Or, to be specific, a beautiful day if you're a city worker, sucking up that lovely unionized weekend o/t from a budget that is supposedly a billion dollars in the red...
Our streets were closed off today so a local college ("local" if being 20 miles away counts as such) could run a triathlon. This meant that hundreds of residents had to find other places to park, and had to schedule their day so they could stay home until the whole affair is over, supposedly by 1:00 p.m. It meant listening to someone yammering away on a PA system starting at about 5:45 a.m., hearing tow trucks hauling away the cars of those who didn't get the message, motor cops riding up and down the street and the noise made by a bunch of college students cheering on their favorite ath-a-letes.
It also meant that every "parking enforcement" officer in town was here in their Prius or Honda hybrid down to keep "order" as dozens of city-owned trucks dashed around hauling cones, signs and whatever else. The bill for this event would probably keep several dozen families fed for a year.
I have nothing against triathlons. Just the opposite. But I do have something against the disruption they cause.
That's especially true since the number of Saturdays messed up by this nonsense has increased from one the year I moved here to three last year and, if gossip in the nabe is to be believed, to six this year.
Doesn't seem like much, does it? I'm here to tell you that this, like the inconvenience of having your neighborhood be considered a choice spot for film crews, gets incredibly annoying after the second or third such instance.
It's no coincidence that our city council personette lives across town. None of this stuff happens on her block.
I really don't mind community events, but when outsiders come in to take over our streets, disrupt our sleep, and generally screw up the pattern of life without so much as asking any of us if we mind -- or saying "thank you," for that matter -- it is freekin' irritating.
PARENTHETICAL LATEST-NEWS-STYLE UPDATE: It's over. All the cones, barriers, police tape, runners, bicyclists and assorted non-local items have been hauled away. Peace reigns. Sorta, anyway. And it's still a beautiful day.
9 comments:
Would it not of been easier for them to host it on a Sunday when less things are happening and more people are at home or is it dearer to pay workers on a Sunday like here, all in all it is disruption that could probably been done elsewhere
Disruption without representation. I know it comes as no surprise that the people affected aren't consulted. It's no doubt for the better good.
I see what you are saying, but then again there will always be disruptions, inconveniences and disturbances to someone, somewhere, when these sort of events take place. Unless the people involved could make their particles invisible for as long as the process would take to complete? Audioproof even? Either that, or I suggest investing in an extremely thick pair of ear muffs :D
I'm slowly but surely finding my way around this place and adding everyone.
I hope that your weekend has been a good one. I enjoyed your photos. *hugs*
yeah, we hate the disruptions too. especially when the Prez comes!!! taking a hour and a half to get to work versus a 20 minute drive. the triathalon suck too!
That's a big ass butterfly
that butterfly fascinates me...
JohnOJuan -- I'm afraid to get too close to it...it might bite!
butterfly...!
*immediately jealous*
-w
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