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Parking on the sidewalks in Poland - why is it allowed? [8]
One of the most interesting aspects of Polish life to me is cars parked on the sidewalks - it was probably the biggest surprise to me when I first visited this country 6 years ago. Is this a Polish thing or does it occur in other European countries as well?
I guess I can understand it in the larger city city centers and, perhaps, the older parts of town, but this seems to occur everywhere. I live in an area near the outskirts of Kraków which has plenty of elbow room - however, I must constantly walk on the streets because entire lengths of sidewalk are blocked by parked cars. This area was developed about 5 years ago and is up to date in regards to street widths, parking, etc. - however, the drivers ignore the "lines" that delineate the available parking spaces and pull their cars up onto the sidewalks. Meanwhile, scores of parking spaces under the buildings remain vacant (no doubt because of their cost, but come on...paying for parking is one of the many burdens of owning a car).
I understand that space is at a premium in Poland, but this seems a bit ridiculous. I came here from Chicago - a very large city with
severe parking limitations. However, it is absolutely illegal to park on the sidewalks there (and I believe throughout America). I remember spending up to an hour some nights trying to find street parking in my neighborhood - if I would have parked on a sidewalk, my car would have been ticketed or towed the next morning.
Does anyone have any input on this subject? In a pedestrian society such as Poland, one would think that keeping the sidewalks clear would be of greater importance than it seems to be. Not withstanding the inconvenience issue, it is simply not safe for those of us who choose to walk to our destinations...
