Alternate Side Parking sign wording help

[TopFliteGraphics]

A builder client of mine is having issues in their new development with people clogging up the rather narrow streets. He wants to start having people park on the same side of the road and alternating which side is used daily. How the heck do I word this for him? He wanted to use left and right wording but the way I see it, that all depends on your perspective and I can just see the residents being totally confused.

 

[Billct2]

Easier to use Odd/Even, parking on odd number side on odd number days, even number side even days

 

[Marlene]

No parking Monday Wednesday (etc) this side of street

No parking Tuesday Thrusday (etc) this side of street

it would be pretty cluttered with signs on both sides but might get what on earth they are suppose to do

 

[TopFliteGraphics]

Good ideas - just submitted this to the client

 

[J Hill Designs]

Good ideas - just submitted this to the client

confusing as sin.

I would use sign on both sides as stated above 'no parking MWF' and 'no parking TTh' etc

 

[BIG EASY DOES IT]

Why wouldn't you just do it like a normal person would and put the center lane off the the side on one of the streets and just have marked parking on one side of the street. No stupid signs, no confusion. Then the other side of the street is a red curb. Done.

 

[Solventinkjet]

On one side - No parking Mon, Wed, Fri

On the other side - No parking Tue, Thu, Sat

Sundays are free I assume.

 

[Marlene]

don't forget that when asking people to do somehting really stupid, keep it as crystal clear as possible

 

[bob]

An excellent example of why a sign maker should never, ever, write copy.

 

[signbrad]

Keep the signs as simple as possible

The odd/even date parking restriction is very common in many municipalities and in other countries. It is often used to make snow removal and street cleaning easier.
The sign wording needs to be as simple as possible. The idea is to not make people think.
For example, residents will know which side is even or odd-numbered, but visitors will not, unless they slow down or even stop in the street to read house numbers.
I would suggest signs on both sides with different wording for each side, keeping the copy spare, eliminating all unnecessary wording.
I have attached an example.

Really, a better solution for this particular problem (narrow streets) is to simply allow parking on one side only—permanently. Alternating has no advantage, and it will require maintenance to issue tickets for violations or to call tow trucks. Prohibiting parking on one side only is easy to remember and people quickly get used to it.

Brad in Kansas City

 

[ddarlak]

the only reason I can think of to alternate which side is for snow removal, it's fricking florida, park on one side only.....smh

 

[GAC05]

So people who are not dating (even or oddly) but actively looking can park on either side of the road any day of the week?

You mainlanders are funny people.......

wayne k
guam usa

 

[Marlene]

"dates" doesn't help much as a lot of people mix those up thinking today is the 12th instead of the 13th but rarely mix up it's wednesday, not tuesday. keep it as simple and clear as possible and don't give them the chance to have to think as they will mess that up

 

[Stormyj]

confusing as sin.

I would use sign on both sides as stated above 'no parking MWF' and 'no parking TTh' etc

This^^^
The sign you submitted to your client is very confusing.
First thing I thought was, uh is Tuesday an odd or even day?

 

[Marlene]

An excellent example of why a sign maker should never, ever, write copy.

not true as when I get copy written by another it usually reads like a book and with a ton of copy not needed. something like this: "Please, do not park in this area as it is reserved for others. thank you very much. If you do decide to park in this area, you will find that we will tow your car and make you pay for it. For that we are sorry." I got one very close to this. a sign person would say "reserved parking all other will be towed." we understand that people need it to be simple and what is expected clear.

 

[bob]

not true as when I get copy written by another it usually reads like a book and with a ton of copy not needed. something like this: "Please, do not park in this area as it is reserved for others. thank you very much. If you do decide to park in this area, you will find that we will tow your car and make you pay for it. For that we are sorry." I got one very close to this. a sign person would say "reserved parking all other will be towed." we understand that people need it to be simple and what is expected clear.

There's many a time when I might suggest that some bit of copy or another might be better worded or is contradictory or whatever. But it's up to the client to come up with the actual wording. I might suggest but I never write. Moreover when I suggest it's almost always in the negative, as in "I probably wouldn't say that in that way..." never "How about saying it this way...". Never uttering how it ought to be worded but guiding the client via a bit of Socratic inquiry such that the client comes up with what you had in mind.

The client gets to specify what it says, I get to specify how it says it. Violate this rule at your own peril.

 

[Marlene]

There's many a time when I might suggest that some bit of copy or another might be better worded or is contradictory or whatever. But it's up to the client to come up with the actual wording. I might suggest but I never write. Moreover when I suggest it's almost always in the negative, as in "I probably wouldn't say that in that way..." never "How about saying it this way...". Never uttering how it ought to be worded but guiding the client via a bit of Socratic inquiry such that the client comes up with what you had in mind.

The client gets to specify what it says, I get to specify how it says it. Violate this rule at your own peril.

I am making a sign right now where the client got to say what he wanted and it is a train wreck. taking the money and will deny having made if asked. it is why you see a phone number on a sign. to me that is about as stupid as it gets but they want it as I guess they think people will sit in the parking lot and will call them from there

 

[LMG]

How about this?

 

[TopFliteGraphics]

Good ideas - thanks for the input. The customer is still trying to decide. I will let you know how he decides.


Narrow streets + 55& older community = nasty parking arguments. The VP of the company building the community says the residents are worse than 2 and 3 year old kids

 

[CanuckSigns]

around here we alternate parking every 2 weeks, so the 1st - 15th you park on one side, 16th - 31 on the other, seems to work.

is there a time restriction on alternating every day, or would you need to set an alarm for midnight and move your car? I can see it becoming a nightmare, especially if the tenants are already acting like 3 year olds