City Outlaws Parking in Driveways

Pittsburgh Government Outlaws Parking in Driveways

By Onan Coca / 14 September 2013

It is literally theater of the absurd in some of our cities today. The types of laws the government is passing and enforcing border on the demented. Yet we the people seem to be growing desensitized the utter foolishness of our leaders -- so much so that often times we’ve even stopped holding the accountable for their actions. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania gives us yet another opportunity to take note of what happens when fools are handed the reins of government. What’s going on in Pittsburgh you ask? In Pittsburgh the government has decided to enforce a law that does not allow you to park in your driveway.

I’m not kidding – park in your driveway and you risk paying a big fine to the local village idiot… I mean code enforcement.

Apparently back in the 1950’s or so, the city passed an ordinance that said people had to park their cars at least 30 feet from the street. In today’s Pittsburgh this rule has become unbelievably difficult to follow. The city has changed and grown and for many people, parking at least 30 feet from the street is an impossibility.

“This is where I’ve been parking for over 18 years,” said local resident Eileen Freedman. She recently received a warning letter from the city saying, “We’re no longer allowed to use our driveway to park, because of a law that says you have to park at least 30 feet away from the street.” Freedman’s problem is that she can’t park 30 feet from the street, because the space between her and her neighbors home is too narrow for her car.

Pittsburgh City Councilman Corey O’Connor says it’s happened on two city streets but could happen anywhere in the city. “It’s a pretty ridiculous problem, actually,” said O’Connor. “If you’re a couple feet into your own personal driveway, there shouldn't be a problem.” O’Connor wants to get any tickets voided, and for the City Council to change the 30-foot rule.

And who started handing out these warnings and fines again? The government employee who decided that it was a good idea to begin using this arcane law to fill the city’s coffers should be fined and fired for searching for ways to bilk the public. The lesson to learn here, folks, is that the government is constantly looking for ways to exploit its sugar daddy (that’d be you – taxpayer)… and that we need to make sure to put our collective foot down when we see them overreaching.

Source Eagle Rising by Onan Coca 9/14/13 http://eaglerising.com/1759/pittsburgh-government-outlaws-parking-driveways/#IOxou6YR8mlqmHYq.99