I was informed that my previous contribution to spitaki, is known as a “bleg”. I don’t know about you, but this word is an addition to my internet vocabulary. A quick google search for bleg produces this as the first result:
Bleg
verb. To use one’s blog to beg for assistance (usually for information, occasionally for money). One who does so is a ‘blegger’. Usually intended as humorous.
I will not be blegging in this entry, but I will be complaining about something that has struck very close to home. Right outside of my home, actually.
A week ago, Athens introduced parking restrictions in the centre. No-parking areas existed before these latest measures, but noone really adhered to them, and the municipality police were very inconsistent in enforcing them. By the night of the 19th however, new lines (yellow, blue and white) were painted in the streets, and notices were left on parked cars warning of the impending restrictions. My street, which is typically a nightmare when looking for a place to park, was quite literally deserted. And by midday Monday, the grapevine was buzzing with news of exorbitent fines being issued out like leaflets, and of authorised vendors reportedly running out of the necessary tickets to pay for parking.
One would expect a parking scheme affecting the centre of Athens, to be implemented in a way that takes into consideration the needs of the residents of the area, and that attempts to cause as little disruption to the businesses here as possible. One would be wrong to make such an assumption. I have heard rumours that the Municipality liaised with the public during the summer regarding these measures. I have tried to find minutes or at least an account of such a meeting, but I have been unsuccessful. The abruptness and lack of consideration in the way that it was implemented makes me feel like the Municipality officials woke up one fine morning and decided to do this, then drew up a rough plan, and had it implemented the day after.
Even if we assume that there was some form of advanced notice (otherwise this kind of behaviour is approaching autocracy) how on earth did they come up with the figure of 2538 parking places for residents? Surely they know that the population living in the restricted parking zones is a few thousands more than that number… Resident parking is marked with blue lines by the way.
The white lines, are for visitors and you can only stay parked on a visitor’s parking spot for a maximum of 3 hours. What you should do after that time period, is a little ambiguous. Some sources, claim that you have to go and move your car to a different zone. Not pay extra. Not move to a new parking spot. You have to move your car to a different zone. Other, more logical (and I use the word lightly) sources, maintain that you have to leave your parking spot, drive around for 15 minutes, and then freely park in the same parking place as before.
Being the idealist that I am, I can accept that these these parking measures could certainly be motivated by an attempt to remove the excess of cars from the city, and to promote the use of public transport. The truth, however, is that public transport for Athens, is sub-optimal at best in my opinion, and in no way is able to replace the car.
Yes, traffic is horrendous. And yes there is now an absolutely fantastic metro in place that makes travel in the city very convenient and approachable. One still relies on a bus and train network to get to and from the suburbs though, and this means at least one change over, if not more. I wouldn’t mind the change overs, but it’s not like the bus timetable is reliable, or that riding on the bus is comfortable; they are way too hot in the summer, absolutely freezing in the winter, and overcrowded regardless of season. Call me spoiled, but you try commuting by bus for more than a week and I’ll bet you a euro that you won’t be chiming the “use public transport” tune then.
I think someone didn’t do their homework here, and I suspect (conspiracy theorist that I am) that the reason for this was because this someone was blinded by the gazillion of euro that are coming in, and will be coming in, from these fines. Sure, enforce the law and fine me for not abiding to it, but at the very least provide me with a system that makes sticking to the law relatively easy and straightforward. Now that’s not too much to ask for, is it?
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