Street Sweeping Expose (Columbus: school, college, storage)

[spiritpatriot]

Hello everyone from C-Bus. I have to share what I have researched about Street Sweeping.

Where to start?

I'm sure most people are aware of the 185 dollar fine, but what they may not be aware of is street sweeping is not listed anywhere in the Columbus city code. You can do an online search of the city code and it is nowhere in sight. There are lists of reason for your car to be impounded, ranging from anything to an expired license to suffering serious bodily injury, but no where does it mention your car can be towed for "street sweeping." Street sweeping is in fact not mentioned anywhere in the Columbus city code. I keep checking just to make sure this is right, but so far I have never found it.

And what is also startling is when I called the Parking and Violations bureau, and asked them what law or ordinance gives Street Sweeping its authority, the person at the other end of the phone said, "the posted signs." So in other words, the Signs give the authority. So if the city posted a sign saying "dance in the street like a chicken," would that now be a law because the sign tells us to do it?

More compelling, and infuriating, is I recorded on video a car being towed, the street being cleaned, and then a car parking on the clean street, but because it was before 2:00 when the sweeping ends, the car was towed again!

Some more legal laws hurting the street sweeping campaign, the U.S. constitution, of course, because it protects private property from illegal searches and seizures, but more alarming, the Ohio constitution which states article 1.19: private property is INVIOLATE, and whenever private property (like a car) is taken for public good (like street sweeping), the state must compensate YOU! So if they give you a 185 dollar ticket, you can ask THEM for 185 dollars! ha ha

And of course it's ridiculous because they have over 20 different tow truck companies driving around, most of them are "Jim's towing," and "Bob's towing," I mean what kind of operation is this where they have a collusion between the police and towing in order to rob unsuspecting college freshmen of a quarter's worth of school books?

The list goes on, but I just wanted to say that for now.

[14thandYou]

You've got some skewed legal thinking going on up there, but what struck me is that the fine for parking illegally on street sweeping day is $185. Holy moly, that's unbelieveably high. I only hope that the fine includes the towing charge--which is still high, but at least somewhat more within the realm of credulity. If you just receive a flat $185 ticket for the violation, that's insane.

[spiritpatriot]

Originally Posted by 14thandYou

You've got some skewed legal thinking going on up there, but what struck me is that the fine for parking illegally on street sweeping day is $185. Holy moly, that's unbelieveably high. I only hope that the fine includes the towing charge--which is still high, but at least somewhat more within the realm of credulity. If you just receive a flat $185 ticket for the violation, that's insane.

The tow fee is somewhere around 8 dollars, there's a storage fee, a parking ticket which your car gets before its towed, and possibly another ticket when you do get towed.

Yes, unfortunately the idea of freedom and liberty is skewed in America.

[14thandYou]

Originally Posted by spiritpatriot

Yes, unfortunately the idea of freedom and liberty is skewed in America.

Seems a bit tenuous to align street sweeping with infringements on liberties and freedom. After all, you do of course have the freedom to not park your car in a place where it will get towed...

[wGoshen]

Umm, there have been signs all over the city for weeks. They have been reminding people on the news.....for weeks. City streets are not your private property, it is city property. They can tow your car when you interfere with local government projects, even if they are temporary.

Don't be mad at the city because you decided to ignore the weeks of requests to move your car.

[Tenzo]

I agree.
It was interesting that the poster thought placing his property on someone elses property trumpted

[mjschlaegel]

Try reading the signs that are posted every 50ft. On street Der Duh der

[other1]

Sorry man, it happens. OSU is a busy place and I am thankful they street sweep or it would be disgusting. Read the signs, it happened to me when I was at OSU and I paid my fine and remembered to read the signs.

[delusion]

Originally Posted by spiritpatriot

Yes, unfortunately the idea of freedom and liberty is skewed in America.

By this logic, you should be ok with the street sweeping truck parking in YOUR driveway when it wants to despite any signs that you may have put up. Can't step on his freedom and liberties ya know.

[OSUstudent]

I don't know about the OP but for me it isn't the towing for street sweeping that is irritating but the lack of authority by law for it. The bottom line is if there isn't a process of making a law before doing something like towing a car and issuing a fine then there is way to much power given to the government.

@14thandYou
Saying the legal thinking is skewed and not giving any reasoning is not productive to anything and leaves your comment with no traction. Saying it is tenuous to align street sweeping with liberties and freedom is an incredibly dangerous statement. Thinking that its ok for liberties and freedom to be ignored in any setting leads to a paradigm in which the line can be continuously pushed until liberty and freedom are gone. Liberties and Freedoms should not be grayed by precedents of "little things" such as street sweeping; They should be taken serious in every aspect.