Comments for The Silver Spring Penguin http://silverspringpenguin.com Your neighborhood news source Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:09:29 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 Comment on Advisory board: Higher parking rates can help fix county’s fiscal woes by CoronaSS http://silverspringpenguin.com/2010/01/12/advisory-board-higher-parking-rates-can-help-fix-countys-fiscal-woes/comment-page-1/#comment-67568 CoronaSS Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:09:29 +0000 http://silverspringpenguin.com/?p=6019#comment-67568 It's been my experience when looking at paid parking in a setting such as DTSS, if the rates go up, people will still pay as long as the final cost is still relatively low. So if you pay $.75 an hour to park now, and the cost goes up to say $1.50, then you won't really care because you are still only paying $1.50, not the highest cost ever. Regardless, parking is still free on evenings and weekends, so really this only affects those who park during normal business hours M-F. This means the group most affected is the one who really has no choice but to pay - those who either park and work in DTSS, or those who park and metro from DTSS. It's the same basic reason why parking near metro's is seldom free during normal business hours M-F, if it were, everyone would use the free parking to leave there cars when using mass transit, and people who actually patronize DTSS business would be hurt. So in a way, it helps DTSS, by ensuring that a meaningful population of the people who park there are actually doing something meaningful in DTSS (work or play). It’s been my experience when looking at paid parking in a setting such as DTSS, if the rates go up, people will still pay as long as the final cost is still relatively low. So if you pay $.75 an hour to park now, and the cost goes up to say $1.50, then you won’t really care because you are still only paying $1.50, not the highest cost ever.

Regardless, parking is still free on evenings and weekends, so really this only affects those who park during normal business hours M-F. This means the group most affected is the one who really has no choice but to pay – those who either park and work in DTSS, or those who park and metro from DTSS. It’s the same basic reason why parking near metro’s is seldom free during normal business hours M-F, if it were, everyone would use the free parking to leave there cars when using mass transit, and people who actually patronize DTSS business would be hurt.

So in a way, it helps DTSS, by ensuring that a meaningful population of the people who park there are actually doing something meaningful in DTSS (work or play).

]]> Comment on Advisory board: Higher parking rates can help fix county’s fiscal woes by tj http://silverspringpenguin.com/2010/01/12/advisory-board-higher-parking-rates-can-help-fix-countys-fiscal-woes/comment-page-1/#comment-67550 tj Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:56:44 +0000 http://silverspringpenguin.com/?p=6019#comment-67550 LuvMyHood- The folks who are worried about paying an extra dollar or so are probably not the same folks that are visiting the downtown restaurants, AFI, etc. These are probably individuals looking to loiter at the Borders or attend the free concerts in the summertime. Regarding your point on people not calling an ambulance because they are afraid of being charged- this continues to be a scare tactic used by those who, for whatever reason, do not want the ambulance fees. The county has done a public awareness campaign to alert residents that they would not be charged for using the ambulance. Maybe you can get the word out to people you know that no one who calls an ambulance in an emergency situation will be billed. LuvMyHood- The folks who are worried about paying an extra dollar or so are probably not the same folks that are visiting the downtown restaurants, AFI, etc. These are probably individuals looking to loiter at the Borders or attend the free concerts in the summertime.

Regarding your point on people not calling an ambulance because they are afraid of being charged- this continues to be a scare tactic used by those who, for whatever reason, do not want the ambulance fees. The county has done a public awareness campaign to alert residents that they would not be charged for using the ambulance. Maybe you can get the word out to people you know that no one who calls an ambulance in an emergency situation will be billed.

]]> Comment on Advisory board: Higher parking rates can help fix county’s fiscal woes by dumbek http://silverspringpenguin.com/2010/01/12/advisory-board-higher-parking-rates-can-help-fix-countys-fiscal-woes/comment-page-1/#comment-67544 dumbek Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:45:31 +0000 http://silverspringpenguin.com/?p=6019#comment-67544 "There are plenty of areas in DC that do not charge for parking on the weekend and evenings. This includes high-end areas like Friendship Heights and the U-Street corridor." Not sure about FH, but I'm pretty sure U St. is included in the new parking regulations that extend limited/metered parking hours to 10pm weeknights and all-day Saturday. There are lots of parking changes in DC as of 2010. “There are plenty of areas in DC that do not charge for parking on the weekend and evenings. This includes high-end areas like Friendship Heights and the U-Street corridor.”

Not sure about FH, but I’m pretty sure U St. is included in the new parking regulations that extend limited/metered parking hours to 10pm weeknights and all-day Saturday. There are lots of parking changes in DC as of 2010.

]]> Comment on Advisory board: Higher parking rates can help fix county’s fiscal woes by dumbek http://silverspringpenguin.com/2010/01/12/advisory-board-higher-parking-rates-can-help-fix-countys-fiscal-woes/comment-page-1/#comment-67542 dumbek Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:40:09 +0000 http://silverspringpenguin.com/?p=6019#comment-67542 "The gates on Wayne Ave consistently stay down and they collect payment until 8pm weekdays." The gates are down until 8pm, but if your ticket is stamped after 6pm, the charge when you leave is $0. They only collect fees until 8pm if you arrived before 6pm. After 8pm it's wide-open. “The gates on Wayne Ave consistently stay down and they collect payment until 8pm weekdays.”

The gates are down until 8pm, but if your ticket is stamped after 6pm, the charge when you leave is $0. They only collect fees until 8pm if you arrived before 6pm. After 8pm it’s wide-open.

]]> Comment on Advisory board: Higher parking rates can help fix county’s fiscal woes by LuvMyHood http://silverspringpenguin.com/2010/01/12/advisory-board-higher-parking-rates-can-help-fix-countys-fiscal-woes/comment-page-1/#comment-67541 LuvMyHood Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:39:06 +0000 http://silverspringpenguin.com/?p=6019#comment-67541 tj, how do you know all those people will walk to DTSS? Some of them may just hole up in their high-monthly-cost apts playing Wii or World of Warcraft or even Sim City. The goer-outers may head into DC. Doubling the parking fee might send some drivers into surrounding neighborhoods -- a bad thing in every way. I'm tired tired of demonizing cars. The ambulance fee is troubling; it might spur an uninsured person to avoid calling when s/he really needed to. We need an income-based tax system that is far more progressive. And we need to stop dreaming that more people is the answer to every problem. tj, how do you know all those people will walk to DTSS? Some of them may just hole up in their high-monthly-cost apts playing Wii or World of Warcraft or even Sim City. The goer-outers may head into DC.
Doubling the parking fee might send some drivers into surrounding neighborhoods — a bad thing in every way.
I’m tired tired of demonizing cars. The ambulance fee is troubling; it might spur an uninsured person to avoid calling when s/he really needed to. We need an income-based tax system that is far more progressive. And we need to stop dreaming that more people is the answer to every problem.

]]> Comment on Advisory board: Higher parking rates can help fix county’s fiscal woes by JG http://silverspringpenguin.com/2010/01/12/advisory-board-higher-parking-rates-can-help-fix-countys-fiscal-woes/comment-page-1/#comment-67540 JG Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:31:25 +0000 http://silverspringpenguin.com/?p=6019#comment-67540 "The county needs to take more drastic measures like implementing ambulance fees" Great point. I've yet to see a good reason why this hasn't happened. “The county needs to take more drastic measures like implementing ambulance fees”

Great point. I’ve yet to see a good reason why this hasn’t happened.

]]> Comment on Advisory board: Higher parking rates can help fix county’s fiscal woes by tj http://silverspringpenguin.com/2010/01/12/advisory-board-higher-parking-rates-can-help-fix-countys-fiscal-woes/comment-page-1/#comment-67535 tj Thu, 14 Jan 2010 16:43:26 +0000 http://silverspringpenguin.com/?p=6019#comment-67535 There may be a few people who won't visit DTSS because of the increase in parking but I believe that it will be easily offset by the increase of people who are moving to the immediate DTSS area and who travel by public transportation. Anyways, a 0.50 cents, 0.75 cents or whatever increase in the parking rate is not going to make a dent in the hundreds of millions in dollars in the budget deficit that the county is forecasting. The county needs to take more drastic measures like implementing ambulance fees. Why people are opposed to this I do not understand. The insurance companies would be issued the bill. Most insurance companies already cover emergency ambulance transport as part of their coverage. Individuals who do not have insurance would not see a bill. In addition, Montgomery County is the only idiot county in the area to offer free ambulance service to people outside the county. Does this make sense to anyone? There may be a few people who won’t visit DTSS because of the increase in parking but I believe that it will be easily offset by the increase of people who are moving to the immediate DTSS area and who travel by public transportation.

Anyways, a 0.50 cents, 0.75 cents or whatever increase in the parking rate is not going to make a dent in the hundreds of millions in dollars in the budget deficit that the county is forecasting. The county needs to take more drastic measures like implementing ambulance fees. Why people are opposed to this I do not understand. The insurance companies would be issued the bill. Most insurance companies already cover emergency ambulance transport as part of their coverage. Individuals who do not have insurance would not see a bill. In addition, Montgomery County is the only idiot county in the area to offer free ambulance service to people outside the county. Does this make sense to anyone?

]]> Comment on Advisory board: Higher parking rates can help fix county’s fiscal woes by JG http://silverspringpenguin.com/2010/01/12/advisory-board-higher-parking-rates-can-help-fix-countys-fiscal-woes/comment-page-1/#comment-67529 JG Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:32:45 +0000 http://silverspringpenguin.com/?p=6019#comment-67529 This conversation btw is exactly why we need something like the penguin and why Jennifer leaving us is going to leave a huge void. However, tj, you say that an increase in the parking rate will have no impact, my point is that there is NO parking rate currently on the weekends and at night (the article mentions a 20 year agreement, though I'm not sure when that began and will end.) If you eventually add one, people will definitely think twice about coming back. Why go to McGinty's or shop at DSW (or wherever) when you can drive to a mall and do the same for free? That's my concern. And for the record, I don't care about driving myself, I walk since I live a 5-10 min walk to Ellsworth. This conversation btw is exactly why we need something like the penguin and why Jennifer leaving us is going to leave a huge void. However, tj, you say that an increase in the parking rate will have no impact, my point is that there is NO parking rate currently on the weekends and at night (the article mentions a 20 year agreement, though I’m not sure when that began and will end.) If you eventually add one, people will definitely think twice about coming back. Why go to McGinty’s or shop at DSW (or wherever) when you can drive to a mall and do the same for free? That’s my concern. And for the record, I don’t care about driving myself, I walk since I live a 5-10 min walk to Ellsworth.

]]> Comment on Advisory board: Higher parking rates can help fix county’s fiscal woes by tj http://silverspringpenguin.com/2010/01/12/advisory-board-higher-parking-rates-can-help-fix-countys-fiscal-woes/comment-page-1/#comment-67522 tj Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:33:20 +0000 http://silverspringpenguin.com/?p=6019#comment-67522 Back to the parking rate issue...The demographics of people who cater the businesses in DTSS is changing. There has been several new apartment buildings that has and will be opening soon in DTSS. With the addition of thousands of new people to the area- these are the future consumers of DTSS. These folks will be walking to the DTSS and not take their cars. In addition, once the ice-skating rink and the Fillmore are open for business, there will be an increase of people traveling to the area via public transportation. The number of cars that can park in the DTSS is limited and the amount of available public parking is rapidly decreasing. When the new library opens up in several years, it will suck up any available parking spaces left in the Wayne Ave. garage. An increase in the parking rate will have very little or no impact in the number of people that visit DTSS. Back to the parking rate issue…The demographics of people who cater the businesses in DTSS is changing. There has been several new apartment buildings that has and will be opening soon in DTSS. With the addition of thousands of new people to the area- these are the future consumers of DTSS. These folks will be walking to the DTSS and not take their cars. In addition, once the ice-skating rink and the Fillmore are open for business, there will be an increase of people traveling to the area via public transportation.
The number of cars that can park in the DTSS is limited and the amount of available public parking is rapidly decreasing. When the new library opens up in several years, it will suck up any available parking spaces left in the Wayne Ave. garage. An increase in the parking rate will have very little or no impact in the number of people that visit DTSS.

]]> Comment on Advisory board: Higher parking rates can help fix county’s fiscal woes by chaz http://silverspringpenguin.com/2010/01/12/advisory-board-higher-parking-rates-can-help-fix-countys-fiscal-woes/comment-page-1/#comment-67517 chaz Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:51:10 +0000 http://silverspringpenguin.com/?p=6019#comment-67517 Hai GunsRule, thanks so much. I keep trying to get to Silver Spring from rural Pennsylvania, but when I get to the border and realize that I can no longer (legally) carry a concealed weapon, I shake my head and return to my remote woodland lodge, where there is NO DSW; NO Eggspectations. If only serious, freedom-loving people would take a good look at HB-52. Hai GunsRule, thanks so much. I keep trying to get to Silver Spring from rural Pennsylvania, but when I get to the border and realize that I can no longer (legally) carry a concealed weapon, I shake my head and return to my remote woodland lodge, where there is NO DSW; NO Eggspectations. If only serious, freedom-loving people would take a good look at HB-52.

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