A 14-year-old tipster caught this Verizon van parked next to the handicapped only sign outside his grandmother’s house. The Verizon tech spent 20 minutes visiting a neighbor, and when asked to move, “was very arrogant and drove off.” More pictures, after the jump.
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That’s why I keep a big knife in my pocket. Slash a tire and call the cops.
@TexasScout: Probably don’t even need to slash the tire; they’ll be in there long enough. I’d have just skipped straight to calling the police.
@TexasScout: Do you think the verizon tech carries a compressor in the van? just let the air out with a pen cap, no muss, no fuss, no charges pressed.
Too bad he didn’t get a shot of the plate/van number. I’m sure he could still report it had those been in the pictures.
What an amazing 14-year old. I wish I’d read Consumerist when I was 14.
And as for the van, I’d just call the tow truck. And then document the event chronologically in photos to include in my epic ongoing draft email to Verizon’s CEO that is currently in the works.
Commercial drivers think they own the road. A tow truck parked where it was completely blocking traffic through this parking lot (kept several people waiting while he dropped off this car) right next to a no parking anytime sign. I called him on it, he asked if I worked there (at the mechanics) which I didn’t. He didn’t move.
A semi truck stopped on an offramp to check on something, which backed up traffic onto the interstate. Of course, the other truckers blocked the only other lane available to move through the onramp so they could help him out. It took 30 minutes from my life and others for no good reason. I would have called the cops except for the constant hope that it was just about to clear up.
Specific to Verizon. 1) Most of the newer trucks/vans have a gps recorder in them so it you got the license plate something could be done. 2) Verizon does have policies on how/what/why vehicles are to be used. If that driver was not on a service call and not authorized by the supervisor then that is an offense up to dismissal.
However, I have to note that looking at the camera angle it may be a judgment call as to whether the van is in violation or not. Note that the ground is not zone marked in relation to the sign. In most states, the zone of demarc is AFTER the sign not before it. So the grey SUV maybe in violation and not the Verizon van.
@Johnmc
Beyond the sign is what looks to be a driveway. So my bet is that the vehicle is definitely illegally parked.
Yay to the kid for being a smart consumer(ist). Sometimes I fear for us, being that the rugrats are being propagandized 24/7. Doomed to be robotic sheple. Looks like this one has proper scepticism, and he ain’t afraid to use it! Whoo whoo!
The guy works for Verizon. Isn’t that handicapped enough?
I see this all the time. I’m handicapped, so I have my usual list of such stories. Delivery vehicles are the most common. UPS, Fed-X and the USPS have all edged me out of handicapped parking. They figure they’ll just be a minute, but you’d be surprised how often someone needs the spot during that minute.
Hi Everyone.
To first start I was the kid that sent this in and Id like to say thanks for posting it and thanks for the comments!
So right after I wrote my message I took my dog outside only to find the tech was in my back alley and found a telephone wire hanging around 3 feet off the ground through my yard. That was there for about an hour and a half.
Now to the comments.
@Morph_Man: I was thinking about that but I wanted to be as quick as I could if he came out.
@Christy: Which 14 year old doesn’t read this site?
@TRAI_DEP Mmmmmm Robotic Sheple….
@DeeJayQueue: “Do you think the verizon tech carries a compressor in the van? just let the air out with a pen cap, no muss, no fuss, no charges pressed.”
Even better is a plastic BB, of the type used in airsoft guns. Unscrew the cap on the valve stem, put the BB inside, and screw the cap back on. Air will leak out a little slower, but you don’t have to stand around while it happens. And when they go to reinflate it, the BB pops out, so they know exactly what happened (or, you can retrieve it later if it’s safe).
Um…not that I’ve done this, or anything. I just heard about it. Yeah.
There’s nothing that pisses off people who illegally park more than calling parking enforcement and getting a ticket. They usually do come in <20 minutes.
Also, get the van number and start calling the company’s “How am I driving?” line. Simple as that.
@jeffeb3: I had a delivery guy for a gelato store block me in and didn’t come out of the store even though I was blowing my horn loudly and repeatedly. I had to go in and say loudly to the clerk (who was serving customers) to please move their illegally parked van so I could get my car out.
She actually had the nerve to glare at me. Uhm, lady, you guys are doing something illegal, be glad I didn’t call the cops.
@jefuchs: Do you just park behind their vehicle? You’ll just be a minute…
Were any handicapped people forced to park down the street and walk extra distance to get where they were going because of this?
If not, who cares?
Slashing someone’s tire is a far greater offense than parking illegally.
Go ahead, slash his tire and call the cops. He can get a parking ticket.
Meanwhile, you can get sent to jail for 30-90 days for vandalism, ok? Sounds fair to me.
@jefuchs: I was just going to say that,
too. In fact, I was sitting in my car yesterday (waiting for my
handicapped mother to leave a shop), and watched a UPS truck park in
the handicapped spot of the business next door. UPS guys think they can
do whatever they want.
Slashing tires doesn’t really serve anybody’s interest.
In general, I don’t like the idea of telling somebody else how to do their job. Most commercial vehicle drivers don’t really have a choice about parking illegally, and this guy made a judgment call to park in a handicapped spot versus double parking. Frankly, it would cost ALL of us a lot more if we demanded strict adheance to parking rules for commercial vehicles. (Do you want the FedEx guy to park illegally for 5 minutes to deliver a package, or drive around the block for 20 minutes, trying to find a legal space, creating congesting, emitting CO2, etc.?)
Still, a handicapped spot is there for a reason.
If there was a free spot in front of the customer’s house that he could have used instead, fair enough. Otherwise, SFW. It’s not a private space.
@J. Gov:
Getting the police to actually respond to a parking complaint in a Metro area is the trick.
It’s times like these where adding the non-emergency telephone number of your local police department to your cellphone’s contact list comes in handy. Ignorant people who park in spots reserved for disabled parking are morons who have a special place reserved for them in the eighth circle of hell (tip of the hat to Dante).
This Verizon employee should be fired!
If you think that’s bad, you should see how they park in New York city.
@rdm7234: UPS and FedEx trucks do have to park illegally at times but it’s somewhat understandable, especially since they’re usually in and out of the area in about 5 minutes. Verizon’s outsourced contractors take much longer than that.
That 14 year old is going to get his internet cut. That is pretty cute without the e.
@rdm7234: Of course, according to the post, the guy was not on a service call, merely visiting a friend.