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Friday, 20 November 2009

A Pet Peeve

By Clarence Bowles of Southern Roomers

At the risk of sounding like the infamous Mr. Rooney on 60 Minutes, I'll begin with one of his openings, "Have you ever noticed" how most sub-divisions have cars parked on at least one side of their already too-narrow streets, and on both sides, where legally permitted?

Well, I have, and it got me to wondering how those people can afford both a house payment and payments on three or four cars. After a closer look, I came to find that they can't.

The truth of the matter is that most families own no more than two; it’s just that no one parks in their garages. Why? You may ask. Simply because their garages are so full of junk they have gathered over the years and can't bear the thought of parting with, there just isn't any room for a car.

I'm sorry, but I just don't understand. They must have filled the garage up to the ceiling on the first day they moved in, or else they would be aware of the benefits derived from using it as was originally intended.

No frost, ice or snow to clear away while you freeze your nubs off, no direct hits by low flying elephant birds, no dust coating stirred up by passing traffic, no soap or eggs on Cabbage Night and your aerial might last as long as you own your car, not to mention incidental damage to finish or structural integrity by errant DUI kamikaze pilots making their way home on Friday or Saturday night.

There is just too much to be gained by parking in the garage instead of the driveway or the street.

In 1987, I had a home built and if it were not for my inexperience at being a home owner, and not having enough time to think out all my choices, I would have made that single car garage a two-and-a-half car garage and the driveway would cover most of the frontage on the property.

How could I have known that my teenage daughter would grow up, have her own car and lay claim to the driveway as her parking place? I am now contemplating a side apron, slab of concrete extending down the side of the present garage with a carport roof. I'm sure it would be easier than musical chairs with her car and mine.

I had a dream! A place where I need not be concerned with the sun fading the inside of the car, cool seats to sit upon, no matter how blazing the sun was, a place where I could wash my car at my leisure and the hose would reach without linking up two or more 50 foot pieces, dropping the water pressure to a mere trickle.

I have all that now just because I have a very large crawl space under the house and the attic area over the garage is well supported, roomy and easily accessed. I even thought far enough ahead to have the garage built three feet longer than standard so I could add a work bench and space to store a lawnmower and yard tools.

This year, during the heavy snowfall, I realized an additional plus to a cleaned-out garage: during snow emergencies, I wasn't required to dig out my car from the snow plows initial pass down the middle of the street and put it in the driveway so they could plow from curb to curb as my poor saughter did after a threat of towing by the local police.

So come on folks! Clean out those garages and find out what the good side of life is all about. I'll bet you will find that you really can survive without those family heirlooms cluttering up the place and drivers passing through your neighborhood will no longer need to run the maze, in and out to pass an approaching car.

P.S. "Garage Sale" is not an ad for someone wanting to get rid of their garage; it actually means getting rid of all that unneeded junk although there are plenty of people who could use one or more besides the one they presently cannot park in.

Posted by Ronni Bennett at 02:30 AM | Permalink | Email this post