Here One Minute Gone the Next

When I bought my condo three years ago one of the things the realtor mentioned to me was the fact that there was a potential parking problem in the complex. I already had my parking spot and at the time there were plenty of visitor spots. Over the course of three years, more and more people moved in and bought up those visitor spots converting them to reserved spots. In the first few years it was okay, people drove around the complex and got their spots. But as time has gone on, there are fewer visitor spots and no close havens exist where we can park our cars safely. What do I mean? Let me explain.

About a month ago our property manager sent out flyers and letters to all residents informing them of the plan to repave and repaint all the parking lots in phases. During this time, each phase would be unavailable for parking for a span of 24 hours. We were told that an office parking lot in close proximity was available for us to safely park our cars during this time. I came home the day my area was to be repaved and hoped against hope that perhaps I was early enough to nab one of the visitor spots around the complex. I was rather late in the day so as expected, I couldn't find one. I drove out of the complex and went off in search of the reserved temporary lot. To my chagrin, it was almost a mile away from home. Now I don't mind the walk, I am one of those guys who parks a bit away from the parking lot because the little bit extra walk is good for the heart. Or at least that's what they say.

So I walked home that evening, meeting a new neighbor and passing the time in conversation. The mile walk back home was rather quick seeing as how we were talking. The next morning I got up early since I would not be making the mile walk in my gym or running clothes but rather in my work clothes. So I walked out of the house in the pre-dawn hours and as I walked through the complex I saw that many people who came later on in the night had parked in fire lanes and in front of the dumpsters and everywhere else that could be illegal. I was rather surprised at that since we have signs all over whereby they state that towing is enforced. So off I went and that afternoon I was back in my usual spot.

Those that have been affected by the later phases figured that if one guy could get away with it then why not everyone else. The last two phases saw people parked anywhere and everywhere. Cars were parking in fire lanes, in front of the dumpsters, in front of hydrants. You name it there were cars there. As I came home I realized that there was a tow truck darting here and there. It wasn't until I went to take out the garbage that I realized that all the illegally parked cars within the complex were being towed. It seemed that the property managers had gotten complaints and the tow truck driver was doing his duty. He towed nearly 15 cars out of there within the span of two hours. A very profitable night so it would seem.

It's just a classic example of group think. You see one person doing something wrong or illegal and you think that perhaps it's bold. You see several doing it then you think it's a trend. If it seems that everyone is doing it then it's a norm. Every car that was illegally parked was either towed or ticketed. The towed folks were parked very illegally in clearly marked non-parkable spots. Those who chose to park along the main road (where parking again was illegal) were decorated with parking tickets this morning. As I drove off to go to work I realized, my experience during the paving was perhaps a bit tiring what with the walk home and to the car the next morning, but it was good for the heart, and for the wallet.