might be considered self-ish by some, but then there are others who could care less.

By the way, I wonder how many here even know what a Gin Mill is?

Of course I know what a gin mill is. My age range is 50-60.

[Guest DADAY]

it is the point, leaving it running as you are aware of is also illegal!!

[robert benz 344]

I disagree %100. A chief is a chief, always in service. A Fire happens and he probably would know about it, so the line through the window is a bit over the top.

Any emergency vehicle is just that. So when an emergency happens, an a cop, firefighter, emt, medic, get a job, you want to waste valuble time having that person going to his car. Not if its my emergency.

so every other member of his dept has to park and drive legally, but he doesnt because he might get a call, so he can get to a call without a second wasted, what is he going to do when he gets there sooooo fast, wait for the troops who are going to do the work anyway. give me a break.

everybody knows we take liberties with apparatus at times, just dont make it so obvious

[OnTheWheel 43]

Under what statute?

Every section i've seen covers diesel. Can you post the section for leaving a car running?

And the point of the thread is parking an emergency vehicle illegally, not everything else.

[Guest DADAY]

Section 1210. Unattended motor vehicle.

(a) No person driving or in charge of a motor vehicle shall permit it to stand unattended without first stopping

the engine, locking the ignition, removing the key from the vehicle, and effectively setting the brake thereon

and, when standing upon any grade, turning the front wheels to the curb or side of the highway, provided,

however, the provision for removing the key from the vehicle shall not require the removal of keys hidden from

sight about the vehicle for convenience or emergency.

Drain the battery? So that vehicle runs 24/7, it only takes 5 mins to run in?

Edited August 30, 2008 by DADAY

[x134 46]

My take on it is , if is a Tahoe, Suburban, Police vehicle etc, you can park in the parking lot just like everyone else . Those vehicles will fit in parking spaces.Now having said that, Ambulance , Rescue truck, Ladder, Engine if you are just running to a business and your partner is in the vehicle I still don't think it should be done because the public seems to get annoyed.I am just as guilty as the next guy and I know it. But being in an emergency zone for a half hour is a little excessive. I will say I never park in front of a hydrant at work or in my POV.

The one that really creases my shorts is a little off topic but here goes.... Being a parent of a severely handicap child, some people who seem to be fine, and have handicap passes or plates always seem to park in those spots and just don't even care. When my daughter isn't with us we don't use the handicap pass or parking spot, because we know that they are for people who have real problems. It's the person who parks there and walks perfectly fine into the drug store, Chilli's ,or the mall. Pisses me off just a little.

[ja3kfd 34]

I agree that Chiefs Vehicles and ALL emergency Vehicles should not Park Illegally, we are supposed to lead by example,

as for the idleing issue, with all the new rules and regulations coming from the DEP and DEC, Where I work the Town has passed an ordinance as well as the Law that Daday posted we can not idle any Town vehicle for more thah 5 Minutes, unless it is below 30 degrees. Only exception is in the Emergency Mode for Police, blocking a road, etc. same goes for all Maintence Vehicles.

[LTNRFD 266]

My take on it is , if is a Tahoe, Suburban, Police vehicle etc, you can park in the parking lot just like everyone else . Those vehicles will fit in parking spaces.Now having said that, Ambulance , Rescue truck, Ladder, Engine if you are just running to a business and your partner is in the vehicle I still don't think it should be done because the public seems to get annoyed.I am just as guilty as the next guy and I know it. But being in an emergency zone for a half hour is a little excessive. I will say I never park in front of a hydrant at work or in my POV.

The one that really creases my shorts is a little off topic but here goes.... Being a parent of a severely handicap child, some people who seem to be fine, and have handicap passes or plates always seem to park in those spots and just don't even care. When my daughter isn't with us we don't use the handicap pass or parking spot, because we know that they are for people who have real problems. It's the person who parks there and walks perfectly fine into the drug store, Chilli's ,or the mall. Pisses me off just a little.

I can't agree more. When I saw a "big foot" type truck pull into a handicap parking space and a young male jumps, yes jumps, to the ground to run into a store gets me mad. When I said to him he doesn't look handicapped, he replied he wasn't, the placard was for his grandmother. I have a hard time trying to figure how granny can get into this truck, let alone get out of it.

Too many people think that the handicap placard or license plate give anyone operating that vehicle the right to park in a handicap space. It doesn't, it gives the handicapped person riding or operating that vehicle the right to that space.

And to keep this comment in line with the topic, when I see a chief's car, fire rig or EMS vehicle in a handicapped space so they can run into Starbucks, I wish I could dock the operator and/or the crew a vacation day.

[x129K 1,393]

The one that really creases my shorts is a little off topic but here goes.... Being a parent of a severely handicap child, some people who seem to be fine, and have handicap passes or plates always seem to park in those spots and just don't even care. When my daughter isn't with us we don't use the handicap pass or parking spot, because we know that they are for people who have real problems. It's the person who parks there and walks perfectly fine into the drug store, Chilli's ,or the mall. Pisses me off just a little.

Give Mia a hug from me!

[mfkap 0]

There is a difference between using a privilege and abusing one. If you are on duty (like police, paid EMS) and there is a decent chance that you will receive a call in the next 5 minutes, stopping in the fire lane while you get a slice seems reasonable to me. If you are a fire chief from a neighboring village, and your response time to your one call a day will be increased from 10 minutes to 10 minutes and 30 seconds, becoming a road hazard doesn't seem like the right choice.

The one that really creases my shorts is a little off topic but here goes.... Being a parent of a severely handicap child, some people who seem to be fine, and have handicap passes or plates always seem to park in those spots and just don't even care. When my daughter isn't with us we don't use the handicap pass or parking spot, because we know that they are for people who have real problems. It's the person who parks there and walks perfectly fine into the drug store, Chilli's ,or the mall. Pisses me off just a little.

To continue the off-topicness along this line, if you want a good example go to WCC's main lot downhill from the Science Building. I did a study on it for my anthropology class about 2 years ago. There are 14 handicap spaces. Over the period of 2 weeks, with random sampling, there was a 5% correct usage of these spots. Over 90% had permits, but of those, 10% were expired, 10% were altered (like a 6 into an 8 or the expiration smudged off), and the rest were kids using granny's permit, and showed no problem walking or running while carrying a backpack. It was really infuriating at a point, because the people with needs ended up having to double-park, and then they were the ones that got tickets.

[Guest]

My take on it is , if is a Tahoe, Suburban, Police vehicle etc, you can park in the parking lot just like everyone else . Those vehicles will fit in parking spaces.Now having said that, Ambulance , Rescue truck, Ladder, Engine if you are just running to a business and your partner is in the vehicle I still don't think it should be done because the public seems to get annoyed.I am just as guilty as the next guy and I know it. But being in an emergency zone for a half hour is a little excessive. I will say I never park in front of a hydrant at work or in my POV.

The one that really creases my shorts is a little off topic but here goes.... Being a parent of a severely handicap child, some people who seem to be fine, and have handicap passes or plates always seem to park in those spots and just don't even care. When my daughter isn't with us we don't use the handicap pass or parking spot, because we know that they are for people who have real problems. It's the person who parks there and walks perfectly fine into the drug store, Chilli's ,or the mall. Pisses me off just a little.

You being the parent of a disabled child, is it ok for me when I see the 30 something woman who parks in the handicap spot and walks perfectly in to the store, to ask her what her disability is? My father has a very bad back and he walks like someone 20 years older, and he needs the spot, but yet he doesnt take it even though he can if he can avoid it. I love putting people on the spot. A little guilt goes a long way!

[x134 46]

You being the parent of a disabled child, is it ok for me when I see the 30 something woman who parks in the handicap spot and walks perfectly in to the store, to ask her what her disability is? My father has a very bad back and he walks like someone 20 years older, and he needs the spot, but yet he doesnt take it even though he can if he can avoid it. I love putting people on the spot. A little guilt goes a long way!

I hear ya brother. I would not have a problem with your Father using the pass or the spot because he has a legit reason. The time that is so vivid in my mind was at Chilli's on the south road in Poughkeepsie aka rt9. A brand new Corvette was sitting in a handicap spot on the take out side. Two young people came out seemed to be without any disabilities got into the car and left. Boy did I want to say something , but didn't because I was on duty.

[DOC22 1]

In my old town, there are only two handicapped spots in the whole village one on the far end, and one in front of the Post Office. It amazes me how many people without any handicap, well, physical ones anyway, take that spot. There was one elderly lady with respiratory issues among other problems. If she caught somebody in that spot she had no problems giving them HELL in a big way. And rightfully so.

[x635 4,066]

If we expect people not to park or stand in fire lanes, then we shouldn't ourselves. There's absolutely no excuse whatsoever, except for laziness or a poor attitude. When in non-emergency mode, you're expected to follow ALL traffic laws, as far as I know.

I know of many emergency service agencies that have a strict policies on this.

[x129K 1,393]

I immediatly thought of this thread tonight at teh Poughkeepsie Galleria, where a Putnam Department Chief's MARKED truck was parked in a yellow striped area at the end of a row of parking spots... I saw no fire.

[mfkap 0]

You being the parent of a disabled child, is it ok for me when I see the 30 something woman who parks in the handicap spot and walks perfectly in to the store, to ask her what her disability is? My father has a very bad back and he walks like someone 20 years older, and he needs the spot, but yet he doesnt take it even though he can if he can avoid it. I love putting people on the spot. A little guilt goes a long way!

I heard a story about this once, from a wheelchair-bound professor. He said his son did the same thing as you suggested, challenging an attractive young woman as to why she used the space. Her response was to pull of her wig and say "Chemo". Apparently his son has never done that since, as his little guilt went a long way.