12/2/2009:

Must deliver booze and soda at all costs!

If anyone’s a proponent of beverages in general (water, juice, soda, beer, wine, etc.) – it’s yours truly.

I must consume two gallons or more of various fluids each day. And I understand that someone has to deliver these drinks to Hoboken – but a sight I saw recently was just a bit too much.

At the corner of 11th and Washington, a Nash Distributors truck was making a regular delivery like it does nearly every day. However, this time it was a solid four feet or more onto the sidewalk (and handicapped ramp) – and was still sort of blocking traffic a bit.

Oh, and later on as he progressed southward, a Coca-Cola distributor AND the same Nash truck were double-parked simultaneously, causing all passing cars to cross the yellow line.

Is there a better way to get these precious liquids into the Mile Square?

Technorati Tags: Delivery Trucks, Hoboken, Hobokenpix, Nash Distributors, New Jersey, NJ, Parking Offenders, PHOTO OF THE DAY, photography

11/24/2009:

What’s the deal with motorized bikes?

Hoboken411 has received many emails from various residents wondering about scooters and motorcycles in town. While I certainly don’t have a problem with them, many have complained about how they take up the same room as a regular parking spot, are parked illegally, or don’t have any kind of visible parking permit.

While Hoboken City Code doesn’t have specific wording about scooters or motorcycles and parking permits – it does say that all “motor vehicles” require parking permits, and so on. And since scooters and motorcycles are licensed vehicles, one would assume they fall under that code.

What about permits? Or special parking zones?

I thought about how permits would be handled for bikes like these – because in order to adhere it to the wind-screen or elsewhere visibly on the bike, they’d immediately be susceptible to theft. So where would one stick it? In a storage compartment? That’d be easily picked up by the RFID scanners the HPU uses to verify permit possession. Then again, we all know the HPU still boots cars with stickers in plain sight, so it’s essentially a moot point.

What about special parking zones on each street just for scooters and motorcycles? Perhaps a spot about 1/2 or 2/3rd’s the size of a standard spot – make it “motorcycle and scooter parking only,” with lines painted appropriately. Heck, you could even put them nearer to intersections, since they don’t block the view (as much as giant SUV’s, etc.)

Again, I have no issue with our two-wheeled cousins, but some residents do – so what changes (if any) would you make?

Technorati Tags: Hoboken, Motorcycle, New Jersey, NJ, Parking, permit, Reader Mail, Scooter

11/17/2009:

Hoboken411 reader Chrissy sent in this picture of what appears to be an abandoned (or “anchored”) car!

Hoboken411 reader photo of the day – 11/17/2009

“The car in the attached picture has not moved in over 2 months! I live in the neighborhood (this is around 1st and Madison) and when I move my car 1 or 2X’s a week I have noticed this car never moves. (its hogging the space) I often have to walk by it and noticed it had a flat for over a month and a half. I don’t know if this guy is saving on monthly parking and is willing to get a ticket once a week or what.. guess it works out to be a deal for the car owner?”

[Stay tuned for the next Readerpix entry! - Note: one reader's photo(s) will be featured from time to time. Unless your photo is time-sensitive - it will be published in the order it was received! Additional note: Your pictures will have a better chance of being published if they're in "landscape" mode, as opposed to the taller "portrait" modes... ]

Technorati Tags: Abandoned, car, Hoboken, New Jersey, NJ, Parking, PHOTO OF THE DAY, photography, reader photo, SUV

11/14/2009:

A Hoboken411 reader spots a car with a Hoboken Parking Sticker – booted. What a drag!

What a pain!

“As I’m walking down grand st I saw a black truck w a boot on it. I said to myself “this sucks” some people visit and don’t know the rules. The sticker on window cites no decal no permit. Then I look in back window and whaddya know a hoboken valid decal for parking? Someone didn’t bother to look through the slight tint and now this car has been wrongly booted. Seems as though the town is just full of bad apple parking authorities. The officers Identification number is 0313. I’ve attached some pictures so the public can be aware of the lousy job the park auth does and how it reflects our community.”

411 Note: While I suspected it’s possible that this “wrongfully booted” SUV might be an expired or invalid sticker, the reader believes the HPU employee should have noted that on the seizure notice (not “no decal”) – leading us to conclude it was a genuine screw-up on the part of the city.

Technorati Tags: Boot, decal, Fine, Hoboken, Hoboken Parking Utility, HPU, New Jersey, NJ, permit, Sticker, Summons, Ticket

10/26/2009:

Today’s photo gallery submission from Hoboken411 reader bmacqueens is not only a photo of the day post, but also an offenders on film entry as well!

Why even bother painting the curb yellow?

“Here’s some new parking violations for you. This is the traffic circle in front of the Hudson Tea Building.

So, what’s the answer? Ticket the hell out of all of these people? Tow them? Or just let them park like this every weekend?”

Technorati Tags: Fire Zone, Hoboken, Hudson Tea Building, New Jersey, NJ, Offender, Parking, PHOTO OF THE DAY, photography, Reader Mail

10/19/2009:

Limited enforcement enables constant violations

It seems to me, that as Hoboken parking spots fill up throughout the evening, many impatient drivers consider the NJ Transit bus stops along Washington Street “last resort” spots.

In this particular instant, I believe this bus stop on the southbound side of Wash at 12th St. was being used by delivery vehicles at one or more of the nearby restaurants. Blocked so much that the bus couldn’t even pull aside to drop passengers off safely near the sidewalk. To make matters worse as I witnessed this ongoing incident, the “entitled” passengers felt the need to just IGNORE the traffic light and proceed into the intersection like roaches in a dumpy apartment. The icing on the cake was the livery driver who decided the intersection was a great place for an illegal U-turn.

People have no regard to order and law these days. All about themselves. America is disgusting sometimes.

What happened to courtesy and patience?

Technorati Tags: bus stop, Hoboken, Illegal, New Jersey, NJ, NJ transit, Parking, pedestrians, photo gallery, photography

10/9/2009:

Hoboken411 isn’t the only one that thinks double parking is a pain – even your neighbors think so too!

Daily ridiculousness on Jefferson St.

“I wanted to follow up on some recent posts regarding parking in Hoboken. The issue that arose on Hoboken411 was the fact that parkers do not pay attention to the yellow curbs and park too close to the corners (making it hard to see people, turn the corner…)

Thank you very much!
-Frustated on Jefferson

Technorati Tags: Double parking, Hoboken, Jefferson Street, New Jersey, NJ, Parking Offenders, photo gallery, Reader Mail

9/21/2009:

Hoboken411 reader Lobstergirl is curious about one particular Hoboken business that seems to have carte blanche to park illegally and commit vehicular infractions without penalty…

Things that make you go hmmmm…

“Ever Notice these 3 cars parked every day in front of Precious Chinese Restaurant (128 Wash) ILLEGALLY, in the Yellow – and who’s driver’s make obscene U turns in front of cars by the minute? Why aren’t they ticketed but instead given a Free Pass to park there?”

Technorati Tags: Hoboken, Illegal, New Jersey, NJ, Parking, PHOTO OF THE DAY, photography, precious, reader photo