Chambers wrote:
> Here's a story in today's Oregonian about a policeman who got a traffic 
> fine for illegal parking:
>
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/121687171035380.xml&coll=7

> 
> 
> Here are some relevant quotes from the article:
> 
>   "Oregonians believe police don't get to ignore the law."
> 
> This is exactly how I feel, and I fully support the idea that those who 
> represent Law and Order should be bound by it as fully as any other 
> citizen.
> 
>   "Portland police, however, vowed to push to allow officers to park in 
> no-parking zones to order food"
> 
> Seriously?  They're fed up that they have to park in the same spaces 
> that we have to?
> 
> OK, I understand that policemen need to stay within a certain distance 
> of their vehicles (both to respond more quickly to calls, and in case 
> someone tries to vandalize their vehicle {the article states that this 
> is a real concern for them}).  However, if they aren't able to get the 
> food they want because of this, then how about calling ahead and having 
> your order brought out to you?  I've seen countless officers pull up to 
> restaurants (ok, donut shops - and I'm not even making that up!) and an 
> employee carried their order out to them.
> 


I once say a police car pull up at a McDonalds and block (2) handicapped 
stalls because he parked badly.  He was not in uniform.  He got out and 
proceeded to return a video the video machine there.  He then went 
inside and got something and came back out.  All in all he was there for 
about 5 minutes.

What frustrated me was that he looked off duty (but that may not have 
been the case), blocked 2 handicapped stalls - all with about 5 empty 
parking spaces about 25 feet away that were easy to get into and out of 
- ie pull through.



Maybe places should be required to keep a certain number of spaces 
reserved for emergency vehicle parking during non emergencies - just 
like for the handicapped.


The extension is that they would have to make parking for all sorts of 
groups of people.  If you didn't belong to a special group you would 
have to park 1/2 mile away because that is where the 3 unreserved spots 
were.
It might help with the obesity problem in the US, but then again they 
might be one of the special groups that get a reserved spot up close...




Tom

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