(Live here on the sidewalks) - The "Our Streets" group, established with the aim of returning the sidewalks to pedestrians, claims that despite their efforts to reduce vehicle parking on the sidewalks, there are still many cases in which they report a car parked on the sidewalk, when the turn is not attended to.
Enforcement policy in Haifa
According to the members of the group, the Haifa municipality has a parking policy that prioritizes handling certain parking offenses over others, and it is very difficult to understand what is behind it. Carmel Givon, an activist in our Rehovot group, says that members of the group have already come across a number of cases, in which there are cases where an inspector comes, after a complaint has been filed, and does not provide treatment.
"There are cases where the turn is closed because it is a street where there is no enforcement when a vehicle is parked on the sidewalk. We understood from inspectors that there are streets that do not enforce parking on the sidewalk. There is a section on Tel Hai Street where vehicles turn from Balfour Street and there no reports are given. In other areas of the street Sometimes the inspectors come and sometimes they don't.
On Moriah axis parking offenses on the sidewalk are enforced, since they want people to park next to a sidewalk, which is marked in blue and white, and pay. On the other hand, when you turn in with a complaint about a vehicle parked on the sidewalk on a side street coming off the Moriah axis, no enforcement is done."
Is the group "in our streets" beginning to influence the city?
The "Our Streets" group was established with the aim of returning the sidewalks to pedestrians. Pedestrians face several problems while walking on the sidewalk and moving from sidewalk to sidewalk, but the group members decided to focus on parking vehicles on the sidewalks, which prevents pedestrians from walking safely and requires them to walk on the road and endanger themselves.
Along with the pedestrians, who are at risk, but are still able to cross from the sidewalk to the road, there are also parents with strollers and disabled people, for whom getting off the sidewalk to the road because of a vehicle parked on the sidewalk is more complicated and sometimes impossible.
The group's goal is to raise awareness of the problem and change the municipality's enforcement policy, so that it will fine those who park their vehicles on the sidewalk and reduce the phenomenon to a minimum. Givon believes that, even though the group has only been operating for half a year, it is already starting to make an impact.
"I think that the entire group provides a response to people who are currently suffering greatly from the situation and feel alone in the face of the municipality's opacity. We show them that there are many more people who care about this in the city and organize them together. And I do believe that if more people in the city who suffer from the situation will raise their voice and ask for a change in policy (in appeals to the hotline, in field operations, in demands from elected officials) then the municipality will change its policy."
According to Givon, it is difficult to understand what hours parking on the sidewalk is enforced and when it is not. "After 17:00 p.m. parking on the sidewalk is no longer enforced. On the other hand, if a vehicle parks at a bus stop at bus stops, it will also receive a fine until 23:00 p.m. The enforcement hours vary from day to day depending on the shifts of the inspectors. I call the hotline at 21:00 p.m.: 24, sometimes there is still supervision and sometimes not. Of course, we think that in a city the size of Haifa there must be supervision XNUMX hours a day."
There are streets that are blocked all night because of cars parked on the sidewalks
Givon recounts his dealings with the inspectors in the complaints guarantee he started in order to reduce the parking of vehicles on the sidewalks: "I had a case where I sat at home all day and studied. They told me that an inspector had come and the vehicle was not there. I said that I could still see the vehicle from the window. I have also seen cases, That inspectors do their job properly and give reports.
My estimate is that in a third of the cases reports are given. Sometimes I report at 8:00 a.m. a car parked on the sidewalk and they call me at 15:00 p.m. to ask if the car is still there. There are also cases that call after half an hour. Sometimes an inspector comes and gives a report to someone who does not put a pango, when he parks next to a sidewalk that is marked in blue and white and does not fine the person who parks his car on the sidewalk. There are entire streets that are blocked every night, because of cars that park all over the sidewalks. If they remove the vehicles from the sidewalks, there will be resentment from the residents and they will have to deal with it.
I feel that there is a desire to enforce in places that are important to them, such as Moriah and in other places the municipality prefers not to create problems with the residents. It should be ensured that those who are willing to pay for parking will be able to pay and park in a designated place.
The municipality's parking policy is unclear
"Vehicles park on the sidewalks because the owners of the vehicles do not receive fines," stresses Givon and adds "I have no doubt that the municipality could have taken care of it, if it wanted to. The parking policy is not clear, when it is enforced and when it is not."
The municipality will not say that there are streets where the parking policy on the sidewalks is not enforced. The municipality should say clearly, we have decided that there are not enough parking spaces, so we allow parking on the sidewalks or there will be clear enforcement. When the municipality wants, it puts up small posts, which do not allow parking on the sidewalks. We prefer it to fines, we are not interested in the last person who parked, but to change the situation. It bothers a lot of people. There is a new mayor in the municipality and we hope to see a change from him. It is impossible to compare the difficulty of a disabled person to cross the sidewalk, compared to the difficulty of someone looking for parking who will have to make another turn with the vehicle.
According to Givon, Masada Street is an example of how car owners are fined for parking next to a blue-and-white sidewalk, but not for parking on the sidewalks: "On Masada Street in the evenings, the sidewalk is almost completely blocked, you can't take more than 4 or 5 steps in a row. In the mornings there is an inspector who gives fines for blue and white. In the evenings they don't stop cars on the sidewalks. I don't understand why the differences."
Haifa Municipality's response:
Parking enforcement is carried out during the day on Masada Street as in other streets in the city against all parking violations, including parking enforcement in the places regulated in blue and white. Enforcement in the evening and at night in the residential neighborhoods is carried out based on requests to the municipal hotline 106 against serious parking offenses that endanger traffic and pedestrians. Any contact to the municipal hotline regarding parking is answered in a short time by the municipal inspection vehicles that arrive at the location at all hours of the day and night.
The worst thing is that there are disabled badge holders, the kind that half the country has, not those with wheelchairs, standing inside a bus stop on the sidewalk, as a daily habit without care from the municipality
The Chaima municipality is doing proaction, take for example Rehovot Haneviim, Shabatai Levi and Herzliya and Hori Shem in Bardak Shalem, there is no police, no supervision, nothing. During all hours of the day, there are roadblocks in a double parking lot, closing a lane and obstructing the journey, even with red-colored curbs, even at crosswalks. What is happening in these camps is truly atrocious.
377 killed in road accidents
20% increase from 2023.
Continue to step on sidewalks and murder pedestrians who are forced to walk on the road..
This is not only a safety hazard
This is a real danger to life
There are streets such as Lotus and Zafarir, or Zionism and Stella Maris that are blocked by vehicles
For fire engines, for ambulances the roads
We must enforce not indiscriminately, but everywhere and for everyone. It is not possible to continue in this situation
that it is impossible to enter the neighborhoods because everyone parks and blocks roads and sidewalks and stops wherever they want
In any other city, an inspector immediately arrives and gives a report and the whole thing is over
Including in the neighborhoods to enforce those who do not have parking near the house to park far from the house, none of our business
The problem is during the daytime in the lower city
I live on Hillel street with a very serious parking problem
If I don't want to move the car at eight in the morning, I get a NIS 500 fine
It is good that at least at night it is allowed to park on the sidewalk, because the hardship is great
Excellent, switch to the bus and taxis.
Must have a car, move to a building that has private parking
It is not possible that they will let you ruin the lives of all residents of Hadar by blocking sidewalks
The municipal enforcement officers roam the streets and waste gas. do not do or benefit anything.
take the air out of the wheels
Promiscuous behavior of road users all over Haifa on Schlossberg Shmuel Street. Trucks and private vehicles park on the sidewalk, especially trucks that unload goods, blocking the exit of a 70-car parking lot, blocking the Seneca system, and everyone parking without stopping. In addition to this, there is an ultra-orthodox kindergarten across the street where the parents park as much as they want, and by the way, also Many children are loaded into the cars! It should be noted favorably the enforcement system of the city of Haifa which does its best to enforce apparently that NIS 250 does not deter the street is too narrow to accommodate and there are times when rescue vehicles cannot respond
The group of inspectors is busy recording reports on the Carmel beach from 02.00:4.00 a.m. to XNUMX:XNUMX a.m. As if those who go to the beach will not get parking, but in a state of war almost no one drives and they are busy with great vigor making reports at a crazy pace in the dark at night like thieves without a duff one will see or feel including a reservist
It's time to abolish all types of parking on sidewalks like in Tel Aviv. No two wheels, no blocking the sidewalk on one side of the street, no getting on the sidewalk 'because there is room to pass'. Completely cancel and fine all offenses on any sidewalk in any street for any reason. Crowding and lack of space do not interest pedestrians and children and parents with a stroller and the elderly in a wheelchair and a boy who has to run on the road to overtake vehicles. Can't go on with this jungle anymore. Get the cars off the sidewalks. For those who don't have parking on the street, don't park or sell a car and use the bus and taxis or move to a place with parking if the car is so important.
The series at signpost 627 will greatly ease the parking woes and will also enrich the municipality's coffers.
Along every Jaffa street, vehicles block sidewalks at all hours of the day and night.
Parking shortage - no enforcement in Haifa...
If parking on the sidewalk blocks passage, or disturbs pedestrians, call the supervisor. The problem in Haifa starts with the municipality. with the supervision department. I see cars parked in double and triple parking on many streets. The supervision allows this.
Since this is accepted in neighborhoods and streets of close associates of the inspectors. In addition, there are municipal bylaws that are apparently not respected in Haifa.
Such as parking vehicles and trucks weighing over 10 tons on city streets in neighborhoods where there is a parking shortage. Truck owners who don't even live on my street or on a nearby street, come here in the afternoon, park their trucks, get into their private car that they came with in the morning and drive to their home somewhere.... A situation has arisen where we have nowhere to park.
The municipality is supposed to create and provide parking spaces.
Peace
You have to take a picture of the parked vehicle with the vehicle number and send it via WhatsApp to 106. They can locate the owner of the vehicle and give him a fine without coming to the location. The same goes for vehicles parked at public charging stations. If the residents help the inspectors there is a chance that the transfers will stop. Instead of complaining that someone else will do the work, help the municipality to help you. After 106 receives the documentation of the offense they will have no more excuses.
Good luck, peace and good news
Unfortunately, this phenomenon is widespread all over the city. An excess of cars with a shortage of parking spaces forces many drivers to stand on the sidewalk even at the cost of disturbing pedestrians. There is nothing to do.
Masada is completely blocked with vehicles of all those who come to the cafes to hang out, and there is no parking for the residents. When I need to get to the area, I park either in Masada if there is anything available, or in Hillel if there is anything available, or in Ellozorov if there is anything available. Usually there is nothing available. and normal parking lots, were expropriated in favor of 20-minute Zoz parking lots instead of creating new designated parking spaces for them - it's not that there isn't anywhere.
And yes, there are streets with a critical parking shortage in the city. So we park on the sidewalk because we have no choice, not because it's close.
But of course, parking problems are not taken care of, so that they can profit from both the Blue and White and the fines.
There is a parking shortage and people obviously have to break the law and park on sidewalks, the solution is to allocate more parking spaces
According to the pictures, it doesn't look like these were taken at night.
People received reports in the estate after parking in the private parking lot in their tabu!! What can be done if the parking lot in Tabu is partly inside and partly on the pavement. You can still pass comfortably with strollers. Even so, get reports! The height of audacity!
In Haifa there is a very simple procedure:
You couldn't find an arranged parking space up to 10 meters from your house or any other destination you wanted to reach - so park on the sidewalk, or on the road, two meters from the destination.
It's also cheaper than blue and white - it doesn't cost money.
And they don't enforce it at all.
Why walk 100-200 meters from an arranged parking lot, if you can walk 5 meters...
because they don't enforce it only if there is a complaint from the neighbors, a real shame, disabled people here in Wadi Nisnas can't walk on the sidewalk if they are not helped because of vehicles parked and disturbing and the problem is there is no enforcement only if they complain
Why aren't reports distributed??? When you hit your pocket it works best!
Unfortunately, the municipality's response is a lie.
The number of times I have seen or driven behind an enforcement/surveillance vehicle driving through the neighborhood, or on main thoroughfares such as Moriah, Sderot Hanasi and Zionot - and on the side of the road vehicles park on sidewalks, sometimes even on travel lanes - and nothing is done.
Zero enforcement.
In Tel Aviv, they used to tow the vehicles to the farthest towing park in the city.
In Haifa they don't even give a shekel fine.
They are waiting for an accident, like there was more than a year ago or so in Kedima, when a resident of the place was killed, and last week in the center of Carmel. There is anarchy about it.
2 solutions.
Parking half on the sidewalk and half on the road while paying for parking even at night, with the money they will buy lots for parking lots or pay developers for underground parking on several floors.
A second option is a sharp nail to mark a blocking vehicle.
It's not new in all the neighborhoods in Haifa it's like this Carmel Neve Shaanan everyone parks after the inspectors don't work in the evening they block crossings with wheelchairs and we go down to the road that's why there has been no response to the issue for many years
I think the municipality's response is delusional and out of touch with reality.
And that's even before we mentioned the name - Kiryat Haim, where there is no parking enforcement at all.
An instructive article. Enforcement is an important thing
When it hurts in the pocket, pick up faster.
But I think it's just as important
the education Education and support for pedestrians
After all, the drivers are also sometimes pedestrians...
Education and education and education again.
Completely!
Education! (lack of education)
No lack of enforcement lacks creativity.
What about finding solutions to the parking crisis in the city?
The entire article can be summarized in one section of it:
"I report at 8:00 a.m. a car parked on the sidewalk and they call me at 15:00 p.m. to ask if the car is still there. There are also cases where they call after half an hour. Sometimes an inspector comes and gives a report to someone who doesn't have a pango, when he's parked next to a sidewalk marked in blue White and don't punish those who park their cars on the sidewalk.
Even if they put ten more large parking lots in every neighborhood or in the city center, it will not solve the problem, because the lack of enforcement has helped to create a norm in the city, so that if the available proper parking is not a meter away from the destination, people will park on a travel lane, a traffic circle, the middle of Crossroads or sidewalks...
They will not go further than that on foot, because there is no enforcement here and zero care for the surrounding society. A new parking lot half a kilometer from the destination will not help either.
There is a parking shortage on HaGalil Street in Israel.
Some people have three or four cars per apartment. Split apartments with many vehicles. The solution... parking stickers and increased enforcement. 2 stickers for each apartment, only for the residents of the apartment in T.Z. There is no choice but to park on the sidewalk and risk a fine.
Enforcement is gender specific. On Allenby Street where most of the traffic is from a certain sector, no traffic is recorded at the beginning of Stella Maris Street with that sector parking on the sidewalks and in double parking all night and not filing reports.
On Shabbat in Bat Galim, a side run that does not disturb anyone makes sure to give reports.
What about the vehicles that park on the sidewalks in Kiryat Haim Mizrachi? Women with babies in strollers escort the children who go down to Kabir need quick care, in Noter, Achi Eilat, Moshe Sharet, in the Hebrew Regiment they park all night on a crossing
The solution is half parking on the sidewalk and half on the road along and not as in the picture
It will not disturb pedestrians or traffic on the road. Such an arrangement exists
Next to Ariel Bakery in the Carmel Castle.
The Municipality of Haifa is invited to be impressed.
.
You are right, there is no other choice to do blue and white, two wheels on the sidewalk, two on the road, just like that
Excellent article.
I personally follow every development regarding parking on the sidewalks. And I really suffer every day walking and hiking with the grandchildren. Some days I have to walk in zigzags from the sidewalk to the road again and again. I'm afraid to go down narrow roads where drivers can't spot me in front.
For the care of Haifa Municipality.