parking sucks!

Our office is in the middle of Palo Alto, which is pretty much the center of Silicon Valley. Its an extremely expensive, gentrified city, and as such I commute in from an hour away because renting the avg house here is over $3,500 a month and buying means spending a minimum of $800,000. So my Wife and I get up at 5:30AM and are on the road by 6:00AM.

I'm fine with that. Been doing it for 4 years now. But the thing that pisses me off royally is that the city of Palo Alto has about the WORST GOD-DAMNED PARKING! The problem is that virtually every single street within the city limits has a 2 hour limit. That's totally worthless because that would mean I'd have to move the car every 2 hours. They even have signs that says you can't even re-park in the SAME LOT if you do move your car.

The other choices are either pay $500-$600 a month to rent a parking spot, which of course a lot of the wealthy Bimmer drivers eagerly shell out, OR find one of the extremely limited all-day parking spots, of which 8 spots exist right out front of the office, OR park way the hell far away and walk in.

I get to the office right before 7AM. You would think that at that early of a time those 8 spots would be all mine. Nope. 95% of the time the spots are totally filled by the time I roll in... which means I get to take a little hike after finding a spot way the hell out there. I can't leave any earlier than we do. How early can I possibly leave? 5AM?

What total moron in charge of this city decided it would be a great idea to make it almost impossible to park in the city? Its about the most retarded idea to basically make it impossible for the people who work here and spend their money eating at the overpriced resturaunts, shops, who then go on to start mega-million startups.

 

So what's your secret to getting her awake and out the door in 30 minutes? Mine takes an hour to go anywhere

 

That sucks. How about getting up eariler?

 

Ever been to philly?

 

Yeah whats up with that??

So she's an ex Marine?

 

Is there a park & ride? The city does this to try to encourage people to not drive. Every city I've been to in CA has got awful traffic and terrible pollution.

 

Not good. Sounds like you have little choice. Without living in that area they are not going to listen to anyone that cant get them elected to office even if its city council.

 

Ahh one of the reasons I will never live in Cali! haha... that really sucks.. Maybe find a parking spot a mile or two away from your office, and bike the rest of the way there?