Parking Authority Cracks Down On Scooters Parked On The Sidewalk In Center City
By Hadas Kuznits
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Philadelphia Parking Authority is cracking down on sidewalk scooter parking in center city.
For ten years, Fitler Square resident Al Kelman has been getting around center city Philadelphia on his scooter. Then suddenly, he received three parking tickets in one week.
"Starting last Wednesday, a ticket appeared on my scooter for parking on the sidewalk," he said, "and then another one on Friday and then another one on Tuesday of this week."
Martin O'Rourke, with the Philadelphia Parking Authority, says this month the PPA starting cracking down on scooter parking (see related story).
So where should folks park to avoid a ticket?
"There's a number of scooter zones through center city," O'Rourke said. "It's listed on the PPA's web site."
Kelman says there are no scooter parking zones within about a mile of his home.
"Well, basically, it's a matter of trying to find them, and that's where they can park," O'Rourke responds.
O'Rourke also had no answers to issues regarding zone parking and kiosk-voucher street parking, since there's no enclosed space in scooters or motorcycles to prevent theft of kiosk vouchers or zone passes.
Kelman says he also tried to find paid garage parking in his neighborhood.
"I've been to two local garages in the area, and they both told me their insurance doesn't cover scooters and cycles -- they can't take them. So I can't put it in the garage, I can't put it on the street, the designated scooter and cycle parking that the city put in place is in the business district and there are none in this area, so I've got a riddle and I'm absolutely flummoxed about what to do about it."
Kelman adds. "I'm willing to do something different, I just need to know what it is I can do!"
