At the newly-renovated/rebuilt Martha Washington Library on Fort Hunt Road, near Belle View, they have a beautiful new parking lot -- too beautiful to allow those ugly-to-the-environment, gas-only vehicles to park near its entrance.

That's right -- if you own a normal vehicle, you must park in the back. Out of sight. At least, that's what they think.

When you pull off of Fort Hunt Road into the parking lot, the first five parking spaces you come to bear signs that say "HYBRID OR ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLES ONLY." There are five other spaces facing these with signs that say "LIBRARY CARPOOL VEHICLES ONLY." The ten best parking spaces are reserved for people who are "better" than most of us. "Better," even, than the handicapped amongst us.

What right does the library have to impose such restrictions on parking spaces? What are they trying to do with these limitations? Are they trying to make most of us feel less worthy of using their facility? Less worthy than the idiot who decides to pay thirty-thousand dollars on a car so he can feel good about himself and better than most?

And, what the heck is a "Library carpool?" What constitutes a carpool? If I take my son to the library, am I, by definitation, part of a carpool? Can I now park whatever I want to drive in one of those elite spaces?

I am sick and tired of government telling me what I should drive and what I have to buy.

It's their parking lot, they can do what they want. The fact that it irritates you so much makes it worthwhile.

Kilton Wrote:
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> It's their parking lot, they can do what they
> want. The fact that it irritates you so much
> makes it worthwhile.

Is that right? Who paid for that parking lot?

Irrelevant.

Don't fret the parking, just enjoy the library while you can. As the US and local economy continues it's irreversable downward spiral, libraries (and parks) will be the first thing to go, as well they should.

Want to read a book? Go buy it.

I'm with you OP. Those assholes won't let me drink beer in there either.

Let's burn the library down!

Buy a hybrid. Problem solved.

Sprint has the same thing, with 30 to 40 of the closest spots reserved for Hybrids and other crap. However, Sprint is a private corporation, whereas the library is a public tax payer funded entity. I can see a case being made towards this being illegal discrimination.

==================================================================================================
"And if any women or children get their legs torn off, or faces caved in, well, it's tough shit for them." -2LT. Bert Stiles, 505th, 339th (On Berlin Bombardier Mission, 1944).

This County is turning faggot with each passing year.

So what happens if you park your SUV in those hybrid spaces, anyway? It's not like the library can establish their own parking laws. What are they going to do...take away your library card?

I found a "Letter to the Editor" in our local paper, the Mount Vernon Gazette, about this exact same thing. This guy thinks the same way I do.

Here's a link: http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=344292&paper=69&cat=110

k Wrote:
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> So what happens if you park your SUV in those
> hybrid spaces, anyway? It's not like the library
> can establish their own parking laws. What are
> they going to do...take away your library card?


I'd park there anyway.

Better yet, maybe a handicapped SUV driver should park there. :)

One-Way Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> When you pull off of Fort Hunt Road into the
> parking lot, the first five parking spaces you
> come to bear signs that say "HYBRID OR ALTERNATIVE
> FUEL VEHICLES ONLY."

They probably don't mean these babies...
Attachments:

It is surprising the guy who wrote to the editor is from Hollin Hills, most of the people there all drive a Prius and still have Obama stickers on their car.

Honestly, who still has Obama stickers on their car?

Some Change...

I've got a hybrid SUV - Mercury Mariner - and I park in the hybrid spaces all the time. Not all hybrids have to be those worthless foreign built crap Priuses.

I think you're overreacting. While I own a Prius (since 2002; before it got popular! OLD SCHOOL!), I only drive it to work to avoid traffic on 395, so I would be parking my Honda Civic with you further away. But really...5 spaces for hybrids really torques you off? I think you've got deeper issues.

Encouraging people to be a little more friendly to the environment is no bad thing. You won't die because you're 5 spaces further away.

Kardinal Wrote:
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Encouraging people to be a little more friendly to the environment is no bad thing

This is not an encouragement.

Kardinal Wrote:
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You won't die because you're 5 spaces further away.

You have entirely missed the point. This has absolutely nothing to do with how far I have to walk.

Yeah, it has to do with you getting irritated over nonsense that (by your own admission) doesn't affect you in any significant way.

Hopefully this will be your biggest problem all week, and you can be thankful.

One-Way Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Kardinal Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> Encouraging people to be a little more friendly to
> the environment is no bad thing
>
> This is not an encouragement.

Insightful response. Perhaps you could expand on it and explain what you think it is and why you think it's not encouragement. Encouragement is, almost by definition, giving an incentive or reward for desired behavior.

> Kardinal Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> You won't die because you're 5 spaces further
> away.
>
> You have entirely missed the point. This has
> absolutely nothing to do with how far I have to
> walk.

Then I think you have failed to make your point effectively. You seem to think this is somehow a matter of class; a matter of "better than". If that's your belief, then it's based on some very very flimsy evidence, and I'd say you're jumping to a conclusion out of your own issues, not based on the facts at hand.

Handicap parking spaces are mandated by law. I don't think that Fairfax Co. has passed any laws/ordinances establishing assigned parking spaces, not yet anyway. And, by the way, assigned parking spaces do indeed connote status, regardless of level of self-esteem.

As far as "Encouraging people to be a little more friendly to the environment is no bad thing ": How about this then, eliminate the parking lot entirely and stipulate that anyone using the library must park no closer than 2 miles away, thus reducing the distance they travel to get there!

slubdawg Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Handicap parking spaces are mandated by law. I
> don't think that Fairfax Co. has passed any
> laws/ordinances establishing assigned parking
> spaces, not yet anyway. And, by the way, assigned
> parking spaces do indeed connote status,
> regardless of level of self-esteem.

They do? So...does that mean that the federal government thinks handicapped people are better than the rest of us?


> As far as "Encouraging people to be a little more
> friendly to the environment is no bad thing ":
> How about this then, eliminate the parking lot
> entirely and stipulate that anyone using the
> library must park no closer than 2 miles away,
> thus reducing the distance they travel to get
> there!

Reasonable steps. Anything taken to its extreme is absurd, of course. Encouraging people is not a bad thing, forcing people to walk unreasonable distances is absurd.

Fair enough. Now that we agree, what is a reasonable distance for patrons to walk in order to be better friends of the environment?

Kardinal Wrote:

"desired behavior"

Need I say any more?

One-Way Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Kardinal Wrote:
>
> "desired behavior"
>
> Need I say any more?


Am I to gather that walking is not a desired behavior? Or, maybe, indeed you do need to say more.

slubdawg Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> One-Way Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Kardinal Wrote:
> >
> > "desired behavior"
> >
> > Need I say any more?
>
>
> Am I to gather that walking is not a desired
> behavior? Or, maybe, indeed you do need to say
> more.

I did not quote you. I agree with your logic -- eliminating the parking lot. What I don't agree with is Kardinal's opinion that we all bow to others' ideas of "desired behaviour."

One-Way Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Kardinal Wrote:
>
> "desired behavior"
>
> Need I say any more?

Yes, you do. Because they are blatantly and obviously trying to encourage a desired behavior; being friendly to the environment. As the government holds the environment in trust from the people as we collectively grant them to manage it (this is, whether you like it or not, how it works), it is in their interest to encourage good stewardship of it on our behalf. If we don't like how they manage it, of course we can vote them out, but I don't see this as a bad idea.

One-way, the government is always trying to find ways for you to engage in behavior they want you to engage in. You get tax breaks if you buy a house. You get tax breaks if you buy energy efficient appliances. You get tax breaks if you donate to charitable causes. You get tax breaks if you buy hybrid vehicles. This isn't anything new.

Providing a couple of parking spaces for hybrid vehicles is no different than the other things the government has done to get people to buy them - tax breaks, lifting HOV restrictions, etc. Honestly, with all of the gimmes thrown at you, I can't understand why anyone who wants a new car doesn't look into a hybrid.

This is what government does - if you don't like this, you're better off calling your County Supervisor and complaining. Enough complaints and they won't do stuff like that. But voters have made it clear that they want government to work on cleaning up the environment so it's hard to get angry at them when they do cheap things like this to try and get folks to do what's in their best interests anyway.

Park where you want. Why worry about the signs I dont think there is a law against parking in a hybrid space only thingy. Ethanol is an alternative fuel - Im sure you pump that into your Hummer so tell them thats whats up.

Of course expect some nerdy altercations - could be fun. Anyway relax its a small thing. Besides guess whom wins in a bad accident...

What would happen if I parked my HumVee in one or two of those spaces?

I may even sit my lazy ass down curbside and smoke a cig. What if I carried in a plastic grocery bag to tote my library books home? I'll drink a can of Coke and toss it in the regular trash can. Library patrons will shit their pants.

BrianSchoeneman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> One-way, the government is always trying to find
> ways for you to engage in behavior they want you
> to engage in. You get tax breaks if you buy a
> house. You get tax breaks if you buy energy
> efficient appliances. You get tax breaks if you
> donate to charitable causes. You get tax breaks if
> you buy hybrid vehicles. This isn't anything new.
>
> Providing a couple of parking spaces for hybrid
> vehicles is no different than the other things the
> government has done to get people to buy them -
> tax breaks, lifting HOV restrictions, etc.
> Honestly, with all of the gimmes thrown at you, I
> can't understand why anyone who wants a new car
> doesn't look into a hybrid.
>
> This is what government does - if you don't like
> this, you're better off calling your County
> Supervisor and complaining. Enough complaints and
> they won't do stuff like that. But voters have
> made it clear that they want government to work on
> cleaning up the environment so it's hard to get
> angry at them when they do cheap things like this
> to try and get folks to do what's in their best
> interests anyway.

Nor is it any different than the government giving huge tax breaks (Sect. 179) and CAFE exemptions on the huge piece of shit SUVs and trucks that clog our roadways and parking lots.

What torques my biscuit is that nearly anytime an SUV (or minivan for that matter) parks adjacent to my car it is a huge pain in the ass and a safety risk to back out of a parking lot space due to the reduced visibility and maneuverability.

And no, I do not drive a hybrid. I drive a fast gas guzzling German fuck-you-mobile.

How about the parking spaces at grocery stores "for expecting mothers or mothers of small children" ? FUCK THAT, if you're stupid enough to breed you need more time to walk to and from your car, not less.

m@ Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How about the parking spaces at grocery stores
> "for expecting mothers or mothers of small
> children" ? FUCK THAT, if you're stupid enough to
> breed you need more time to walk to and from your
> car, not less.

There's a guy who recently paid a visit to the Discovery Channel HQ who expressed not dissimilar views...

When I buy a Chevy Volt, they had better provide electrical outlets at these prime spots.

__________________________________
That's not a ladybug, that's a cannapiller.

Just more stupid hippie liberals trying to promote their saving the environment beliefs..God what has this world come to.

those spots are there to indicate which cars should be vandalized. :P


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

Why don't you put the cheetos bag down and freakin' WALK the damn 50 feet from your car to the library door? You sound like those fucktards at the malls who drive aimlessly until a close parking spot opens up. I've actually seen cars troll behind shoppers leaving the stores so they can snag thier parking space. And guess what... there's 25 open spaces about 100 feet away!! Only in Amerikuh.

Let's take this to another level. Why not assign parking spaces based on the fuel efficiency of the car. The more fuel efficient the closer you get to park to the entrance, put all the really low MPG gas guzzlers the fartherest away. then rank the rows with the best even the most close.

The row cloest, over 40 MPG, next closest 30-40 MPG, next 20-30, below 20 MPG probably won't be going to the library anyway because they more likely to illiterate or semi!

I think those signs are a bureaucratic requirement of so-called “LEED†building standards, which is some sort of environmental building checklist for new buildings. As far as I know, local governments give breaks on zoning and building code requirements (rules that the rest of us have to abide by) to developers who build LEED buildings. It’s completely silly.

But anyway, part of that checklist is that buildings give preferential parking spaces to hybrids and carpools. So, I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot more of this stuff, since the Green Hysteria seems here to stay for a while.

It’s as dumb as “Compact Car Spaces†– there’s no enforcement, so I’m sure over time, those signs will gradually come down.

I enjoy parking my suped-up Volvo that gets about 17-18MPG in those spots whenever possible. I have had 2-3 people say something to me...they are usually asshats.

Some of the Harris Teeter's have spots painted like that.

guzzler Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I enjoy parking my suped-up Volvo that gets about
> 17-18MPG in those spots whenever possible. I have
> had 2-3 people say something to me...they are
> usually asshats.
>
> Some of the Harris Teeter's have spots painted
> like that.


You won't even get to park in my library parking lot! LOL

Of course, how are we going to know what your MPG is? Hmmm, maybe we need to get another sticker in our window that indicates MPG, could be included as part of the annual inspection. right there next to the inspection sticker have one that indicates MPG.

I'm not sure if this thread is still even active or visible, but I just found it in November 2011. I just found the same parking spaces at the Thomas Jefferson library on Rt.50 in Falls Church. I sent an email to supervisor Linda Smyth. They said they are not aware of any such spaces and will look into it. If there is interest here I can provide my letter and their official response.

Those nonsense signs are not legally binding. I park my Town Car in a LEV spot at the Dolley Madison Branch every time I go. You may get into an arguement with some bearded, crocs-wearing hippie-dippy, so be prepared.

I figured they weren't legally enforceable, as I had checked the county parking restrictions website and found no law authorizing these signs. That fact makes them a waste of taxpayer dollars in my book. I asked Ms. Smyth a few questions, including how much of the county budget was spent on this "green initiative" to elevate hybrid owners above the overwhelming majority of county citizens and whose idea it was. I asked that these signs be removed from all county parking lots, lest the county government feels compelled to alienate the majority of it's taxpaying citizens.

Since someone is still tuned in to this thread I will post info about whatever response I get. Ms. Smyth has always been very responsive to my communications over the last 4.5 years. I have never voted for a Democrat, but if she handles this one well she will have my vote. Responsive local government is more important than party affiliation to me right now.

It's enough to make you want to drink some whiskey, eat a steak and buy a fucking dodge with a hemi and a glasspack to park next to the library door.

I am tempted to go there tomorrow and park my wife's big 'ol SUV in one of those spots. I'd love to... Really... Or maybe my musclecar - it is a hybrid, as it burns gas AND rubber...

This county needs an enema on the BOS. Starting with the Chairperson. Vote!

"Or maybe my musclecar - it is a hybrid, as it burns gas AND rubber..."

the original hybrid! :D

I put a hybrid badge no my Hummer H1.

If you want to establish an "Occupy hybrid parking space" I'll be there... Just name a time and place.

Attention everyone in this thread: You dont care. None of you except for that one poster who is a 55yo woman (and prob drives a prius with her new Obama 2012 sticker) has been to a public library in the last 10 years

Don't forget about those pregnant women. What makes them so special that they can get "expecting mother" parking?

If you walk an extra 20yards you may loose some of that fat ass.

Plus, who still uses a library? I love my hardback collection, but paper books/magazines/newspapers are completely irrelevant. Try googling any book title + .PDF. You're welcome.

Its time to change our definition of libraries.

Hooray for Hybrids! You people that got suckered into buying one are killing the environment more slowly than we people who still drive combustion-only vehicles! Whee!

The really dumb thing is...like with the HOV exception for hybrids...is that hybrids are NOT the most fuel efficient cars. Check out the EPA marks on a Chevrolet Geo circa 1992...it was a 3-banger. A 3-banger death trap but if you want to kill the environment even more slowly than a hybrid, this will do that.

As for libraries...we need to watch out what's going on there. The next thing we know, they'll be reporting to the government anytime someone checks out "The Anarchist Cookbook"...

Hey folks, I'm back. Linda Smyth spent a respectable amount of time with me on the phone a few weeks ago. She said the County attourney (or somebody in a position to know) said these signs were legally uneforceable, and thus problematic. She told me these signs are part of the "LEED" (green building BS) standard. That is something pushed by the Green Building Council. To get "LEED certified" must be a real thrill for somebody in a position to spend our tax dollars. However, while some of the principles may be worthwhile, actually obtaining the certification subjects our county to the silly rules made up on a whim by some bureaucrat with nothing better to do and an green agenda to impose.

I told Ms. Smyth I am all for investing money in things that will prove to save money in the long run (Favoable return on investment), but this parking restriction is bogus and inappropraite. She seemed to agree with me. At one point in the conversation she was struggling to describe the LEED enforcement monitoring people and I jokingly threw out the word "Nazis" to which she chuckled in agreement. I asked her to consider removing these signs and all such signs in the County. She said they would look into it further and keep me posted. This week I got the following message from her:

"Peter – I did a joint Board matter on the LEED signage with Penny Gross at the last Board of Supervisors meeting. Essentially we asked the County Executive to look into getting rid of the unenforceable signs and to reconsider future use of the signage for LEED certification for county facilities. That doesn’t mean that the signs will disappear immediately, but I do believe they will go away at some point.

Linda"

I consider this a small victory for sanity in a mixed up world and I am glad our local government listens to us, even as the Federal Gov't ignores us. Our lesson here is that we need to stay engaged and push back against the ever encroaching hand of government over-regulation and violations of our rights/liberty. Don't be afraid to contact your county board supervisor. From my experience with Linda Smyth, they are VERY responsive to our requests.

Merry Christmas Fairfax!

~Pup

PS Ron Paul 2012!

Oh great! Pulling Penny Gross in means that she will now propose changing county ordinances to make the enforcement of those spaces legal!