<p>Years ago, when cars weren’t as popular, they installed fire hydrants. To ensure that a fire truck could get to the hydrant, they made it illegal to park in front of the fire hydrant. When parking wasn’t in demand and people owned fewer vehicles, it wasn’t a big deal. Just park elsewhere on the block.</p>
<p>Fast forward to today. In many cities, there are very few parking spots and parking is a premium. It’s difficult to find a spot and you circle the block many times trying to grab the one lone opening. Yet on every block, there are several great spots that are open because they are in front of fire hydrants.</p>
<p>Not only can’t you park directly in front of the fire hydrant, you can’t park 15 feet on either side of it (essentially 2 vehicle lengths) just in case the department wants to parallel park the fire truck next to the hydrant.</p>
<p>The other thing that has evolved is with the advent of building sprinkler systems, changing of building materials, improvements in electrical systems, we have far fewer fires today than years ago. Out of the thousands of fire hydrants, I very rarely see fire trucks hooked up to them.</p>
<p>Why can’t we change it and make it legal to park along the entire length of the street? Is it really necessary to allow fire trucks to parallel park next to the hydrant? Can’t we make the hydrants taller or shorter so the hose can be connected even though there is a vehicle in the way? Can’t we put them underground in the street?</p>
<p>Yes, it’s a little thing…but I’m not sure the way we used to do things makes sense today.</p>
<p>I think if you were in the burning building, you would realize that every second counts. If it takes the fire department a tad longer to get to and attach their hoses to the hydrant because there is a car in the way, the results could be deadly. The inconvenience to those looking for parking does not outweigh safety of those in burning buildings. </p>
<p>Do you think the firetruck should have to circle to find a spot like anyone else and hope it is close enough to the hydrant to get their hoses in there?</p>
<p>parentofpeople is right on but also did you know that the fire department has the legal right to just push your car out of the way regardless of damage done if you are blocking the hydrants. I have witnessed that being done. Literrally rammed the car out of the way to give themselves access. I have also seen pictures of cars with the windows smashed by firemen and the hose running through the car. They will use the fastest means possible to get to the hydrant. I have less of a problem with no parking in front of a fire hydrant than I do with people parking on a corner or across a sidewalk making pedestrians walk out onto the road to go around.</p>
<p>There was a fire in the new One World Trade Center last week. Since it’s under construction, the standpipes weren’t connected and it took an hour for water to be connected. This week an idiot contractor fixing the facade of a building illegally removed all the fire escapes from that building, forcing the residents to be relocated. Just because there are supposed to be standpipes or sprinklers or fire escapes doesn’t mean there actually are. Remember the firemen killed in 7 WTC after 9/11 because the owner of the building disconnected the standpipes without telling anyone?</p>
<p>Parking isn’t really that bad. Pay for parking in a lot, or walk a block or two out of your way.
Just pretend the space in front of the hydrant, or stop sign or driveway isn’t there, because it isn’t a parking space.</p>
<p>Regardless, it’s still necessary for fire trucks AND personnel to have as much access as possible. One supposes you could still park in those spaces if you are willing to take the chance of getting a parking ticket or having your car demolished.</p>
<p>It is not just the hose that has to have access to the hydrant. The fireman have to have room to manuvere around the hydrant as well so they can connect the hose.</p>
<p>Best solution: create better alternatives for transportation, thus reducing car use. :D</p>
<p>Retrofitting thousands of fire hydrants so that a relative handful of drivers can find free parking more easily strikes me as a remarkably foolish way for a city to spend limited tax dollars. </p>
<p>Just tell your congress person to write a bill and vote on it, the less they are doing of other stuff the better for us, anyway, lets get busy with fire hydrants, maybe it is a good thing to get them off our backs for awhile. Sounds like awesome idea to me…</p>
<p>I absolutely agree that fire trucks need to have priority. </p>
<p>Having said that, I wonder if those people saying “parking isn’t that bad” live in a different place than I do. Parking can easily become a nightmare around here.</p>
<p>I live in Seattle. I have mobility problems so sometimes I find myself paying $12 an hr for parking in a pinch, but for the most part planning ahead makes it much smoother.
( we also have a long driveway & a garage, as well as street parking in our neighborhood, I do know that some neighborhoods are mostly made up of condos without adequate parking)</p>
<p>I live in Mob Wivesville and if someone parks in front of your house, you have to slash his tires or key the car. If he parks there a second time, all the windows should be smashed.</p>
<p>Of course, if you are a responsible homeowner, you will simply place garbage cans in “your” spot and menace anyone who looks like they are thinking of parking there.</p>
<p>LOL I can’t believe this is a topic… seriously? Really??? Is this a high school student asking this question or an adult? </p>
<p>Its just like asking… why do we need health insurance? You may pay high premiums each week out of your check… and it seems so silly to pay all that $ each week for it… such a waste… but when you are diagnosed with a life altering disease… you want it!</p>
<p>We live near a planned outdoor shopping center. Some call it an outdoor mall, I call it “faux urban”. It looks and feels a lot like Main Street Disneyland, fully of shops and restaurants with apartments above. The planning part of it is really excellent. I have noticed that there is plenty of parking, and what really stands out is there are NO illegal parking spots. If you see an opening, it is legal. All of the fire hydrants are placed near corners or driveways so there are no red curb/ no parking areas for fire hydrants. It is really quite remarkable.</p>