Street Parking!

[Generic]

I've had guests complain to me, and refuse to return to this town, EVER, because they parked in a 15 minute zone for an hour and, gracious, got a ticket..

There have been more than a few posts on the TripAdvisor forum for your town complaining about the ticketing for parking in front of the big store there.... saying the same thing, refusing to return to your town, ever!
.

There have been more than a few posts on the TripAdvisor forum for your town complaining about the ticketing for parking in front of the big store there.... saying the same thing, refusing to return to your town, ever!

It's the attitude of "I have a car, therefore I'm entitled to park anywhere."
I asked one guy if you can just park anywhere you like in Chicago and he looked at me and said "Yes." So next time I'm in Chicago, I'm parking right in the middle of Michigan Avenue. And I'm sending him the ticket

 

[Arks]

well ... May I ask ... is this outside your place? If so, as your guest, yes ... I would expect you to tell me ahead of time where to park. Do you have parking for guests? If it's a random area in the 'neighborhood,' I hope you would advise me. I wouldn't just guess about that sign but I'd be feeling lost if I didn't know what to do. truth.

I live in the inner city. No different than NYC, Boston, Toronto or Chicago. Would you expect free parking in Manhattan? Would you expect the hotel to somehow find you a free spot on the street? To magically hold it and reserve it for you because you are too damn cheap to pay for one?
I have 2 spots and I'm lucky enough to have them. A parking spot in this city sells for $100K... that's not a garage, that's a piece of land big enough to just put a car on. Half of my street is free parking, if you are patience and read the signs. Half of my street is reserved for the local residents.
And I offer 2 spaces for less than half of what a private lot charges. Reservable online with the room reservation. On the OTAs it clearly says "no parking" or very limited parking, email ahead of time. But honestly, it's the ones that DON'T want to pay that give me that damn look.
I have no problem explaining the signs, explaining where to go to find a spot, or where to find a paid spot. I do have a problem with people who expect me to magically have reserved them a spot on a public street. And a bigger problem with an idiot who walks up to me with their ticket and asks me to pay it.

And I have a problem with the expectation that they can park anywhere they damn well please. It's not "Is that spot legal?" They don't even ask! They assume they can park anywhere and that's that.
.

And a bigger problem with an idiot who walks up to me with their ticket and asks me to pay it.

If they did that to me, I fear I'd begin embarrassing, uncontrollable laughter.

 

[happykeeper]

If i was staying with you, I would ask you and I would expect you would be happy to keep me out of trouble.

 

[Generic]

If i was staying with you, I would ask you and I would expect you would be happy to keep me out of trouble..

That's normal. What drives me crazy are those who expect that I can magically produce free parking in the inner city.

 

[happykeeper]

If i was staying with you, I would ask you and I would expect you would be happy to keep me out of trouble..

That's normal. What drives me crazy are those who expect that I can magically produce free parking in the inner city.
.

Now that is a bit different. I would not expect you to produce free parking if you told me you do not prior to arrival or I did not ask you about it prior to arrival. I would expect that you would have some type of information where free or affordable parking could be found. That kind of insider's tip would be one of the reasons I am staying with you. Given your excellent reviews, I am sure you would know and be happy to tell me.

 

[Generic]

If i was staying with you, I would ask you and I would expect you would be happy to keep me out of trouble..

That's normal. What drives me crazy are those who expect that I can magically produce free parking in the inner city.
.

Now that is a bit different. I would not expect you to produce free parking if you told me you do not prior to arrival or I did not ask you about it prior to arrival. I would expect that you would have some type of information where free or affordable parking could be found. That kind of insider's tip would be one of the reasons I am staying with you. Given your excellent reviews, I am sure you would know and be happy to tell me.
.

We sell ours for half the normal city rate, but we only have 2. Otherwise we tell you how to find it free, but it does take work and luck. Those determined to find it, usually do. Those who have no patience, we point at several places that charge and those who want more security, we point at indoor places that charge.
Honestly, somehow it still galls me when someone expects that I should hand it to them on a platter, free and instant.

 

[Morticia]

well ... May I ask ... is this outside your place? If so, as your guest, yes ... I would expect you to tell me ahead of time where to park. Do you have parking for guests? If it's a random area in the 'neighborhood,' I hope you would advise me. I wouldn't just guess about that sign but I'd be feeling lost if I didn't know what to do. truth.

I live in the inner city. No different than NYC, Boston, Toronto or Chicago. Would you expect free parking in Manhattan? Would you expect the hotel to somehow find you a free spot on the street? To magically hold it and reserve it for you because you are too damn cheap to pay for one?
I have 2 spots and I'm lucky enough to have them. A parking spot in this city sells for $100K... that's not a garage, that's a piece of land big enough to just put a car on. Half of my street is free parking, if you are patience and read the signs. Half of my street is reserved for the local residents.
And I offer 2 spaces for less than half of what a private lot charges. Reservable online with the room reservation. On the OTAs it clearly says "no parking" or very limited parking, email ahead of time. But honestly, it's the ones that DON'T want to pay that give me that damn look.
I have no problem explaining the signs, explaining where to go to find a spot, or where to find a paid spot. I do have a problem with people who expect me to magically have reserved them a spot on a public street. And a bigger problem with an idiot who walks up to me with their ticket and asks me to pay it.

And I have a problem with the expectation that they can park anywhere they damn well please. It's not "Is that spot legal?" They don't even ask! They assume they can park anywhere and that's that.
.

Mine wanted me to intercede for the parking ticket. Not pay it but make it go away.

 

[Morticia]

I've had guests complain to me, and refuse to return to this town, EVER, because they parked in a 15 minute zone for an hour and, gracious, got a ticket..

There have been more than a few posts on the TripAdvisor forum for your town complaining about the ticketing for parking in front of the big store there.... saying the same thing, refusing to return to your town, ever!
.

There have been more than a few posts on the TripAdvisor forum for your town complaining about the ticketing for parking in front of the big store there.... saying the same thing, refusing to return to your town, ever!

500 car parking garage across the street. Another 500 spots behind the store. Every parking spot is free. I have no sympathy for people who think the sign is for someone else. The restricted parking is more so people can get into and out of the deli, post office and pharmacy without walking a mile.
The fine did go from $5 to $20. The woman who does the ticketing is deaf to all excuses. Would not want her job! ;-)

 

[Innkeep]

I've had guests complain to me, and refuse to return to this town, EVER, because they parked in a 15 minute zone for an hour and, gracious, got a ticket..

There have been more than a few posts on the TripAdvisor forum for your town complaining about the ticketing for parking in front of the big store there.... saying the same thing, refusing to return to your town, ever!
.

There have been more than a few posts on the TripAdvisor forum for your town complaining about the ticketing for parking in front of the big store there.... saying the same thing, refusing to return to your town, ever!

500 car parking garage across the street. Another 500 spots behind the store. Every parking spot is free. I have no sympathy for people who think the sign is for someone else. The restricted parking is more so people can get into and out of the deli, post office and pharmacy without walking a mile.
The fine did go from $5 to $20. The woman who does the ticketing is deaf to all excuses. Would not want her job! ;-)
.

The woman who does the ticketing is deaf to all excuses. Would not want her job! ;-)

Maybe if you had to do her job for a day your PITAs would be more bearable

 

[user 26]

Jon Sable - I am going to guess that the folks who arrive with expectations of free parking at the door are not reading your website nor what you send to them about parking. They just skim over it, yes they understand and agree ... (not) and then are shocked (angered, whatever) at the reality.

 

[Generic]

Jon Sable - I am going to guess that the folks who arrive with expectations of free parking at the door are not reading your website nor what you send to them about parking. They just skim over it, yes they understand and agree ... (not) and then are shocked (angered, whatever) at the reality..

Maybe what I need is a giant one of these in the emails...

And then underneath....
Now that I have your attention...
We have 2 spots for $X. There are parking lots in walking distance at $2X. And there is limited free street parking... in regards to the street parking... here is your sign...

Thanks!

 

[Morticia]

I've had guests complain to me, and refuse to return to this town, EVER, because they parked in a 15 minute zone for an hour and, gracious, got a ticket..

There have been more than a few posts on the TripAdvisor forum for your town complaining about the ticketing for parking in front of the big store there.... saying the same thing, refusing to return to your town, ever!
.

There have been more than a few posts on the TripAdvisor forum for your town complaining about the ticketing for parking in front of the big store there.... saying the same thing, refusing to return to your town, ever!

500 car parking garage across the street. Another 500 spots behind the store. Every parking spot is free. I have no sympathy for people who think the sign is for someone else. The restricted parking is more so people can get into and out of the deli, post office and pharmacy without walking a mile.
The fine did go from $5 to $20. The woman who does the ticketing is deaf to all excuses. Would not want her job! ;-)
.

The woman who does the ticketing is deaf to all excuses. Would not want her job! ;-)

Maybe if you had to do her job for a day your PITAs would be more bearable

.

The woman who does the ticketing is deaf to all excuses. Would not want her job! ;-)

Maybe if you had to do her job for a day your PITAs would be more bearable

Probably. At least I get to work in A/C and my PITA's don't follow me around cursing at me.

 

[Copperhead]

Jon Sable - I am going to guess that the folks who arrive with expectations of free parking at the door are not reading your website nor what you send to them about parking. They just skim over it, yes they understand and agree ... (not) and then are shocked (angered, whatever) at the reality..

Maybe what I need is a giant one of these in the emails...

And then underneath....
Now that I have your attention...
We have 2 spots for $X. There are parking lots in walking distance at $2X. And there is limited free street parking... in regards to the street parking... here is your sign...

Thanks!
.

LOVE IT! That may work!

 

[innovermyhead]

I've traveled a lot in foreign countries, always check the signs carefully, and am reasonably paranoid about possibilities of having my rental car towed. If I'm not SURE what the sign says, I just don't park there, at least not until I've asked a local about it.
People who ignore signs, just because they don't understand them, deserve what they get. They think they're special, but they're not..

A certain kind of special perhaps...

 

[Garden_Pix_Inn]

I puzzled that one out to read No Parking Monday-Saturday (Spanish) 9:30-21L00 hours except (excepte) if you have a permit number "8." Since I don't think I have one of those, NO, I would not park there. I've seen that sort of sign in a city in the U.S. so not so strange.
People are funny about parking and rules. A planned community in GA requires NO parking on any residential street, even if you are having a party. So a person living there came to the City of Atlanta for a party and had to (1) park (2) change their kid's diaper) so
(3) I found them parking IN my inn's driveway with the van door open and diaper bag out because--as they understood it--the world did not allow anyone to park in the street (despite all the other cars parked there at the time AND the lack of signs to the contrary--no prohibitions at all).
Old, Lost People
We had to get a sign saying NO VEHICLES BEYOND THIS OINT after some old people left a party at our place, assumed (as many do) that we have a dircular drive) and drove INTO our garden which end with an 11-foot drop off a wall we had to put in to MAKE a flat wedding garden. Lucky it was winter.
My husband ran after them (going about 5 mph) and pounded on the trunk of their land yacht. He got them stopped but they were too rattled to turn around so he had to fish it out of there. Thereafter I got the sign (reflective at night) AND I put flower pots so the 10-foot wide walk ramp is NOT wide enough for a vehicle. You just never know....
Those sort of signs are pretty cheap. Get one if needed. I have one that says EXIT>>> because so many think I have that circular drive around the house. It sometimes helps; the NO VEHICLES one helps more when they get to the "end of the road" where it is located. Nothing helps the lookies loos doing 30 up the hill and into the parking lot where they come to a screeching halt, gravel flying, at the "NO" sign!!! Why any one would drive so fast into private property with no clear path is beyond me....

 

[Lee2014]

We got guests on last minute since they didn't want to park on the street at their B & B they had reserved. They had driven by our place during the day....

 

[Morticia]

I puzzled that one out to read No Parking Monday-Saturday (Spanish) 9:30-21L00 hours except (excepte) if you have a permit number "8." Since I don't think I have one of those, NO, I would not park there. I've seen that sort of sign in a city in the U.S. so not so strange.
People are funny about parking and rules. A planned community in GA requires NO parking on any residential street, even if you are having a party. So a person living there came to the City of Atlanta for a party and had to (1) park (2) change their kid's diaper) so
(3) I found them parking IN my inn's driveway with the van door open and diaper bag out because--as they understood it--the world did not allow anyone to park in the street (despite all the other cars parked there at the time AND the lack of signs to the contrary--no prohibitions at all).
Old, Lost People
We had to get a sign saying NO VEHICLES BEYOND THIS OINT after some old people left a party at our place, assumed (as many do) that we have a dircular drive) and drove INTO our garden which end with an 11-foot drop off a wall we had to put in to MAKE a flat wedding garden. Lucky it was winter.
My husband ran after them (going about 5 mph) and pounded on the trunk of their land yacht. He got them stopped but they were too rattled to turn around so he had to fish it out of there. Thereafter I got the sign (reflective at night) AND I put flower pots so the 10-foot wide walk ramp is NOT wide enough for a vehicle. You just never know....
Those sort of signs are pretty cheap. Get one if needed. I have one that says EXIT>>> because so many think I have that circular drive around the house. It sometimes helps; the NO VEHICLES one helps more when they get to the "end of the road" where it is located. Nothing helps the lookies loos doing 30 up the hill and into the parking lot where they come to a screeching halt, gravel flying, at the "NO" sign!!! Why any one would drive so fast into private property with no clear path is beyond me.....

We had a taxi driver turn AT our sign (hanging from a large tree) go up over the curbing, cross the sidewalk, go over the lawn and stop, just barely, where the stone wall drops off 2 feet to the lower garden.
Another, rather drunk guest, turned before the driveway, went across the lawn and managed to slot his car in between two other cars with no problem. We knew who it was because he drove thru the snow and there were the tracks. He realized it in the morning and said his 95 yo mother was driving.
I've thought of charging a nickel to turn around in my driveway. I could have retired years ago. Some days there is a line to turn around.

 

[Garden_Pix_Inn]

If i was staying with you, I would ask you and I would expect you would be happy to keep me out of trouble..

That's normal. What drives me crazy are those who expect that I can magically produce free parking in the inner city.
.

That's normal. What drives me crazy are those who expect that I can magically produce free parking in the inner city.

Our inner city Atlanta inn had city-required parking in the back yard. IF you couldn't comply, you didn't get the license for the rooms. We rarely used all of them (because many arrived via plane/subway) but we had to have them. Also had two on the street and two at our house next door (when we put our own cars in the driveway). So.... we managed.
IF you don't have adequate parking for all I'd suggest you have a check box on your reservation form, making an attempt to accommodate everyone. OR, like one boutique hotel I stayed in, they send a map to the nearest parking lot/and a note you will pay for it. They were VERY CLEAR they had no parking.
WE work to keep people off a very curving road late at night. Even IF it were scenic, massive curves in the dark are not all that cool! When people go that way anyway they don't have ME to blame for being car sick or spending 1 hour going 32 miles! The whole point is to shift the responsibility to the guest, not yourself once they are informed.

 

[Garden_Pix_Inn]

well ... May I ask ... is this outside your place? If so, as your guest, yes ... I would expect you to tell me ahead of time where to park. Do you have parking for guests? If it's a random area in the 'neighborhood,' I hope you would advise me. I wouldn't just guess about that sign but I'd be feeling lost if I didn't know what to do. truth.

I live in the inner city. No different than NYC, Boston, Toronto or Chicago. Would you expect free parking in Manhattan? Would you expect the hotel to somehow find you a free spot on the street? To magically hold it and reserve it for you because you are too damn cheap to pay for one?
I have 2 spots and I'm lucky enough to have them. A parking spot in this city sells for $100K... that's not a garage, that's a piece of land big enough to just put a car on. Half of my street is free parking, if you are patience and read the signs. Half of my street is reserved for the local residents.
And I offer 2 spaces for less than half of what a private lot charges. Reservable online with the room reservation. On the OTAs it clearly says "no parking" or very limited parking, email ahead of time. But honestly, it's the ones that DON'T want to pay that give me that damn look.
I have no problem explaining the signs, explaining where to go to find a spot, or where to find a paid spot. I do have a problem with people who expect me to magically have reserved them a spot on a public street. And a bigger problem with an idiot who walks up to me with their ticket and asks me to pay it.

And I have a problem with the expectation that they can park anywhere they damn well please. It's not "Is that spot legal?" They don't even ask! They assume they can park anywhere and that's that.
.

I live in the inner city. No different than NYC, Boston, Toronto or Chicago. Would you expect free parking in Manhattan? Would you expect the hotel to somehow find you a free spot on the street?

The BIG problem is "which city" can be expected to NOT have parking, and which would? Atlanta isn't on your list. Do you have an expectation that it is "small enough" to have some? What about LA where everybody" is thought to have a car (by tourists who know nothing). What about inns on islands? I think some of the Massachusetts Cape areas are NOT parked-car friendly. And I have to say Narragansett RI was super difficult concerning parking (EXCEPT at the inn).
The larger inn I visit on Pennsylvania Ave. in D.C. always mentions parking options. I suggest you do the same. That way you won't have to hear the complaining...
I'm a big fan of pro-active information dissemination to prevent confusion and whining among guests. MY life is better for it. Never assume what guests don't know.

 

[Morticia]

well ... May I ask ... is this outside your place? If so, as your guest, yes ... I would expect you to tell me ahead of time where to park. Do you have parking for guests? If it's a random area in the 'neighborhood,' I hope you would advise me. I wouldn't just guess about that sign but I'd be feeling lost if I didn't know what to do. truth.

I live in the inner city. No different than NYC, Boston, Toronto or Chicago. Would you expect free parking in Manhattan? Would you expect the hotel to somehow find you a free spot on the street? To magically hold it and reserve it for you because you are too damn cheap to pay for one?
I have 2 spots and I'm lucky enough to have them. A parking spot in this city sells for $100K... that's not a garage, that's a piece of land big enough to just put a car on. Half of my street is free parking, if you are patience and read the signs. Half of my street is reserved for the local residents.
And I offer 2 spaces for less than half of what a private lot charges. Reservable online with the room reservation. On the OTAs it clearly says "no parking" or very limited parking, email ahead of time. But honestly, it's the ones that DON'T want to pay that give me that damn look.
I have no problem explaining the signs, explaining where to go to find a spot, or where to find a paid spot. I do have a problem with people who expect me to magically have reserved them a spot on a public street. And a bigger problem with an idiot who walks up to me with their ticket and asks me to pay it.

And I have a problem with the expectation that they can park anywhere they damn well please. It's not "Is that spot legal?" They don't even ask! They assume they can park anywhere and that's that.
.

I live in the inner city. No different than NYC, Boston, Toronto or Chicago. Would you expect free parking in Manhattan? Would you expect the hotel to somehow find you a free spot on the street?

The BIG problem is "which city" can be expected to NOT have parking, and which would? Atlanta isn't on your list. Do you have an expectation that it is "small enough" to have some? What about LA where everybody" is thought to have a car (by tourists who know nothing). What about inns on islands? I think some of the Massachusetts Cape areas are NOT parked-car friendly. And I have to say Narragansett RI was super difficult concerning parking (EXCEPT at the inn).
The larger inn I visit on Pennsylvania Ave. in D.C. always mentions parking options. I suggest you do the same. That way you won't have to hear the complaining...
I'm a big fan of pro-active information dissemination to prevent confusion and whining among guests. MY life is better for it. Never assume what guests don't know.
.

I'm a big fan of pro-active information dissemination to prevent confusion and whining among guests. MY life is better for it. Never assume what guests don't know.

Me too. We explain in the confirmation we have parking for exactly 7 cars, 1 per room. We ask guests to inform us if they are arriving with more than 1 car/room. Not a single guest has ever told us in advance. Fend for yourselves then. We used to move our car. No more.
Every year we repaint the lines in the parking lot. Dozens of times during the year I have to tell guests to properly park their cars so everyone has a space. You can't see the lines? Just because you arrived 3 hours early doesn't mean no one else is arriving later.
If they don't move the cars? Fend for yourselves and don't ask me who owns the car that dented yours.
There is so much info we provide to the guest via conversation, email, website and still probably 50% of guests think they're getting a buffet breakfast or that we're cooking to order from a menu. Because that's how it was at the other place they stayed! (Just an instance of going out of our way to provide info that isn't read or absorbed.)
Just yesterday, doing check in I was showing guests how to access the WiFi.I had the info sheet in my hand, was pointing at it, words were coming out of my mouth and the guest asked, "is there a password for the internet?" Maybe they don't have Wi-Fi in Wisconsin, I don't know. Maybe 'internet' is the word they use.