New permit option for car sharing?

[themightychris]

I've been renting on New Market for about 3 years and parking my car on the street for most of them. Because of how annoying it always was finding a return spot in the evening or weekends, I got in the habit of biking as much as possible to get to work and around, and found I really only needed the car once a week or less. So, after my car got totalled by a drunk driver while it was parked on my street a few weeks before permit parking went into effect on New Market, I've decided to save some money and just try to get by on car sharing arrangements with friends.

Relying on sharing instead of owning a car and leaving it on the street most of the week has worked out really well, except when permits entered the picture. It's a constant struggle to avoid tickets when I have a car in front of my house and I've accumulated 5 in the last few weeks. The PPA offers two options for parking permit: $35/year for a car registered to your address or $15 for a 15day guest pass -- neither of these can help me.

IMHO, it seems like encouraging car sharing and rental services like zipcar should be part of the solution to the parking problems in Philly, yet the PPA is making it an extremely expensive practice. Would other residents support a new type of parking permit for someone in my situation? Maybe a movable permit that one can get with a proof of residence other than a registered plate? Is there some way that could be exploited that I'm not thinking of? For me, this would help me move from leaving a car I don't need most of the week parked on the street for $35/year to only having a car on the street one or two days a week we I need it while somehow not getting ticketed constantly.

[carpetbagger]

"Would other residents support a new type of parking permit for someone in my situation?"
umm, No.

if you've been living in the same place for 3 years, why isn't your car registered to that address? jersey plates? mom and dad's address? so sick of the car insurance scams in this city.

a lot of people who live in the city only use their car a couple times a week, sometimes less. and you want a special parking permit for that? just get rid of the car (eta or whatever this weird under-the-table car sharing situation/business you are doing with your friends).

[themightychris]

My car isn't registered to my address because, as I explained, it no longer exists. It was totaled by a drunk tourist while parked in front of my house just before permit parking went into effect. I know my post was long but I think you skimmed a bit too fast...

I'm not looking for a cheaper permit or the ability to park additional cars, just a way to occasionally use the one space I'm entitled to use on the street of my residence without owning a car and taking up space full time like I used to.

[carpetbagger]

actually, i read your post twice because it didn't make sense. i know your car was totaled. still doesn't explain why you think you should be able to park on a permit street with someone else's car that isn't registered to you.

[carpetbagger]

1. you're not "entitled" to park near your residence. street parking is public.

2. anyone who lives in our 10 permit zone can park on your street. so, if the owner of the car you are using lives in a 10 permit zone, and the car is registered at that address, they can get a 10 permit (to clarify: even if their particular street is not permit only). i wonder if they've contacted their insurance company to add new multiple drivers to their car?

[themightychris]

Let me put it this way, I have two options right now:

• Buy another car, pay $35/year for a permit, leave it on the street taking up space most of the week.
• Participate in a car sharing, pay tickets every time I need to be home for more than 2 hours with a car, not take up space on the street most of the week

#2 is more attractive to me and results in more parking for everyone on the street. There are many legitimate private and commercial ways to car share, and I'm trying to find a legit way to do it that doesn't involve being ticketed for parking near my home for too long.

Is your position that #1 is better for you as a neighbor?

[themightychris]

1. you're not "entitled" to park near your residence. street parking is public.

I know I'm not entitled to park, but I think I'm entitled to not get a ticket when I do just like car-owning residents.

[architphil]

There is a difference between being a member of a car-sharing organization and occasionally borrowing a car from a friend. Philly Carshare and Zipcar have dedicated parking spaces so you wouldn't need to park in front of your house. How is the city supposed to confirm that you're telling the truth rather than just trying to get a parking permit for a friend? If it is such a rarity for you to need a car, is it really that much trouble to park a block or two away? I live on a block of New Market that doesn't have permit parking and (other than Friday and Saturday nights) nearly every time I go outside I see at least one or two spots within a block or two.

All that said, I wish that more people would realize that they don't need a car if they live and work in the city, particularly since we now have a grocery store in the neighborhood. I've lived here for 5 years and not having the hastle of owning a car is one of the main reasons I love the neighborhood.

[themightychris]

The city might confirm that I'm telling the truth by accepting another form of proof of residence, like maybe my drivers license, voter registration, etc, and use their database to ensure that no concurrent permits can be obtained for my address. I can't see how this would significantly defeat the spirit of permits, are we afraid that out-of-towners will systemically locate residents without cars and have them apply for permits on their behalf? Even with gross abuse there should still be far less cars than pre-permit.

Like architphil said, the city and our neighborhoods would be better if less people who lived and worked in the city owned/used cars. I'm trying to make this work because I found owning a car for my limited uses a gross waste of space and clean air. Car sharing is good for the city and I think we should be looking for ways to encourage it.

Yes, I can park on further streets or limit my parking for two hours, that's what I'm trying to do now. But sometimes I'm bringing groceries in, I start cooking and take some time, then bam, ticket. Or I come home late and fall asleep without finding another spot, and wake up to a ticket.

I'm already out more on tickets than my insurance previously costed, officially making not owning a car cost more than owning a car (at least this month), does that make sense? Why should I have to deal with this when the point of permits is giving residents easier access to parking near their homes? Why does it become OK if I increase my use of the street space by leaving a car I don't need on it all week?

[Red]

I understand your point and I agree it would be helpful for the city to recognize the car sharing situation. I also think that since you were at that residence prior to having to pay a parking fee, that you should be exempt from paying this fee or have a lesser fee.
However, since the city doesnt have any laws in place as of yet, it does seem to me, that maybe you should have paid the $35 to register your friends car so that your not paying hundreds of dollars in fines.

[themightychris]

However, since the city doesnt have any laws in place as of yet, it does seem to me, that maybe you should have paid the $35 to register your friends car so that your not paying hundreds of dollars in fines.

I would love to pay the $35, but, as far as I know, you can only obtain that permit with a car you own registered to an address on this street. Also, I don't always use the same car.