How much of a problem is the snow.....really? (Boston: condo, house)

[09Relo]

I keep reading about people "saving" parking spaces. Is this in downtown areas, or do people routinely park on the street outside of the city? Many of the homes I have read about mention......"off street parking places". Where I live currently, you cannot park on the street overnight.....period....you will be towed.

[twiggy]

Originally Posted by DarinsMom

It is all relative. Personally speaking, I am preparing to leave because I am tired of the snow. My husband, mother in law and other family members love it!

I hate driving in it. I hate shoveling it. But I adore the crisp cold air that comes along with it - it's a catch 22 for me.

I love the four seasons that MA has but honestly, I'm done with the harsh driving winter conditions. I have 4 wheel drive and it is useless if there's ice under that snow - I have skidded off the road more times than I care to admit.

And it's crap that the Cape gets less snow. That's what brought me here and I've lived on Cape 6 yrs and haven't found a winter yet that hasn't had lots of snow.

I'm a life long MA resident but it's time I flew the coop to snow-free pastures.

Darinsmom

Wow, I hope I don't go sliding around every time I drive there in the winter. lol I will need "driving in snow" lessons for sure!

I think I'll put the kids on the bus. Try and find a home next door to a grocery store. h aha

[capecodcathy]

Originally Posted by DarinsMom

It is all relative. Personally speaking, I am preparing to leave because I am tired of the snow. My husband, mother in law and other family members love it!

I hate driving in it. I hate shoveling it. But I adore the crisp cold air that comes along with it - it's a catch 22 for me.

I love the four seasons that MA has but honestly, I'm done with the harsh driving winter conditions. I have 4 wheel drive and it is useless if there's ice under that snow - I have skidded off the road more times than I care to admit.

And it's crap that the Cape gets less snow. That's what brought me here and I've lived on Cape 6 yrs and haven't found a winter yet that hasn't had lots of snow.

I'm a life long MA resident but it's time I flew the coop to snow-free pastures.

Darinsmom

I've lived North of Boston (Lynn, Salem, Revere, Winthrop) , driven to work West of Boston (Waltham, Wellesley), lived in Randolph (South of Boston), commuted to North Quincy and Boston from all these areas. I've lived on the Upper Cape for 12 years now. We just don't have the winters or snowfall that other areas of MA and New England have. Our town missed one day of school last year because of snow. If the school busses are running, it's quite safe for the rest of us.

DarrinsMom: May I suggest new tires? A slower speed, maybe? A tank? I never slipped and slided in my 93 Corolla. I have a small SUV now, but even my Corolla would plow through the snow on Cape Cod (and the snowbank left at the end of the driveway, as CaseyB said!).

I look forward to the first snow of the year and get tired of it by late winter, as we all do. I'd still rather deal with Cape snow than anywhere else. "Here today, gone tomorrow". Except for about 4 years ago (?) but that was unusual.

You still couldn't pay me to move to FL, AZ or any of those hot places. I love seasons here too much. And yes, I have spent summers in FL and AZ. You can keep-em. AZ is brown. Or varying shades of brown. FL is sticky. And they both have too many vermin for my liking.

It's simply a personal preference. My personal preference today is about 80 degrees, sunny, GREEN and the flowers in bloom, and almost no humidity. It's a gorgeous Cape Cod day!

[capecodcathy]

Originally Posted by 09Relo

I keep reading about people "saving" parking spaces. Is this in downtown areas, or do people routinely park on the street outside of the city? Many of the homes I have read about mention......"off street parking places". Where I live currently, you cannot park on the street overnight.....period....you will be towed.

In many urban areas (Boston and outlying areas, for example) on-street parking is common. They are so densely populated that there is no off-street parking for regular folk. (Unless you want to spend $300K for a parking spot as some knucklehead did). And if you spend your time shoveling out your car and clearing the spot, you put a lawn chair, trash barrell, or some other item there to let others know they had better not take it. I've been there, done that. If I got up 2 hours early, spent the time to shovel it out, you, Mr. or Ms. Lazy, had better not think you're going to park there!

[DarinsMom]

DarrinsMom: May I suggest new tires? A slower speed, maybe? A tank? I never slipped and slided in my 93 Corolla.

CC Cathy - LOL @ the tank reference. I drive an SUV - before that I had a cute little Hyundai. I am not a speed demon in the snow either. I am so afraid of it. It's that whole *lack of control* thing - I guess I need to invest in the tank.

Today was an absolutely PERFECT Cape Cod day. The cool air in the morning, sunshine all day - stunning.

As many years as I've complained about the snow, I have not made one move to get away from it....I would like to try it sometime. Maybe when I retire.

Darinsmom

[DarinsMom]

Twiggy- I'm going to send you a PM later about stuff...just letting you know I didn't forget you!

Darinsmom

[DreamworksSKG]

The best way to avoid traffic problems in general is to move to a town with commuter rail or subway lines and commute via rail :-)

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by capecodcathy

In many urban areas (Boston and outlying areas, for example) on-street parking is common. They are so densely populated that there is no off-street parking for regular folk. (Unless you want to spend $300K for a parking spot as some knucklehead did). And if you spend your time shoveling out your car and clearing the spot, you put a lawn chair, trash barrell, or some other item there to let others know they had better not take it. I've been there, done that. If I got up 2 hours early, spent the time to shovel it out, you, Mr. or Ms. Lazy, had better not think you're going to park there!

I grew up in NYC and drove there before moving for school and then living in MA for many years. I have to say that I always found the whole Boston specific thing about people "saving" on street spaces as very strange. I'm here to tell you that this is a Boston (and maybe the very close surrounding towns like Cambridge), but in other towns in MA this doesn't happen. It also doesn't happen in NYC, where most people park on the street. In NYC, you shovel out your car, and when you get home, you find another spot. It may have been shoveled by you or someone else. Bottom line is it's a public street and no one has a right to any spaces....period.

I understand the whole thing about shoveling out a space, but that's the price you pay for living in the big city and not having off street parking. It's a PUBLIC street people. You cannot "save" the space. What's disgusting is the pandering by Menino and other politicians in Boston who have allowed violence and intimidation by the "good ole boys" in areas like East Boston and South Boston.

[Cliff Clavin]

I like the unwritten rule of saving parking spaces once you've taken the time to shovel yourself out. It's well respected, and works well IMO. Local politicians will never be able to do anything to stop it. Nor should they.

I liked that Globe commercial that portrayed Bostonians being very un-Bostonian. The guy was shoveling out his space and a car pulls up. He says "You want this space? This space right here?" He pauses, and you think he's going to put the shovel through the windshield. Then he says "Sure pal, pull right in here!" and he tosses a lawn chair out of the way.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by Cliff Clavin

I like the unwritten rule of saving parking spaces once you've taken the time to shovel yourself out. It's well respected, and works well IMO. Local politicians will never be able to do anything to stop it. Nor should they.

Sounds like a lot of rationalization and making yourself feel better about a system that is antiquated, unfair, and unlike what is done in any other big city in the nation.

"It's well respected"....by whom? By the thugs in Sothie and Eastie who threaten people and damage their cars if they dare to park on a public street?

"Works well"...I guess, if you're one of the good ole boys who thinks he owns the public street.

Local politicians could stop it and should stop it, but they don't have the will to do what needs to be done, because they are beholden to the "good ole boys."