Readers: Use Cards To Educate Rather Than Shame

The poll last week got lots of diverse responses but the biggest group thinks I should use a bit of guilt (“I’m disabled…”) but should otherwise educate those who park in disabled spaces, block crosswalks, etc:

Q: How should I phrase cards to leave on cars blocking disabled parking spaces, pedestrian crosswalks, curb ramps, etc?

1. I’m disabled, how you’ve parked can make things difficult for me and others. 74 [43.53%]
2. I’m disabled, I don’t like how you’ve parked, the authorities have been notified, pic posted on Twitter & Facebook 36 [21.18%]
3. Don’t leave anything, just let it go 14 [8.24%]
4. Other answer… 13 [7.65%]
5. Forget a card, key their car 11 [6.47%]
6. I’m disabled, I don’t like how you’ve parked, the authorities have been notified 10 [5.88%]
7. You insensitive jerk, I hope you end up disabled like me someday 7 [4.12%]
8. Unsure/no opinion 3 [1.76%]
9. I’m disabled, I don’t like how you’ve parked 2 [1.18%]

All of the answers I provided in the poll were things I thought at times I encounter a poorly parked car.  I’d never damage anyone else’s property but for a brief moment just the thought of keying an offending car brings satisfaction.  Mostly I do nothing other than take a picture but I want to have a pre-written card with me to cover those times I don’t want to let it go.

The 13 other answers were:

1. attach a chain to the axle “American Graffiti” style
2. Choice 4 with the Facebook and Twitter part added.
3. kiss or kill me. you pick.
4. Collective Action: No
5. I like the car you’ve got – but recommend posting it with tenacious adhesive
6. I’m disabled, how you’ve parked can make things difficult for me and o Monday,
7. If you have the balls to leave a card, you better put your conact info on it too
8. Grow up
9. move your piece of crap
10. the first option with an image of you in your wheel chair giving them the finger
11. just call the cops, be(come) the squeaky wheel
12. Good idea, but it also sounds really whiny.
13. I would print out the MO code for this and leave it on their car

The following are just some of the other examples where a card would have been nice to leave behind:

I’ll be ordering the revised card soon so I will have them with me when I run into more examples.

– Steve Patterson

It Does Get Better

Today is National Coming Out Day and, yes, I’m gay.  I was harassed for being gay, before I even knew I was gay, during the 5th-8th grade (1977-1981). I came out in 1983, at age 16 — a year after the term “AIDS” was first used.  Although scary times for me, it got better.

Last week I joined hundreds of others in the Central West End for an important event to show youth it gets better:

“They marched as one. Unified by candlelight, reflecting on some of their darkest days of bullying and harassment.” (Vigil Condemns Anti-Gay Bullying)

Here is a short video clip I shot:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piM5o3uth3Y

The vigil was organized by Growing American Youth:

“Growing American Youth is a social support organization for youth who live near St. Louis and who are 21 and under and may identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, asexual or questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity. Growing American Youth has been serving St. Louis area youth for 30 years.”

In addition to the string of gay teen suicides we now have the story of violence against young gay men in New York:

“Outraged city leaders said Saturday that the city wouldn’t tolerate the “vicious” hatred that had apparently caused a street gang to allegedly beat and torture two teenage boys and a man inside an abandoned home over the course of several hours because they were gay.” (NYC officials outraged over anti-gay gang torture)

Cities are still the most accepting place to be.

– Steve Patterson

Poll: What Do You Think Of The MVVA Proposal For The City+Arch+River Competion?

By now most have formed an opinion of MVVA’s winning proposal in the City+Arch+River competition.  Over the next five years we will (hopefully) see work completed on both sides of the river. For the poll this week I hope to get a sense of what you think of the proposal.  I know there are those who are disappointed, but are they a few or the majority?  The poll is in the upper right sidebar.

– Steve Patterson

Poll: Help Me Determine The Message To Leave On Some Cars

For the poll this week I’m asking what should be printed on the cards I’m going to get to leave on cars parked like this:

I see things like this often and I want to do something about it but 1) the police are too busy, 2) parking violations is closed, 3) I can’t wait for the person to come back, 4) and if I had paper & pen I can’t write legibly.

Here is one example of what I was thinking:

To harsh or not enough?  I have listed several ideas in the poll, all have come to mind.  The poll is at the top of the right sidebar.

– Steve Patterson

Celebrating Six Years Of UrbanReviewSTL This Month

Halloween marks the sixth anniversary of this blog. In that time I’ve published over 2,300 posts. To celebrate I’m going to have some Top Six lists this month.

To start things off here is my Top Six Priorities I want to work on in the next 12 months (short term):

6) Moving the taxi stand off the sidewalk in front of the convention center.

5) Getting good policy, procedures and oversight in place regarding valets.

4) Opening up food vendor options (stand & truck) throughout the region.

3) Increased bike parking in the region.

2) Some municipality in the region to begin adopting form-based zoning, even if for a small area.

1) Switching city elections to be non-partisan.

These are not the region’s top priorities but what I’m personally interested in working on.  Discuss.

– Steve Patterson