Wednesday, September 18, 2013

The Sixty-Three Dollar Palisades Traffic Ticket


The $63 Dollar Palisades Parking Ticket, Sept. 16, 2013
 Ouch!...   Almost too dark to even notice the parking meter and certainly too dark to read the posted parking restrictions which some time ago were changed to reflect that the parking meters are enforced until 8 pm on the surface streets in the Palisades business district.  So there it was that I found myself recently parking just south of La Cruz on Alma Real, just across from the car wash at around 7:15 pm.  When I returned to my car sometime later I discovered the telltale signs of a parking ticket held in place by the windshield wiper...  I then remembered the 8 pm change.

The real horror was yet to show itself, however...  which happened when I opened the envelope and found the citation.  I could not believe my eyes when I saw that it was for SIXTY-THREE DOLLARS !  Now that is an absolutely ridiculous amount of money to park after 6 pm, let alone after 7:15 pm, in my opinion.

So please beware fellow Palisadians, visitors and guests!  Carry quarters... lots of them! Place a post-it note on your dashboard if you have to. 

Do not get caught by L.A. Parking Enforcement Division cuz it will cost you an arm and a leg.

Be careful out there, Folks.

Respectfully submitted,

William E. Maguire
www.paliesq.com



Friday, March 8, 2013

Bus Detour In Front of Marquez Elementary School

Op./Ed.

As reported by the Palisadian-Post this afternoon at:

    http://www.palisadespost.com/breaking-news/big-blue-bus-detour-now-runs-past-marquez-charter-elementary/



Image Source: Palisadian-Post. "The yellow line indicates the new bus route. The orange line indicates the old route.  Image created by Santa Monica Big Blue Bus and provided by an anonymous source."


This detour through Marquez Knolls runs right in front of (my alma mater) Marquez Elementary.  This is more than merely concerning. That there will now be bus traffic in front of and immediately adjacent to said school during school hours is, in my opinion, very dangerous.  Especially in the morning and afternoon when parents are dropping off and picking up kids, it is already a traffic nightmare. Now you add in these huge buses right on top of little kids.  Marquez Ave. narrows adjacent to the school and when cars are parked and double parked adjacent thereto in the morning and afternoon it is a place to avoid if you possibly can.  Did anyone with L.A. City or BBB go to this school in the morning and afternoon to see the congestion and all the kids and parents crossing Marquez Ave? 

Perhaps a long term solution would be to create a turnaround location on Palisades Drive where the bus could make a left turn into a vacant lot past Calvary Church and where there are two lanes in both directions contiguous to Sunset Blvd.  In this regard, below is a map of this potential solution with "X" marking a possible turnaround point that would take advantage of vacant land.  This would also have the advantage of adding additional bus stops for residents, students and others needing closer access to Palisades Drive.




"X" Marks The Spot!   Image Source: Google Maps


Respectfully submitted,


Will Maguire

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Pali High Track & Field

Tuesday morning, Jan. 29, 2013...

"Pali High". Copyright Will Maguire 2013. All Rights Reserved.
Go Dolphins!

Will Maguire
Class of 1973