In an ideal world, government provides services to its citizens equally in an optimally efficient manner. In Boston we have a custom of using 'space spacers' to mark a shoveled spot for a vehicle. Passions run high for and and against the use of them. I, like others, am concerned about the potential for vigilantism as well as the inefficient use of public space. However, anyone can empathize with someone spending significant time and effort to shovel out an area in their neighborhood in inclement weather and wanting to be able to have a parking spot when they return home from work or errands.
What I'd like to propose is that instead of arguing for or against space savers, that we use our big intelligent Boston brains to come up with a solution that better serves the citizens.
My idea is only a suggestion to get the conversation started. Please add, subtract, ridicule or, best of all, suggest a better solution. The best option might be a city that can afford more plows, trucks, melters, and maintenance workers to quickly and efficiently clear the streets, combined with a reliable public transit system so citizens aren't as reliable on vehicles-but that is quite expensive and we have more important priorities like spending time and money on Olympic planning. Until we have an unlimited source of money, I propose the following:
Boston Winter Parking Proposal:
The space saver program will be regulated by the City of Boston.
If someone wants to have a space saved during the winter they need to buy/rent/lease an official "City of Boston Space Saver". These space savers could be a large cone or construction sawhorse like those seen on road work construction sites. (Maybe wewe could have a design competition between Harvard/MIT/BU/Northeastern/BC/MassArt for the prototype "Boston Space Saver!") They will be uniquely numbered and individually assigned.
The key to making the program work is that each space saver will have embedded a device similar to a cellphone with a GPS device that will report back to the "Hub" at City Hall. The Hub will monitor all the space savers in the city.
Everyone who wants to participate in the space saver program, either putting out a space saver or using a spot with space saver in it will need to register with the City. There will be a website linked to the City's website and a mobile app for smart phone users to use while they are out looking for a space.
The costs of having a space saver and using space saver places will pay for the cost to the City of Boston for having and monitoring and enforcing the system. Each user will be required to supply a deposit of for any potential fines or misuse of the system.
How the system will work:
After a snowstorm, when a 'host' shovels out a spot and needs to drive off they put their "Official City of Boston Space Saver" in their spot and log that spot into the 'Space Saver Hub'. They give their account and password and enter when they need to return to the spot. The "Space Saver Hub" uses the GPS embedded into the device to log the location. A display screen on the device could flash "Free until 6 pm" or whatever time the person plans on returning. The host is responsible for keeping the device charged and/or batteries installed.
A 'guest' driving through the neighborhood would have two ways of finding a space to park. One is to look for the flashing displays on space savers, the second is to have their smart phone alert them to available spaces in the neighborhood.
When they find a space, they enter their account information and password and the ID tag of the space saver they have identified. The system registers them and then they move the space saver to the sidewalk (or more appropriately the snowbank on the sidewalk) and park their car there knowing they need to leave before the 'host' returns home. When they leave they need to return the space saver to its original position.
When the host returns home and parks their car, they need to log back into the system and inform the 'Space Saver Hub' that they are again parking there and then they are free to bring their space saver inside.
Enforcement
The key is the GPS device in the space saver. If the device is moved more than a certain number of feet, such as 50 or 100 feet, the 'Space Saver Hub' has a warning go off. A phone call can go to the host (to make sure they aren't putting it back in their house or garage without remembering to log the movement into the hub) and a call to the police made as well. The device can be quickly recovered if some vigilante is trying to remove it/hide it/destroy it. Also, the owner will not be liable for some potential theft of the device.
If a 'guest' car is parked in the space when the 'host' comes home at the arranged time the host can notify the Hub. The Hub can call the owner of the registered car who can notify why they aren't there. An appropriate fine will be levied, possible suspension for being able to use the system, etc. If they can not make it there in some short amount of time, for example 10 minutes, the HUB will send a tow truck and the 'host' will get their space back.
If a non registered car is in the host's spot when they get home they can call/message the HUB and a tow truck will be sent immediately.
I'm not an expert on how accurate these GPS devices are, but ideally the GPS on the "City of Boston Space Saver" is very accurate and the space saver is very hardy and not prone to fall over. If the device is moved even a few feet (to the curb) without someone logging the use of the device into the system, the 'Hub' can be notified. Parking enforcement people in the area can be notified, with the GPS location that an unauthorized user is using that space and an appropriate fine can be levied by the City for unauthorized use of a parking space. Again, if the car is in that space when the 'host' returns home, that car can be towed.
The main goals of my proposal are to more efficiently use the scarce parking in the city, while rewarding the hard work a citizen puts in to allow the city to utilize that parking. It also seeks to eliminate the anonymous potential for vigilantism which has no place in a neighborly society.
A system like this of course relies on good technology, but also good enforcement. The citizens need to know that when they return at the end of the day that they will be able to park in their space. High fines and quick towing will make sure people obey the rules and use the system. It also requires a degree of honesty by the 'host' that they don't just log in and report they are returning in one hour when they will actually be gone for the day. If this becomes an issue, possible fines might be needed as well although this is harder to enforce.
If people insist on trying to continue the current system of setting out trash, cones, gnomes, and other paraphernalia the City must treat those as trash and littering and enforce the picking up of those items and possibly even giving fines for repeated misuse. A 'sting' operation set up with the type of BMW with an unmarked BPD van leading to an arrest or three for vandalism out to help cut down on the use of old style parking savers.
Once Boston has perfected this system we can patent the software and lease it to every other City in the world that gets snow and we will have more than enough money to fix the MBTA. Maybe we could even afford luxuries like the Olympics.
Please discuss among yourselves!