Seen Saturday at 11:00 AM:
Another photo and the relevant law after the jump:
As you can see, this car is clearly parked illegally. Or rather, if it were any other car, it would clearly be parked illegally. As a District Councilmember, Jack Evans has the benefit of DC Code Section 50-2201.03, which states, in part:
(c) Members of Congress or the Council may park their vehicles in any available curb space in the District of Columbia, when:
(1) The vehicle is used by the member of Congress or the Council on official business;
(2) The vehicle is displaying a Congressional or Council registration tag issued by the jurisdiction represented by the member; and
(3) The vehicle is not parked in violation of a loading zone, rush hour, firehouse, or fire plug limitation.
So, is Evans’ car parked legally? Is there any way that he’s on “official business” at 11:00 AM on a Saturday one half-block from his house?
Evans’ neighbors have probably seen before his blue Seabring parked where they could not, but maybe they don’t mind. Arguably it opens up another legal space (of course due to the laws of induced demand, that may simply encourage more Virginians and Marylanders to drive to that block looking for a space). But besides potentially opening up another space, isn’t it unsafe for Evans to park like this? The whole reason there isn’t parking between the sign and the corner is for safety (i.e. increased visibility at the crosswalk and intersection). Is Evans willfully putting citizens in danger or has he concluded that the safety concerns are not present in this case?
If Councilmember Evans thinks that in this case safety is not an important enough concern to trump his convenience, shouldn’t he be lobbying to allow parking in this spot all the time? If he hasn’t made that conclusion, it’s it an abuse of his privilege to park like that?
Besides, chances are that this isn’t even an abuse of a privilege, it’s just a plain violation. Unless of course Evans truly had official business to attend to at 11:00 AM Saturday morning, 30 ft. from his house.
What do you think? Abuse of privilege, straight up violation, and/or no big deal?
12 Comments
March 29, 2009 at 11:53 pm
all of the above, unfortunately.
March 30, 2009 at 12:06 am
Hopefully, he will respond here and explain this.
March 30, 2009 at 12:21 am
[...] Does Jack Evans Abuse his Parking Privileges? The Georgetown Metropolitan. Photo. [...]
March 30, 2009 at 4:31 am
They’ve all done this since they were leaving their buggies double parked. Why do you think Marion Barry finds it ludicrous D.C’ers are upset he hasn’t paid his taxes. Who? Me? Are you talkin’ to ME?
March 30, 2009 at 9:09 am
Jack Evans hasn’t hesitated to abuse many of his privileges.
March 30, 2009 at 12:02 pm
[...] ALSO—Jack Evans, parking scofflaw? [...]
March 30, 2009 at 12:11 pm
He does this at the Safeway too.
March 30, 2009 at 12:58 pm
I have also seen him zipping through the downtown streets, talking on his cell.. sans hands free device… I’ve seen this more than once…
Ah, power….
March 30, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Unfortunately, this is typical of Evans. I see his car parked illegally on M Street around 25th — right where his law firm, Patton Boggs, has its offices. And, the post’s DCWire has a piece on him now trying to get a shower installed in his office. Unfortunately, the only way to stop this nonsense is going to be to vote him out. Like Barry, he never seems to learn.
March 31, 2009 at 7:05 am
[...] Georgetown Metropolitan wonders: Does Jack Evans Abuse Parking Laws? There are incriminating photos of Evans’ car clearly parked illegally—that is if he [...]
March 31, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Maybe someone should let the air out of his tires as a friendly reminder that his behavior, if not technically “illegal” in this backward place, is unsafe and inconsiderate.
August 12, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Jack Evans is extremely arrogant. His illegal parking is just one part of the story. Neighbors report he doesn’t even acknowledge them. He does not care about Ward 2. His mind is on the big deals so he can get his kickbacks.
Yes, time for him to be booted out.