Had a similar issue here a few years back. City council decided overnight that street parking was a "safety hazard," and suddenly my neighbor's beautifully restored Mustang was getting ticketed left and right. Meanwhile, the real hazards—like the intersection down my street where people blow through stop signs daily—went untouched. Priorities, huh?
But I gotta say, I do see some logic in keeping streets clear for visibility reasons. A few months ago, I nearly clipped a kid darting out between parked cars because visibility was terrible with vehicles lining both sides of the road. Scared me half to death. So maybe there's some middle ground here? Like designated zones or permits specifically for hobby vehicles?
Wonder if anyone's city has tried something like that successfully...
"So maybe there's some middle ground here? Like designated zones or permits specifically for hobby vehicles?"
Yeah, I think you're onto something with permits or special zones. My city tried something similar—designated a few side streets as "collector car friendly." Worked great until everyone and their grandma decided their rusty minivan was a "classic," lol. But seriously, clear streets are nice, especially when kids are around...though ticketing a pristine Mustang feels like a crime in itself. Maybe some common sense enforcement would help?
Permits could definitely help, but how would cities handle enforcement without it becoming too subjective? I've seen towns try similar stuff, and it always ends up messy—like, who decides what's a hobby car and what's just junk?
Yeah, permits sound good on paper, but enforcement is always the tricky part. I've seen towns try to draw that line between "classic" and "junk," and honestly, it usually comes down to whoever's doing the inspecting that day. A buddy of mine had a '68 Mustang he was slowly restoring—looked rough on the outside but mechanically solid—and he got hassled constantly by city inspectors. Meanwhile, another neighbor had an old rust bucket parked for years without a peep from anyone.
I think if cities go this route, they need clear, objective criteria—like registration status, operability, or maybe even some basic maintenance standards. Otherwise, you're just leaving it up to someone's personal taste or mood that day...and that's never fair. I'm all for keeping neighborhoods tidy and safe (no one wants a street full of abandoned heaps), but let's not punish genuine enthusiasts who are just taking their sweet time getting things right.
Had a similar issue a few years back. My neighbor had this old Chevy Nova—looked like junk to me, but he swore it was a classic in progress. City inspectors kept bothering him, yet ignored another guy down the street whose car hadn't moved since dinosaurs roamed the earth. Makes you wonder, how do you even set fair standards for something that's so subjective? Seems like no matter what criteria they pick, someone's always gonna feel targeted...
