The no-parking signs you REALLY don’t want to try ignoring

Though the city hasn’t gone back to fully enforcing all parking restrictions yet, here’s one sign you do NOT want to ignore: The no-parking sign on Fauntleroy Way alongside Lincoln Park. The photo is from Ian, who emailed to say: “I live across from Lincoln Park and have seen an increase in towing over the last two weeks of cars that parked in the ferry line after 2 pm. As I type this I’m watching a family of 5 trying to arrange pickup after their vehicle was towed. I can see both sides of this, there are plenty of signs stating it’s a tow away zone, but there’s also no ferry traffic to speak of. Paying to recover a towed vehicle isn’t cheap especially in these economic times.” He counted 7 towed vehicles today alone, and suggested a PSA to remind people about the restrictions – no parking 2-7 pm weekdays, 9 am-3 pm weekends.

VBD August 25, 2020 (7:39 pm)

The issue is “group think”. One person parks, and the next person figures “it must be OK, I guess I’ll park too…” The signs are pretty clear. They even have a picture of a car being towed. During this pandemic, folks seem to have gotten pretty comfortable ignoring the rules. Go ahead and tow.

Wsguy123 August 25, 2020 (8:23 pm)

Can’t wait for the 72 hour rule to be enforced again. I know of many cars that have sat in the same place since before the stay at home order in March. Weeds growing up around the cars. Public Spaces no one else can use. I think there will be a lot of vehicles with dead batteries. Filthy. Annoying.
- AMD August 26, 2020 (7:41 am)
  
  The people who don’t need to drive those cars because they have no jobs to go to and no money to spend on outings probably can’t wait to have a reason to move them either.
- Also John August 26, 2020 (10:57 am)
  
  @WSguy….. I totally agree with you. I had a large American pick-up truck park at the base of my steps for a minimum of 10 days. The steps in front of my home are how I and my neighbors get from the elevated sidewalk to the street. The owner of the truck blocked the steps. People were going through my garden to get around the truck. Even with Covid it doesn’t take much energy to get out and move it after 72 hours. The truck owner should’ve seen the steps. He/she parked the truck illegally ( facing the wrong direction) and the truck door opened up onto the steps.
Jeremy August 26, 2020 (9:33 am)

I agree with all. But I used to live right there and the way they do it is pretty shady. A contracted tow company sends a bunch of trucks down and they hide on the side streets and wait. Within seconds of the time restrictions they pop out and start towing as fast as they can. They then take the cars to side streets drop them and go get more, I understand the rules but it seems overly aggressive as I have seen many families with kids and chairs and other items hurry back to find no car when only a few minutes have past. I have seen people running to the cars and they still get taken. The tow company is making a fortune off of this. I am sure its hard to wrangle kids to keep a tight schedule when they are at a park.
- Resident August 26, 2020 (12:44 pm)
  
  I think the signs are pretty clear, no parking during a specific time. That doesn’t mean park for 5 or 10 min. It means no parking. Anyone that parks there, leaves their vehicle, and comes back to find it gone, well…..

Sarah August 25, 2020 (8:29 pm)

Seriously, don’t do it. I also live across from the park and walk/run there regularly. I tell people when I see them parking, but many still shrug and take the risk. It’s mind-boggling.

Wsguy123 August 25, 2020 (8:31 pm)

Here’s another public service announcement.. renew your tabs. Take a look at your vehicle (s). If you have JUL 2020 or older, they are expired. You can renew online and have them mailed to you. It’s quick/easy.

Chuck Jacobs August 25, 2020 (8:49 pm)

Also, tabs aren’t good until the end of the month. If your tabs say AUG 2020 and your registration says August 12, they’re expired.
- onion August 25, 2020 (10:19 pm)
  
  I agree with social distancing, and with the other comments. Open up the frigging parking lots.
- Boop August 26, 2020 (8:21 am)
  
  It is absolutely amazing how many expired tabs you notice if you are looking. I’ve seen cars driving around with tabs expired since 2018! Next time you are out for a walk, take a look. You’ll be hard pressed to go more than a block without seeing one.
  - Wsguy123 August 26, 2020 (1:46 pm)
    
    Yup. Even before C 19 it was a huge problem. Apparently it’s the most common ticket PEOs write. Not sure why so many are expired. It’s a conundrum. How does one drive around or park on public streets for years without getting a ticket? If tickets were given out, people would renew since the fine is $200+ But I read one year that over 100k were written for expired tabs.
GG August 25, 2020 (10:18 pm)

Thanks for the psa! I just renewed my tabs. Totally forgot that they’ve been expired for a month!
Matt P August 26, 2020 (5:29 pm)

Lots of people who have expired out of state tabs too because they don’t want to pay here. Or like old neighbors I had that kept renewing CA plates because it was cheaper than paying here thus not paying for their road usage. You’re required to switch within 30 days of moving here.
- Tsurly August 26, 2020 (8:04 pm)
  
  Report them to WSP for licensing fraud, they respond quickly and do go after them.https://www.wsp.wa.gov/crime/report-something/license-fraud/

J August 25, 2020 (9:15 pm)

Why doesn’t the city open up the parking lot? maybe every other parking spot, to allow for distancing. It’s a nice big park and one of the easier places to social distance around the city

Yma August 25, 2020 (9:30 pm)

How about open up the parking lots for Lincoln Park & then make some better signs- or condense/clarify the restrictions.

Jason August 25, 2020 (9:46 pm)

Why won’t the city open the parks parking lots?

Westy August 25, 2020 (9:58 pm)

Time for Parks Department to open parking lots .

mok4315 August 25, 2020 (9:58 pm)

Along those same lines, the meter maid is out in full force at Lowman. I run Lincoln Park every day and see parking enforcement several times a week down there. Don’t ignore the ‘No Parking North/South of here’ signs!

Lowman August 26, 2020 (8:55 am)

Agreed! I live on Lowman and it’s really frustrating to get to and from my place during the summer. The reason for the No Parking signs are so cars can pass one another on the one lane road without having to backup all the way!

Julia August 25, 2020 (10:29 pm)

I saw the tow truck today before 3:00 and thought it was mean to tow when there was no ferry traffic. However, I realized that they really can’t wait until there’s a lineup and THEN try to clear the street. I, too, wish they’d open the parking lots.

Fauntleroy Neighbor August 25, 2020 (10:38 pm)

As a person that lives right by the ferry there is a line up every day starting at 3pm that goes all the way up Fauntleroy. Friday’s of course being the heaviest of days. I don’t know who is claiming there is no ferry traffic?

Graciano August 26, 2020 (4:38 am)

And even if there were no Ferry traffic at all the signs do say NO PARKING
rpo August 26, 2020 (8:32 am)

Yep, I second this. I’ve seen lines past the gas station multiple times in the past month.

Craig August 26, 2020 (12:02 am)

At 2:30 today there were 4(!) tow trucks (TBT Towing, and a few other local big ones) picking off cars at Lincoln Park today. There were a lot of people enjoying the park about to have a bad day.

Sixbuck August 26, 2020 (12:56 am)

How about the goddamn city reopens the parking lots at Lincoln Park!?!I’m about to bring bolt cutters down there!Feckless city “leaders”. SMFH

22blades August 26, 2020 (7:13 am)

On the other hand, there are “homemade” but realistic parking signs that are not official like the loading zone in front of the Seabird Condos at 1221 Harbor Avenue. “Exclusive public property”? I was also was having a “social distancing picnic” at a city park(Lake Union) with my 93 year old dad when an adjacent business owner came out & told us to leave because we were blocking his forklift. Not some worker bee mind you, but some guy in suit. I called the parks department a few times but they never responded. Maybe they don’t want to p__s off Dale Chihuly…

tsurly August 26, 2020 (3:50 pm)

I’ve reported several homemade street signs over the past few years with the Find it, Fix it App. I’ve found that the city responds to them pretty quickly.
- 22blades August 27, 2020 (4:46 pm)
  
  Hey thanx!!!

WSMom August 26, 2020 (8:40 am)

Open the parking lots! There is no reason to keep them closed. I have emailed the mayor and no response.

Lola August 26, 2020 (8:48 am)

Have you seen the ones who park at the Entrance of the Parking lot? They think they are getting away with parking there since the Entrance is closed but just enough room for 1 or 2 cars to park there while they meander thru the park. Also the people who whip around in front of you to get in line for the Ferry, at least use a blinker so we know what you are doing. I also like the ones who try and do a u turn right at the ferry and try to get in line only they are holding up the traffic coming the other way. I will blow my horn at you.

Mj August 26, 2020 (9:18 am)

The City should emulate Vancouver BC and charge a fee for parking Park parking lots.

Steven Lorenza August 26, 2020 (9:22 am)

Read the signs. You’re responsible for your car.

Roddy August 26, 2020 (9:47 am)

Yes, lines for the ferry still exist. I now live on Vashon, and often find it difficult to determine if the cars parked on the street are part of the ferry line or just folks using the park. You have to slow down and peer into the cars, and even then you could be wrong. I agree that the city should open the lots.

dhg August 26, 2020 (9:49 am)

Based on casual observation, it appears the tow trucks will wait until a half hour after the time restriction has started before they tow. I think the signs are pretty clear but they are also spaced so far apart I can understand someone thinking that sign 300 feet away does not apply.

Resident August 26, 2020 (12:49 pm)

It isn’t like someone came out of a driveway and parked there. The person parked there passed at least one of those signs if not several. They are far away yes, but they are at the very beginning of the street and distanced so you can see them. If people chose not to read them it is their own issue.

RobonWSEA August 26, 2020 (10:03 am)

Yes – open the parking lots!!! Its a huge park. I noticed how quick Parks Dept was to bolt 2x4s on benches so elderly and mobility afflicted citizens could not use them – so why is this taking so long?

wetone August 26, 2020 (2:58 pm)

“so why is this taking so long” Because of the poor leadership this city has. There is/was no commonsense reason to 2×4 benches. Most all were used by single person or same family. Seattle leaders showing zero care for all those that voted yes for Seattle parks levy……..

Kyle August 26, 2020 (12:59 pm)

The ferry is being used. They do need to clear the line for ferry holding, and before the line gets bad, so I do understand the need to tow. Agree it was this weird time where the city wasn’t enforcing parking limits for awhile. Would have been nice to put up some signage saying enforcement was happening again there. Seems kind of predatory that they didn’t. And the parking lots should be opened. Clearly that was a misguided haphazard effort. The lots at many other parks are open, and all this does is force parking onto the neighborhood. We can eat indoors at a restaurant but can’t park at Lincoln Park?

Flo B August 26, 2020 (4:33 pm)

Called the meter maids today for an abandoned car. City worker said they weren’t responding until Covid restrictions were lifted.

West Seattle Resident August 26, 2020 (4:38 pm)

I wonder how moving Parking Enforcement from SPD to SDOT will affect any “enforcement” rules? Don’t know, just curiosity.

anonyme August 27, 2020 (2:55 pm)

There are so few laws enforced in Seattle, yet people still whine on those rare occasions when they are busted for knowingly breaking the law. Boohoo.

Sorry, comment time is over.