Parking Issues in J'ville (Downtown & Otherwise) are Non-Sensical

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

I have a question for everyone, "Why do so many of you have such a problem parking downtown?"

I am there everyday, have been for years, and have had no problems parking - ever.  I may not get to park directly in front of my location, I may have to walk a block or two, but we really need to get over it.  The only time you should be able to park at the front door is when you get home.  Without going back and quoting several people who post here daily - with one comment you're complaining about the amount of parking lots, parking garages, etc... and then the next minute you're complaining about not being able to find parking when you were going to go downtown.  I don't get it.

Glass houses and all.... I know, but for the sake of argument, is it too much to ask of you to walk a block or three after you park?  It's not for me, but I'm also 'park in the back of the lot' guy. 

The latest thread was talking about parking issues in 5-Points.  Yeah, I guess it's an issue if you drive from, say, St. Vincent's; you can't get your parking spot in front of Larry's at 12:30; you waste 30 minutes of your hour lunch driving around looking[/i] for a parking spot; get back to your office 5 minutes late; then post up on MJ about the parking issues in 5-points.  Oak St is a nice street for a bike ride (5-10min tops).  You could call in ahead and walk (15-20 min ea. way).  The bus goes through there every 30 minutes, the trolley will be every 15. 

Just Sayin'

[Dog Walker]

I think the issue is not so much FINDING parking downtown.  It's that the !@#$% meters have to be fed every thirty minutes or hour.  I can always find parking on the street within a couple of blocks, but by the time I've hit the library and Chamblin's, I've either had to walk back that couple of blocks to feed the meter or get a ticket.  All assuming of course that I still have enough quarters.

In SMART cities, like Savannah and Paris, I can buy as much parking as I need from a ticket machine with my debit card.

[vicupstate]

Another real-life situation:

I need to do business at City Hall Annex or the city offices at the Florida Theater.  I park some distance away so that I can use the 2 hour spaces, instead of the closer 1 hr ones.   This is because I don't know exactly how long it will take, and I want to avoid a ticket if there are other citizens ahead of me doing business.       

If I get done in 2 hours, all is fine. But if it goes really long, then I may have to interrupt what I am doing and run back to feed the meter.  Now this meter is some distance away and since it is now later in the day,  it is much hotter.  When I return to the building to conclude my business I now have sweat running down my shirt.   From about 20 minutes prior to my parking expiration, I have been wondering, "do I have time to finish up and get back to the car or do I need to leave now"?   The longer I wait, the greater chance I have to 'run' to feed the meter and really break into a sweat.  But if I leave too soon, I might ruin the chance to  simply finish my business and be able to leave without returning. 

In Greenville, all but a few of the spaces are 2 hours, so I just park in the closest one.  If I go over 2 hours, I will have to return to my car, but all the DT streets are lined with SHADE trees (not Palms) so at least it is a lot cooler. Plus I don't need quarters. 

Also, if I get to City Hall annex, having paid for 2 hours of parking, and then get told that I need to go to City Hall instead, I haven't wasted the only quarters I had, which I might need for a space at City Hall.   

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

you both are proving my point.  If you're not just running in and out - pay the $3, get a spot in one of the numerous garages downtown and stop worrying about tickets.  I do agree that we could use the smart-meters, but not until downtown becomes a tourist destination?!?  If the locals are eating up the good spots, then why would anyone else want to venture - is what I'm trying to say.  WE should be using the garages and the busses rather than bitching about their existence.

[vicupstate]

$3 for what?  1 hour? 2 hours?  Which ones?  I had always assumed they were all assigned spaces or $5+ minimum.  Where would a lay person find out?   

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

The open lots & garages are $3 all day.  There's an attendent assigned to each one, if you can't find her, you just put your money in the box - located typically at the corner of the lots.

[thelakelander]

Why would anyone want to overpay for making a short visit to a dying half empty DT?  What's happening is people are choosing to avoid the area completely if possible.  Instead of attempting to force people to overpay, why not implement methods that are more user friendly for the environment you're offering?

[CS Foltz]

lake............that makes too much sense...........so forgettaboutit! City Hall really discourages visiting downtown and I do like to show up at the "Ethics Commission Meeting"! TU would not think about keeping citizens informed and you have to show up inorder to know what is going on! I don't go downtown for anything that I can not handle over the net or the phone...........now crossing through to get to Three Layers does not require parking except when you get there! I have no problem parking anywhere close by and walking to get my cup filled but that is not downtown!

[fieldafm]

What's happening is people are choosing to avoid the area completely if possible.  Instead of attempting to force people to overpay, why not implement methods that are more user friendly for the environment you're offering?

Plus 1.

Last Monday I had the day off and went down to watch the Jags practice.  After it was over(around noon) I wanted to go to lunch.  If I couldnt have just parked at the stadium for free and took the Bay Street Trolley to the Landing, I just would have head back to Riverside and ate.  Wound up going to the Landing and then later City Hall Pub until the afternoon practice.
And even that was a pain in the rear b/c it took forever to catch the trolley both ways at the Landing and CHP.  The headways are pretty long.

It's really just too much of a hassle to go downtown during the weekday.  And I actually LIKE going downtown.  

[fieldafm]

The open lots & garages are $3 all day.  There's an attendent assigned to each one, if you can't find her, you just put your money in the box - located typically at the corner of the lots.

Which garages are $3 for the whole day?   

And that's still too much money to pay to grab lunch, or a book, or to get a watch cleaned... or anything of the sort.
It's just too much of a hassle going downtown during the weekday.  After 6pm and on the weekends, I have no problem going downtown.

[tufsu1]

Meters are for short-term (less than 2 hour) parking....the garages are meant for more long-term visits....you know, similar to how they do parking at airports.

So, if you plan on being downtown for a 1-2 hour lunch, the most you would pay at the meters is $2....and for lunch at the Landing, you can use their lot....which is $1 an hour, except on weekend nights and special events.

Now, I agree that the meters we have are antiquated at best and it sucks that they only take quarters...but really folks, if you run out of time on the meter, whose fault is it if you get a ticket?

[fieldafm]

...but really folks, if you run out of time on the meter, whose fault is it if you get a ticket?

Or, if you stuffed enough quarters in for an hour, and you run over by say 10 minutes b/c you are stuck in line somewhere and can't necessarily leave your spot in line to run out and put another quarter in.

I never seem to be dowtown for an hour.. its always an hour and 15 minutes and the meters wont let you put that much money in.

Its a deterent, plain and simple. 

I could get 8 people here at work log on and tell you about their recent experience having to go to the UPS Store downtown and how they will never go back downtown b/c of the tickets they all got

[thelakelander]

Meters are for short-term (less than 2 hour) parking....the garages are meant for more long-term visits....you know, similar to how they do parking at airports.

So, if you plan on being downtown for a 1-2 hour lunch, the most you would pay at the meters is $2....and for lunch at the Landing, you can use their lot....which is $1 an hour, except on weekend nights and special events.

Now, I agree that the meters we have are antiquated at best and it sucks that they only take quarters...but really folks, if you run out of time on the meter, whose fault is it if you get a ticket?

Instead of placing blame either way, to not deal with the hassle people are simply avoiding the area.  That's as bad as it gets for future sustainability of the district.  Why even let it get to that point?

[fieldafm]

Instead of placing blame either way, to not deal with the hassle people are simply avoiding the area.  That's as bad as it gets for future sustainability of the district.  Why even let it get to that point?

Exactly.

Neighborhoods thrive in this city.  Dowtown doesn't.  And ignoring the people with $15 tickets in their hands that say they will never come back b/c well 'they just dont get it' is not the way to solve the problem.

It's not a perception problem.  Its a REAL problem.

[Noone]

Left the Hobnob and was walking toward Berkman and a father and his son were next to me and I made a comment as we were on the riverwalk and just coming into the courthouse parking lot and I said "Look at all those parking tickets." Every car on the front row had a ticket. The father was bumbed.

The other day at Waterways when I got to my vehicle the meter maid was in front of my vehicle. I literally just had a couple of minutes. Guy behind me got the ticket.

I'm sure those $15 tickets add up.