Many Parking meters blown up

[JHE]

33 of the 90 parking meters have been blown up recently, mainly by fireworks. Now I put a photo in my PhD of a wrecked parking meter alongside some analysis in support of this anti enclosure direct action, I wonder if you agree?

An excellent move! More dissertations should have pictures of wrecked parking meters. It's very praxical and new logical... and you like things that go BANG

 

[guinnessdrinker]

Back in the real world more parking meters will be blown up and no cars though...

do parking meters run down people? do they pollute the atmosphere?

 

[The Black Hand]

do parking meters run down people? do they pollute the atmosphere?

That's not the point. You haven't addressed my previous point about the 'real world' by saying these 2 weak liberal questions in response...

 

[Irenick]

How should the disabled assert themselves if you park your Land Cruiser on the pavement so that the wheelchair ramp is obstructed?

To begin with Newbie, there is no such group as 'the disabled'. Disabled people are not an amorphous lump of society’s broken-bodied or mangled-minded spastics. No, we’re individuals. We’re individuals that share commonality; the commonality of living in a disablist society.

Any car that deems it proper to obstruct dropped pavements, my passage along pavements or my right to cross a road in safety, will suffer whatever damage I can inflict on the vehicle while reasonably trying to negotiate my way around the vehicle. And, the inadvertent damage caused by an awkward spastic in a wheelchair can be considerable – especially, if it’s a 4x4 on an urban street.

 

[The Black Hand]

To begin with Newbie, there is no such group as 'the disabled'. Disabled people are not an amorphous lump of society’s broken-bodied or mangled-minded spastics. No, we’re individuals. We’re individuals that share commonality; the commonality of living in a disablist society.

Any car that deems it proper to obstruct dropped pavements, my passage along pavements or my right to cross a road in safety, will suffer whatever damage I can inflict on the vehicle while reasonably trying to negotiate my way around the vehicle. And, the inadvertent damage caused by an awkward spastic in a wheelchair can be considerable – especially, if it’s a 4x4 on an urban street.

Well said...

 

[guinnessdrinker]

That's not the point. You haven't addressed my previous point about the 'real world' by saying these 2 weak liberal questions in response...

you had a point!

 

[newbie]

To begin with Newbie, there is no such group as 'the disabled'. Disabled people are not an amorphous lump of society’s broken-bodied or mangled-minded spastics. No, we’re individuals. We’re individuals that share commonality; the commonality of living in a disablist society.

Any car that deems it proper to obstruct dropped pavements, my passage along pavements or my right to cross a road in safety, will suffer whatever damage I can inflict on the vehicle while reasonably trying to negotiate my way around the vehicle. And, the inadvertent damage caused by an awkward spastic in a wheelchair can be considerable – especially, if it’s a 4x4 on an urban street.

Is there a PC way to collectively describe those I lumped together as 'the disabled'?

or at least a way which won't cause redmist offence?

 

[newbie]

I'm not sure parking in london is that scarce or rationed a resource... I just find that it's extortionately expensive with many private companies making a killing offering space for parking. What is a scarce resource is parking for those of limited means.

nope. There are plenty of places for those of limited means to park, but they're not in the most popular places, at the most convenient times.

There are no charges (or time restrictions) for parking in Soho on sundays, nor is there a congestion charge at weekends. The meter bays and single yellow lines are fair game for anyone. Feel free to join the crawl of cars circulating looking for a spot. Round and round and round.... virtually every car on the road is looking for somewhere to park. Sunday is a very quiet day around there.

It used to be free on saturday afternoon, a much more popular time, until the streets became impassable with circulating cars. Now, since charges were introduced, it's possible to find somewhere on saturday afternoon. There's a high liklihood of finding a bay, anyone can park there, but they have to pay. Of course that's more of a deterrent to the poorer than the richer.

But bear in mind that the poorest, who can't afford cars at all, and those who are socially responsible enough to cycle or use public transport, don't have to wade through semi-gridlocked, fume, noise and accident producing, pointlessly cruising cars competing for parking.

How do you make central London usable for the vast majority of people if you don't charge for parking at the most popular times?

Now if all the available parking space public/private was made available for reasonable amounts and realistic times... might that not solve the problem?

Are you proposing that all private parking-including your front drive- should be public and should always be charged? Surely the social consequences of that will be that those who can barely afford a car now will be denied one in future, they'll become even more the preserve of the better off.

 

[untethered]

Is there a PC way to collectively describe those I lumped together as 'the disabled'?

or at least a way which won't cause redmist offence?

I believe it's "disabled people" as he says above, or "people with disabilities" if you want to adopt the "people-first" approach.

 

[GoneCoastal]

Given that a significant amount of parking (on & off street) is controlled & regulated by one large private company and the meters are owned by said private company, blowing up the meters would surely result in parking prices rising to compensate for the repairs/replacement

Not to mention the CCTV coverage & the possible (or likely) criminal damage prosecutions if u get caught

Like deliberately driving through the barrier in a large number of car parks - you're on CCTV & often still camera as u leave

P

 

[newbie]

I believe it's "disabled people" as he says above, or "people with disabilities" if you want to adopt the "people-first" approach.

fair enough. apologies to anyone I offended.

 

[The Black Hand]

Back in the real world more parking meters will be blown up and no cars though...

For gunesdrinker;

Yup, still the point. The politics is contained in what people actually do

 

[bruise]

I put a photo in my PhD of a wrecked parking meter alongside some analysis in support of this anti enclosure direct action, I wonder if you agree?

why not post up the relevant paragraphs - you know you want to.

 

[Groucho]

Lewes will not be druv

 

[guinnessdrinker]

For gunesdrinker;

Yup, still the point. The politics is contained in what people actually do

so what kind of politics are involved in blowing up innocent parking meters?

 

[newbie]

survival of the fittest/most macho; self-determination for 4x4 drivers; prioritise the strong over the weak, that sort of thing.

 

[The Black Hand]

so what kind of politics are involved in blowing up innocent parking meters?

Parking meters are not innocent, they can't be...

It is sabotaging the attempt to tax people for using previously free space - it is anti enclosure direct action in the British tradition.

 

[Bob_the_lost]

Not sure how you can ascribe innocent or guilty to metal boxes and gears.

 

[The Black Hand]

Not sure how you can ascribe innocent or guilty to metal boxes and gears.

true...

 

[JHE]

It is sabotaging the attempt to tax people for using previously free space - it is anti enclosure direct action in the British tradition.

Don't let people tell you that you are barking. You are a charming old English eccentric. The Tourist Board should pay you.

 

[guinnessdrinker]

Parking meters are not innocent, they can't be...

It is sabotaging the attempt to tax people for using previously free space - it is anti enclosure direct action in the British tradition.

I don't have a car. should I blow up tube entry barriers? the tube is enclosed after all.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

I don't have a car either. I find huge areas of the country that I would otherwise be free to go into are 'enclosed' by cars. Maybe I should start blowing them up.

 

[guinnessdrinker]

I don't have a car either. I find huge areas of the country that I would otherwise be free to go into are 'enclosed' by cars. Maybe I should start blowing them up.

attica has a car. should it be blown up? we are enclosure fighting anarchists, after all.

 

[newbie]

It is sabotaging the attempt to tax people for using previously free space - it is anti enclosure direct action in the British tradition.

funnily enough I see those personal metal boxes as privatising what was previously public space. The 7'x5' space my car occupies is no longer available to anyone else, I've appropriated it.

I don't have a private drive or garage, so my car is always using a bit of a collective resource. That's the real 'enclosure'!

 

[The Black Hand]

Don't let people tell you that you are barking. You are a charming old English eccentric. The Tourist Board should pay you.

Yes they should.

 

[The Black Hand]

I don't have a car either. I find huge areas of the country that I would otherwise be free to go into are 'enclosed' by cars. Maybe I should start blowing them up.

YOu mean they are covered with tarmac - that is not the cars

 

[The Black Hand]

I don't have a car. should I blow up tube entry barriers? the tube is enclosed after all.

Most resisters merely bunk the fare - but if you want to be the vanguard of struggle that is your choice....

 

[guinnessdrinker]

YOu mean they are covered with tarmac - that is not the cars

but the tarmac is a form of enclosure. ever tried to cross a motorway on foot? will you dig up that tarmac?

personally, I would. no more cars, therefore no need for parking meters. attica's bombing campaign ends peacefully and everybody is happy ever after.

 

[guinnessdrinker]

Most resisters merely bunk the fare - but if you want to be the vanguard of struggle that is your choice....

you could try ignoring the meter and the subsequent ticket, as well.

[keeps well away from exploding parking meters for personal safety]

 

[The Black Hand]

but the tarmac is a form of enclosure. ever tried to cross a motorway on foot? will you dig up that tarmac?

personally, I would. no more cars, therefore no need for parking meters. attica's bombing campaign ends peacefully and everybody is happy ever after.

You go start digging up the motorways then, the rest of us will be laughing and pointing. I am not proud of that last assertion btw but it carries a message you should at least think about...