When I moved in to the town of Brattleboro in April, I went to the parking enforcement office to find out about the parking rules on my street. Carol Coulombe in that office said don’t worry about unless there is snow and not mentioning the winter parking ban. Well apparently Officer Hamilton went on a ticketing spree last night and I woke to a parking ticket and not a flake of snow.
I understand the winter parking ban…now…but feel like the ticket was unjustified since I was given false information from that very dept. There was no mention of it on local radio yesterday that I heard. I have never had a parking ticket in this town in my 12+ years in the area. I always pay the meter. Does anybody else see a problem with this town and its management of this issue?
Dispute it?
One thing you can do is challenge the ticket. Send a nice note explaining why you think you shouldn’t be fined in this circumstance along with your ticket. They’ll review the situation. If you hear nothing back, they likely accepted your explanation.
Snow on the ground would be a better “trigger” for the street parking ban than a date specific, to avoid things just like this.
Revenue
They ticketed all cars parked on Spring St. last night. I think it’s more about revenue than snow.
Just be glad you don't live
Just be glad you don’t live in any part they consider the “downtown” area. Overnight parking ban is enforced all year, applying to any car parked over 1hr from midnight-7am. They say it’s for street sweeping in the summer and snow removal in the winter. Even though there’s parts of the year when they’re not doing either, they write tickets anyway.
I understand the need for having streets clear for sweeping, but once they stop doing that, and there’s clearly no snow to remove, there’s no reason to keep ticketing people. Would be nice if they’d consider a more common sense approach to the rule, but that’s never going to happen.
It would be a kind gesture on
It would be a kind gesture on the first night of the winter ban to hand out WARNINGS instead of tickets on residential streets. 90% of the cars on residential streets are local residents. The warnings could include info on winter parking.
Reasonable Suggestion
I like this suggestion. However, there is also a certain ‘common sense’ attitude that is usual about parking tickets. I personally would assume that you have been around here long enough to know what the parking rules on our streets are, and when the winter parking ban commences, which I believe is November 15, and ending April 15. However, the ban is not enforced in any given Autumn until there is substantial snow in the weather forecast.
On another note, ‘ask your neighbors’ is one of the main ways people find out about the ban. If you have a landlord, they too should have informed you. I don’t think much of a claim of ignorance or of misinformation with respect to this ‘quaint old local custom’ or ordinance. Get to know your neighbors better.
And since we believe in “government of the people, by the people, and for the people” remember that you are part yourself of what you are criticizing. But it doesn’t work very well when you stay anonymous. Put your good name behind your criticisms of local government. But remember too that you are criticizing your friends and neighbors, and/or in many cases people who have been here all their lives, or in any case longer than you have.
Reasonable Suggestion
John, ibrattleboro allows questions to be anonymous.
Also: That Carol Coulombe had assured this person that it would be OK to park is (in my view) the critical factor here. I do not see the sense of blaming this person who is distressed about receiving the ticket, since she had inquired about what is expected of her, and then acted in good faith trusting what parking enforcement had told her.
"Allowed" does not mean "Advisable"
I try over and over again to counsel iBrattleboro commentators that to comment anonymously is usually inadvisable. I give my reasoning each and every time.
I tolerate anonymous commentary when it is intended constructively. I have great contempt for it when it is running someone else down, criticizing them, or pretending to be part of what I think of as responsible debate or dialogue. In my opinion, negative comments about a person carry a special responsibility *not* to be anonymous, because one should always stand by such comments when one makes them.
Understand: I do not seek to disallow, only to put the nature of anonymous commentary into perspective. Most people wouldn’t even bother to think about that. “Oh, it’s free, and I can say what I want without giving my name? Wow, let’s play!” seems to be the attitude sometimes.
Occasionally, commenting anonymously can be understood when the commentator has a legitimate reason to fear persecution for what they wish to say. Years ago, when I was running a very large listserv on Restorative Justice, I allowed this to happen twice. An example: one of my members wished to voice some strongly critical ideas, but was also a member of the diplomatic community IRL (in real life). So as list moderator, I allowed their anonymity, because they convinced me it was highly advisable for them to remain anonymous. They also rarely if ever participated in any sort of discussion where it would have been desirable to identify them, as in being critical of other ‘discutants’.
"I try over and over again to
“I try over and over again to counsel iBrattleboro commentators that to comment anonymously is usually inadvisable. I give my reasoning each and every time.” And therein lies the issue.You believe that people want or need your “counsel” when, in fact, this site is made up of adults- all of whom are capable of thinking for themselves; articulating their opinions and making their own choices on how and why they present themselves. I certainly don’t need you to “counsel” me. I form my own decisions and beliefs based on life experience. education and researching the subjects that interest me.
Your constant barrage of criticism over the use of screen names is not based in fact but your own obsession with what you deem acceptable or “advisable”.
You insult people on this site time and time again by insisting that their opinions are useless unless they have identified themselves by their proper name.In my very personal opinion you are a bully. You seem to feel that by beating people over the head with your tiresome stand against anonymity you’ll succeed in a) getting people to start using only their given names or b) getting the creators of this site to see the error of their ways and change the policy to a “no fake name” zone.
As you know when you sign up to join ibrattleboro you have to give your personal information; name; email, etc. So, your argument that “Oh, it’s free, and I can say what I want without giving my name? Wow, let’s play!” is without truth. Chris and Lise do a fine job of monitoring the site and should any problems arise with members posting they would deal with it.The point of a public forum such as this is to allow people to engage in conversation; to express opinions; to share information. It is not to be verbally bullied or consistently made to feel that their opinions don’t count merely because they haven’t met your standards. It seems clear -at least to me – that you are a person who subscribes to the formula of there being 2 ways to do things: Your way or the wrong way. I think most people would rather choose their own way -even if you think it’s wrong.
Ad Hominem Attack
Such ‘to the person’ attacks are not necessary, and severely degrade the quality of discourse on iBrattleboro.
Flagged as offensive.
If this is the criteria for
If this is the criteria for “offensive” than your posts are also applicable. Your continued attacks on those who choose to not use their given names are, indeed, offensive. I stand by my opinion that you continually indulge in verbal bullying and condescension. Both of which are very offensive.
Comment is Potentially Libelous
I request that you remove the comment. It is potentially libelous.
The criteria of libel:
1. You conveyed a defamatory message … in this case, an ‘ad hominem’ (to the person) attack;
2. You caused it to be published, meaning that you conveyed it to someone other than myself;
3. I am identifiable as the target of your remarks:
4. By publishing your defamatory remark, you evidently intended to attack my reputation;
5. It is possible that my reputation might suffer as the result of your remarks or actions.
For the record, I deny your allegations in the defamatory post.
I demand that you withdraw the post.
BTW you essentially accuse me of doing something you yourself are now being held accountable for. I challenge you to communicate to me — privately — instances where you feel I attacked other people ‘ad hominem’. I may have commented on others’ actions, but I don’t believe I ever attacked them ‘to the person’.
John Wilmerding
Mr. Wilmerding, I assume that
Mr. Wilmerding, I assume that you are also referring others in this thread who have called you on your condescending tirades and not just me. I think it’s clear that many people are weary of your repeated attempts to berate people who choose to use a screen name. You seem obsessed with it. I am stating my opinion of the way you conduct yourself on this site. I stand by my opinions.
I am not attacking your reputation -as it were – merely the manner in which you communicate with other ibrattleboro members. You are certainly free to deny anything I’ve said as you are to pursue any “potentially libelous” action. Do what you need to do.It’s only libel if it isn’t true.I suggest that you go back over your many, many comments on this site and perhaps try to look at them with a more open mind and try to see exactly how your words come across to other people. And then let’s re visit the term “attacked”.
Have a good day.
Why such an aggressive reply?
Why such an aggressive reply? The suggestion that was made is a good one and it would certainly go far in reassuring Brattleboro residents that the town really cares about them. When I moved here 7 years ago my landlord did not supply any information about street parking; seasonal parking bans; trash and recycling pick up -nothing. Nor did any of the other tenants seem to know. I had to go to Town hall to find out.I’m not so sure that the town does a very good job of posting the rules or even putting notices in the 2 area newspapers.And they need to make sure their staff is giving correct information.
I’m not sure how you were able to find any criticism in the previous post. The reader was offering a suggestion about a possible solution to parking on the first snow fall of the year. And, it was not anonymous. They used their ibrattleboro screen name – which is permitted and used by almost everyone on this site. That whole “sign your name or what you say isn’t valid” is your own personal project. As has been debated on this site many, many times-using a screen name does not erase the sincerity or validity of what is being said.
Lol, yes it was a tad
Lol, yes it was a tad aggressive. Wouldn’t worry about it though- John gets angry when he reads anything that casts Brattleboro in a negative light, even the most gently worded constructive criticism. He takes it very personally.
But, the post he was
But, the post he was responding to did not cast Brattleboro in a negative light nor did it contain any criticism of the town. It was simply a very nicely worded suggestion- a good one at that. His “anonymous = useless” spiel gets tiresome. Perhaps he should stop taking things so personally and verbally jumping all over people when they state their opinion on something.
Last time I looked that was still legal. Mr Wilmerding does not have to assume the role of guardian of this town. There are many, many people who live here who care about Brattleboro. He doesn’t have exclusive rights to the ‘looking out or my town’ job. But, that’s just a suggestion…
I agree with you
I agree with you
Anonymous Lacks Credibility, Validity
When one comments anonymously, one’s comment lacks credibility because it cannot be sourced to its voice. When one argues anonymously, there is no real argument because others realize they don’t have the opportunity to “point to the source” in order to understand where, or who, their argument is coming from.
As with ‘Publicus’ prior to the American Revolution, anonymous comments can have some validity, but they lack the authenticity they would have if the reader knows their source. This can, occasionally be made up for by the comments’ intrinsic worth, and especially if they are raised by more than one voice, giving them strength in numbers. Still, the fact that the source is not known, or given, will weaken any individual comment even if it has validity in conceptual terms.
Think of it this way: “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness.” — Anonymous
Doesn’t that beg the question. “Who the hell are you?”
The Guardians
Anyone has the right to assume the role of ‘guardian of this town’, as you put it. To shrink from that role would be irresponsible. There is all the more right to assume it because we do not have a true ‘town meeting’, but rather elect representatives, whose representation of us can never be perfect, and is usually far from it.
I know … I am one of “them”.
Anon E Maus
JohnWilmerding has a thing about anonymity, and rarely fails to rant about it here on this site with anonymous user names. Perhaps he imagines himself performing a service as an arbiter of iBrattleboro comment credibility for those he believes are unable to do so for themselves.
Here’s something JohnWilmerding can ignore completely (one can hope):
A couple of years ago I visited a friend on one of the tree streets. There wasn’t enough room for everyone to park in his driveway, so I decided to park on the street. Unfortunately, the road was a forest of parking signs: No Parking between signs(and an arrow that points ACROSS THE ROAD). No parking here to corner (no arrow). And it seems like there were other parking signs in the forest to add more confusion. And to top it all off, the signs were different on the opposite side of the road.
No parking between which of the more than a half-dozen signs? No parking here to which corner? It was impossible to tell from the instructions on the signs, so I picked a spot where I knew I wouldn’t be creating any traffic danger – not blocking anyone’s view if they were pulling out of a street or drive, not too close to any intersection or corner or driveway, nothing marked on the curb.
Of course, I came out to find a parking ticket under my wiper. Now, Brattleboro’s parking fines won’t break the bank. Probably a lot of people in a similar situation will just pay it, and it probably probably provides a good revenue stream for the town. I’m not one of those people. I went back, took photos, made a diagram that included the signs and the location I parked, and sent back the unpaid ticket with a letter and SASE asking them to point out to me on the diagram exactly where I was supposed to park and which signs were supposed to tell me so. If they could do that, I wrote, I would be more than happy to pay.
Never heard another peep about it. I’d still like to know, though.
My Words Misread
Your comment that I am “angry”, is personal because you refer to me personally. However, it carries little if any weight because you shrink behind your anonymity. In any case, it was not correct.
No Aggression Intended
Where did you find any?
Where did I find aggression
Where did I find aggression in your original post? Maybe the fact that you took a well thought out, positive suggestion (which you admitted was “reasonable”) and turned that into a statement blaming the poster for being critical of the town and their fellow residents; of chastising them for not “getting to know your neighbors”, of placing blame where no blame was warranted. It was a simple suggestion which you turned into an aggressive,condescending rebuke of the person who wrote it- all apparently because they had the audacity to use a screen name. I have seldom read a comment of yours on this site that was not rife with arrogance.
I agree with KAlden. Totally.
I agree with KAlden. Totally. Although sanctimonious is what comes to my mind.
Sanctimonious would also be
Sanctimonious would also be appropriate.
Here are a couple more words
One reason Mr. W is really teed off because people post anonymously is because it inhibits his ability to look people’s town records up which he tried to do once and then wrote about it on ibrattleboro. He was pretty upset to find out that lo and behold that person’s ibrattleboro name wasn’t registered with the town. You see if we all posted under our real names he apparently would be able to go to the town records and dig up information which he bragged here about trying to do. Is that appropriate for a town “official”? Hmmmmm, some other words come to mind regarding that little move of his. Can you spell creepy repressed hostility? Well, I”d best sign off now before Mr. W comes knocking on MY door.
Of course, ya gotta give him credit, he posts all his mudslinging comments under his own name. That I’ll give him credit for.
Brattleboro.org posted Parking Ban on 11.13.14 @ 2:29:22 PM
http://www.brattleboro.org/vertical/Sites/%7BFABA8FB3-EBD9-4E2C-91F9-C74DE6CECDFD%7D/uploads/winter_parking_ban%281%29.pdf
“TO: AREA NEWS MEDIA
FROM: BRATTLEBORO PARKING ENFORCEMENT
RE: WINTER PARKING BAN
DATE: 11/13/14
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The Brattleboro Parking Department would like to advise everyone that the winter parking ban will go into effect, starting Saturday, November 15, 2014.
Overnight parking is forbidden on all streets in the town of Brattleboro.
Vehicles parked for longer than one (1) hour between 11:00pm and 07:00am may be ticketed and towed at the owners expense.
Brattleboro has a flashing light system in place to assist citizens in knowing when plowing will be done. A flashing AMBER light designates the need to remove snow from off street lots. A flashing PURPLE light designates the need to remove snow from the streets. Snow removal starts at 11:00pm. During snow storms vehicles must be parked under cover in the Transportation Center.
Vehicles may be towed at any time if they are hampering snow plowing or snow
removal.
Again, the winter parking ban will go into effect Saturday, November 15, 2014. This ban will remain in effect until April 15th, 2015.
If anyone has any questions regarding the snow ban or parking during a snow
storm, please contact Carol at the Brattleboro Parking Department, (802)257-2305.”
Go towards the light...
Where are these ‘flashing lights’ located? And snow removal starts at 11 PM? There were plows out for this last storm long before 11 PM. I’m not sure a flashing light warning is the most effective way to announce the plowing will begin. Obviously if there is a major storm that happens during the day people need to get their cars off the streets – this notice above says nothing about that.
I read the towns snow parking
I read the towns snow parking policy and for some reason the word that sticks with me is in the second paragraph. Its the “forbidden” word. To me that sounds punitive and disrespectful to those residents that would be effected by the ban.
I also don’t understand why this policy is dictated by date rather than weather conditions particularily since we are being told to follow the “flashing lights”.
The policy states “during snow storms vehicles must be parked under cover in the Transportation Center”. How many vehicles can fit in the Transportation Center and will the town charge for parking vehicles there “during snow storms”?
Parking Garage
Last Wednesday, at about noon, just after it started snowing, I attempted to park in the Garage and found all the indoor spaces taken. I parked on the roof and moved indoors in the evening.
Multiple things that i would
Multiple things that i would like to say here, so i will try to make it as concise and clear as i can…. My ADD has troubles with that sometimes…
The winter parking ban is fairly well announced, and in the years that i lived in and around brattleboro, i can’t recall *not* hearing about it somewhere, be it radio, newspaper or friends who also lived locally. The announcements are made usually a day or 2 before the ban goes into effect (november 15th). There is even a red sign (albeit with small writing) that is posted on putney road by the town common (i’m sure a few other places too) that states the rules, etc.
As far as flashing lights are concerned, they are located at the stoplight intersections downtown, and certain parking lots (harmony, high-grove, etc) downtown, and the reference to snow removal means literally that, snow REMOVAL. I’m certain if you have spent time downtown in the winter, you’ll see that there is physically NO place to pile the snow, especially when large quantities of it fall in a short amount of time. So the specific lights (AMBER for parking lots, PURPLE for streets) indicate that they will be actually scraping the snow piles off of the street/lots and removing them. Obviously if there is a car in a parking spot, the scraping and removal of snow will be hampered.
The ONLY lot that you are allowed to park in during snow removal (flashing lights) is the transportation center, because it is 90% under cover. Parking in there is pay and display from 9am to 6pm, monday through saturday (if i remember right) and free all other times.
All this i learned through my multiple years living in and around downtown brattleboro. I hope i cleared some things up for you.
"My ADD ..."
… gives me trouble sometimes too, so I just slap it around and tell it to go back to where it came from.
Same with authority figures. I don’t have any trouble with authority figures … I just tell them what to do.
Megalomania
For a small town, we sure do have a lot to offer, including the perfect person for a case study 🙂
“Megalomania is a psychopathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of power, relevance, omnipotence, and by inflated self-esteem.”
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalomania
Derogatory Remark Negated by the Commentator's Anonymity
A perfect example of mudslinging from behind the curtain of namelessness.