General Slugging Topics - TICKETING AT MINE ROAD

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TICKETING AT MINE ROAD

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Topic: TICKETING AT MINE ROAD

Posted By: SlugBuddy
Subject: TICKETING AT MINE ROAD
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2004 at 11:53am

http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2004/102004/10082004/1531314

Hoping to renew the discussion about the Mine Road lot after the ticketing incident yesterday. The whole back/new section of the old 610 lot has available parking spaces. I would like to see an effort to get the parking situtation back to the way it was (the early slugs and drivers should go to the old 610 lot and the later slugs and drivers (7:00 a.m. and later) should go to the Mine Road lot). That was the way it existed before and everyone had a legal place to park and it worked like a charm. Let's please make this work the way it used to. Spread the word to the early folks who are using Mine Road and I will try to canvass the early drivers. I will try to hand out flyers to the early drivers to make them aware of the situtation. If we work together, we can get this problem fixed. Anybody else willing to put the word out?

Replies:

Posted By: tri2dc
Date Posted: 10 Oct 2004 at 10:52am

I've read the attached article plus the one in the Sunday Paper. I get to the old lot around 6 AM and there is plenty of parking. The early bird gets the parking space. I use the old lot because I live on the Northside of Garrisonville Road. I think carpoolers should be able to use whatever lot they want. If you want the space, get there earlier.

Posted By: SlugBuddy
Date Posted: 12 Oct 2004 at 9:58am

Obviously you are missing something here. Everyone getting to the lot earlier would do nothing to solve this problem. Think before you respond and don't respond to my posts if you are not willing to work towards a solution.

Posted By: SlugBuddy
Date Posted: 12 Oct 2004 at 10:03am

http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2004/102004/10102004/1532293

Here is the other article on the parking situation. I would like to encourage all the early folks (slugs and drivers) to fill up the old 610 lot first and then move over to Mine Road. This is especially true for the drivers because if you don't go over to Mine Road to pick up earlier, then the slugs will have to go over to the old 610 lot. That way everyone will have a place to park. That has been the way it has operated for a long time up until now and it worked just fine. So please lets try to get it back to the way it was.

Posted By: tri2dc
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2004 at 7:51am

Obviously you are missing something here. The solution is get to the lot earlier. Think before you respond and don't respond to my posts if you are not willing to work towards a solution. At Mine Road today at 6am, plenty of parking as far as the eyes can see, quite breathtaking really.

Posted By: dkerley
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2004 at 10:34am

quote:
Originally posted by tri2dc
[br]Obviously you are missing something here. The solution is get to the lot earlier. Think before you respond and don't respond to my posts if you are not willing to work towards a solution. At Mine Road today at 6am, plenty of parking as far as the eyes can see, quite breathtaking really.

No, I think you are the one that is missing something -- everyone rushing to the lot earlier will not solve anything.

That's what's wrong with this world today - everyone has the "me, me, me first," attitude. I am seeing it in attitudes towards who should park in what lot and how people drive on the highways. It's ridiculous.

Dina

Posted By: SlugBuddy
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2004 at 11:37am

Amen to that Dina!! I wish all of these slugs with the "me, me" attitude would just get lost because if everyone had that bad attitude, the slug system would never work. It should be about being considerate towards each other and working towards a solution. What if all the late slugs showed up at 6:00 a.m. and took all the parking spaces and then maybe the early folks would be humbled with their "me, me", "get to the lot earlier" attitudes. I think if all the late folks who don't have a place to park, could park their cars overnight at Mine Road and get someone to drop them off in the morning, then we would take up the spaces and the earlier folks would MAYBE get the point. Is there anyone up for that? If so, let me know and I'll help organize it. There wouldn't even be a Mine Road slug line if it weren't for the late slugs who were persistent and got the lot going, they were even the ones to get the sign up at The Pentagon. So please people, let's go back to the way it was and then EVERYONE will have a legal place to park. Noone wants to get a ticket or towed and you never know when it will be you who is running late one morning and you won't have a place to park.

Posted By: salsita
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2004 at 11:57am

I belive the van pools are taking alot of space. I get to the new lot between 7-715am and it's pretty crowded and there aren't very many slugs in line. Per van pool there is probably at least 12 people...

Posted By: SlugBuddy
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2004 at 1:36pm

Well we can't work too well with the van pool people because they don't like us slugs much anyways but they have been there this whole time so I don't think that is where they are all coming from. The only thing I see that has changed is the fact that the earlier slugs keep coming over to Mine Road. I've heard numerous people talking about the fact that they leave from Mine Road at 6:00 a.m. and I politely try to explain the situation but they don't care about anyone but themselves. Most of them that I have run into are new to slugging and they just state that "it's closer to my house". That is the same "me-me" attitude that Dina and I can't stand because they are not really contributing to the slug community in a positive way. I also wish they would figure out that they are not really saving time going to Mine Road, at least from the Pentagon, as the old 610 line gets three times as many drivers going home as Mine Road does and the line is alot longer for Mine Road too. Too bad they aren't receptive to understanding that, instead they just say things like "it's closer to my house" or "get to the lot earlier". It's like duh, it doesn't really save you any time and it is not realistic for everyone to get to the lot earlier because it would be the same problem.

Posted By: ronin718
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2004 at 7:08pm

A question here from one who isn't affected by this issue... Why can't the late folks go to the old lot and slug from there? I see all this arguing about who should get the new lot, with the early folks saying come earlier, and the late folks telling the early folks to go to the other lot. Everyone wants the new lot. Maybe drivers need to adjust their patterns and pick up at the old lot after some magic hour. Just an alternative idea...

Posted By: SlugBuddy
Date Posted: 15 Oct 2004 at 11:44am

Ronin, I understand what you are trying to say but the fact is the late drivers have been used to picking up at the Mine Road lot for about two years now. That has been the process for Mine Road for a long time and getting the drivers to get used to a new system would be difficult. I also wanted to point out that it was the late slugs who started the Mine Road slug line and busted their butts to get it going. We are the ones who even arranged for the sign to be put up at the Pentagon. So wouldn't it stand to reason that the late slugs should not have to keep "re-adjusting" to the earlier slugs whims? In my opinion, the early slugs are just being in-considerate and not thinking about anyone but themselves. The system worked fine before and we need for it to go back to normal so that everyone will have a legal place to park.

Posted By: SlugBuddy
Date Posted: 15 Oct 2004 at 11:52am

Can you believe that people are still parking illegally at Mine Road, even after all the publicity it got last week. All week there have been cars parking there and yesterday they had tickets on their windshields. They say it is considered a moving violation and it puts points on their licenses[:0]. I am sure they will start towing next.

Posted By: sharonji27
Date Posted: 15 Oct 2004 at 12:30pm

Since people keep writing about early sluggers/drivers needing to use the old lot, has anyone driven over there to see if any spaces are available? I went over there one morning early in September thinking that was where people may be parking and there and I saw 2 empty spaces (not the vast empty areas being implied). This was around a quarter to 8. I haven't been back over there since then. Are there empty spots at the old lot? Or are both lots being utilized the fullest?

Posted By: gatewayslug
Date Posted: 15 Oct 2004 at 1:43pm

Not to be picky, but a quarter to eight is not early so of course you didn't see many empty spaces. The old saw was that somewhere around 7:15 or so it was better to head on over to Mine Road. I think that is the gist of this thread, don't head over to Mine Road before then. If both slugs and drivers are going to the same lot at the same time everybody wins, but hey, it is a free country.

Posted By: sharonji27
Date Posted: 15 Oct 2004 at 2:00pm

That's what I was trying to say... sorry. People seem to be implying that the Mine Road lot is over crowded while the Old Lot is half full and I am wondering if this is true?

Posted By: SlugBuddy
Date Posted: 15 Oct 2004 at 2:30pm

I have been over to the old lot at 8:30 recently and the whole back section that they just built was empty. I parked there that day because I was riding in with a friend. And gateway, you are absolutely correct. If people would just keep it like it was, everyone wins!! My experience with the earlier slugs however has not been very positive. The later slugs are always trying to scramble to find a place to park, that was until we got the Mine Road system going and everyone was happy. But alas, it was not to be for good because the earlier slugs don't seem to care about anyone but themselves. Their solution is to "get to the lot earlier", well that doesn't work for everyone and I seriously doubt they would appreciate it if we did all get to the lot earlier. So all I am trying to do is get a little cooperation and consideration here. [;)]

Posted By: SlugBuddy
Date Posted: 20 Oct 2004 at 12:20pm

Here's the latest from the Free Lance Star:

http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2004/102004/10202004/1543991

It looks like they may start only allowing Stafford County residents to park at the 610 lots or they may charge non-county residents to park. Too bad we can't get those early folks to go back to the way it was, that way everyone will have parking and the county won't have to get involved. It won't bother me though because I am a Stafford resident [^]

Posted By: jojobean
Date Posted: 20 Oct 2004 at 12:39pm

What Stafford needs is better long term planning. They need to become proactive as opposed to reactive.

Posted By: SlugBuddy
Date Posted: 20 Oct 2004 at 12:40pm

Don't hold your breath...

Posted By: salsita
Date Posted: 20 Oct 2004 at 1:32pm

Some people that I have spoke with are able to get rides at the new lot at 6am. If people would stop picking up that early just because it's convinent to their house or what the excuse may be, it's not difficult to cross a light. I've spoke with slugs at the old lot and they say it's extremly difficult to get a ride to 14th street after 615 am. I think the drivers need to be made aware of this "agreement" also so they stop picking up at the new lot. If people are not able to get a ride at the new lot that early then slugs won't wait there anymore.

Posted By: SlugBuddy
Date Posted: 20 Oct 2004 at 3:26pm

It would be great to get the information out to the drivers and to the riders but we need people to help get the word out. I cannot do it alone. I can make up a flyer and see if Admin will post it on here for downloading and maybe people can print some and pass them out to the drivers. I agree, if either the early drivers or the slugs don't go to the Mine Road lot, then they will have to go to the old lot. Let me know if you are interested in helping get the word out!! [8D]

Posted By: Barbara
Date Posted: 27 Oct 2004 at 1:35pm

Part of the problem with parking lots filling up may be the growth in the area.

For many of us who slug, your solution will not work, unless we want to walk from one lot to another lot either in the a.m. or at night. I don't plan to do that because of the lack of crosswalks and lighted sidewalks/paths to the parking lots.

I commute from Stafford to L'Enfant in the a.m. (6:20-6:40) and from the Pentagon to Stafford in the p.m. (5:30-5:45). Under your scenario, I would probably get a ride in the a.m. However, within the last couple of months, the drivers have switched to picking up at Mine Road, so it's been at least a 20-30 minute wait at the old lot. And I have a real devil of a time getting a ride to the old lot on most afternoons--the Mine Road signs worked too well and there aren't as many drivers picking up for the old 610 on most nights.

So I now park in the Mine Road lot (have for a couple of weeks), and I'm one of the problem people. We slug from there simply because the probabilities on wait time are better for us at the Mine Road lot. If traffic patterns change back, I'll gladly go back to the old lot and I'm sure that many of the other slugs will do so. I resisted it a LONG time because I do not prefer that lot. But, in the meantime, I'll go where the drivers are picking up riders. Yes, it is about me. I don't want to be the one standing alone in the old lot waiting for a ride that may never arrive. I've not done that, but I know of at least one person who stood for a long time one day (over 40 minutes) and wound up going to Mine Road just to get a ride. I don't think she is going to the 610 lot now if she arrives at 6:30 a.m. or later because she doesn't want to get caught again.

If there is a 'rule' of when to pick up and where, maybe there should be signs posted and some type of penalty to the drivers/parkers if they violate the rules. (Sorry, tongue in cheek--a joke--but it may be more effective than flyers.)

Although a lot of people think it is horrid, perhaps the solution IS to restrict the lots to Stafford residents. Maybe that would ease the parking problem for awhile for those who arrive later.

Posted By: Barbara
Date Posted: 27 Oct 2004 at 1:36pm

Posted By: SlugBuddy
Date Posted: 27 Oct 2004 at 2:23pm

That is unusual that you would have a hard time getting to the old 610 lot in the evenings. At the Pentagon, the old 610 lot gets three times as many cars picking up as Mine Road does around that same time period and the line is usually shorter for the old 610 lot. It must be a D.C. thing. I know before we got the Mine Road line started, we were passed up left and right and we just stuck with it and eventually made a seperate line for Mine Road. Maybe if there are two of you that leave at the same time for the old 610 lot, you can stand together with a sign that says 610 and as long as both of you are going to the same lot, the driver wouldn't have a problem.

Posted By: Barbara
Date Posted: 27 Oct 2004 at 3:55pm

I have been leaving from the Pentagon--it's useless to try to slug from downtown at that time of the afternoon. Last night, it was better going to the old lot simply because it was a very short line and there were a lot picking up for the old lot. But every day last week, it was better going to Mine Road, even when the Mine Road lot line is backed way up. I've tried both. Anyway, that's why some of us have switched. It would have been great if there had been ONE location at 610, but the powers that be decided that two separate lots make sense. Good luck to you in finding a solution that will work for you.

Posted By: Barbara
Date Posted: 27 Oct 2004 at 4:17pm

Posted By: SlugBuddy
Date Posted: 27 Oct 2004 at 4:37pm

That seems to be the problem here. Everyone wants a solution for just "them" and not looking for something to benefit all of the slug community. It's that same "me-me" mentality that is discouraging and slugging would have never taken off if everyone had that attitude to start with. Like I said, I've had to wait and be patient to get the Mine Road line off the ground in the first place. If you just stick to your guns and go to the right lot at the right times, it will work and everyone will have a place to park and the lines will be evenly distributed.

Posted By: Barbara
Date Posted: 28 Oct 2004 at 8:00am

I take it that you consider that everyone who cannot get rides earlier should take one for the team? Well, I've been late to work enough that I have taken one for the team, as have the other ones who have switched. I know you cannot possibly understand, because you do not go to the old lot early. If the times were 'restricted' for the Mine Road lot, they should have been posted so the drivers would understand. Try geting up and checking early in the morning at the old 610 lot (not on Fridays or Mondays because it still flows then), then maybe YOU can understand it is about the system, not about you or about me.

Again, I hope you find a solution that works for you.

Posted By: SlugBuddy
Date Posted: 28 Oct 2004 at 10:33am

Yes, I am saying that we need to work together for a solution. I've had many a day and night where I have had to wait a long time for a ride and sometimes it was quite inconvenient. I've actually heard the early riders complain that they had to wait for quite a while for a ride from the Mine Road lot because most of the early drivers are at the old 610 lot. That is becuase it was operating that way for a long time and the drivers are used to the way it was and now things are out of whack because of people migrating over. So please, fill up the old lot first and then migrate over to Mine Road. And yes, the old 610 lot has plenty of parking spaces in the newly built section so that is not a valid excuse to not utilize the old 610 lot. And No, there is no way to restrict the early slugs from using Mine Road but you would hope people would want to work together to get it flowing in a positive way. Especially since the Stafford County government is now getting involved and they are saying that they may start charging out-of-county commuters to park at the 610 lots and the supervisors were out there themselves talking about doing just that and VDOT was out there this morning writing stuff down about the vehicles parked there. Let's get it fixed before that actually happens!!