Most Thursdays, I run an evening race at a certain bar in Magoun Square, and my usual practice has been to park the Chipmobile on Lowell Street (no parking restrictions) or occasionally at a meter on Medford Street (free after 6 p.m.). I had heard some buzz about Somerville vastly expanding resident parking, and last week I noticed new resident parking signs on Lowell Street, so I parked on Medford Street.
Turns out that the city also extended the meters until 8 p.m. (with plans to make it 10 p.m. after they purchase new meters) and sure enough, I got a $30 ticket.
Putting aside the obvious fact that these new rules will be bad for business (which deserves its own rant) I accept the blame for not checking the meter hours, so I’m not ranting about the ticket. What I am ranting about is the insult that Somerville wants to add to this injury when you try to pay the ticket. I just went to the Somerville city web site to pay it, and it turns out that if you pay online with plastic, they tack a $3 “convenience fee” onto the charge. Wow, that sure is convenient, City of Somerville. (Neither Boston nor Cambridge charges this extra fee.) I’ll be sending a check by mail, thanks!
While I’m ranting, I’ll also note that back of the ticket says the check should be payable to the Somerville Parking Clerk, but the envelope provided says it should be the City of Somerville. To quote Montgomery Burns (prize goes to whoever can cite the context) “Which is it?”
Peace Wave Generator
I’ve never seen this guy before in Harvard Square, though he does sort of blend right into the mix of strange characters.
His colorful Peace Wave Generator was making some music but not attracting much of a crowd when I passed by the corner of Brattle and Palmer. I checked out the web site on the bottom of his cart, www.professorworldband.com, and it turns out he’s from New York and his been traveling the world for 20 years doing whatever it is that he does. The gizmo “uses the energy of music to broadcast peace waves throughout the world and works by making people smile and laugh,” according to his website.
Taking a stroll through Harvard Square today, I discovered a modified newspaper distribution box declaring itself “The Stranger Exchange” and inviting whomever to “leave an item” or “take and item” while also promoting a web site, www.thestrangerexchange.com (which was registered in October and redirects to a page within thefuturemachine.com).
The white box has handwritten instructions and art on the outside. It’s located in Brattle Square across from Hidden Sweets, at the end of a line of newspaper boxes and next to a winter sand bin next to the subway entrance.
I opened the door to look inside, and strangers had indeed left a few items. There were five pennies, a broken candy cane and a coupon for $40 off a $120 purchase at some store.
Welcome to the latest site in the taquitos.network: illegaluturn.com. This site will focus on wacky or interesting things I discover in the Boston area.
Why the name illegaluturn.com? In North Cambridge, for some crazy reason, U-turns are disallowed on Mass Ave at every intersection from Harvard Square to the Arlington line. This leaves drivers trying to get anywhere with several choices:
- Make a left turn onto one of the side streets. Then make a 3-point turn or U-turn. Then take a right on Mass Ave.
- Make a left turn onto one of the side streets. Then keep going, making turns that you think will eventually bring you back to Mass Ave to make a right.
- Just keep going. (By the time you get to Arlington, you’re so used to not turning that you’ll probably just stay on Mass Ave until you reach Canada.)
- Make an illegal U-turn. This option is quite popular. In 8+ years, I’ve only once ever seen a car being pulled over by the Cambridge Police for doing this
