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Amnesty For Patriotic Idahoans
July 5, 2007 
Boise area growth, a midweek holiday, and high temps combined to jam the public water venues at Barber Park and Lucky Peak Wednesday with patriots celebrating July 4th. 
Corps of Engineers rangers in nifty uniforms and Idaho Park rangers also in nifty uniforms turned away visitors to both Sandy Point swimming area below the dam and the boat launch sites on the reservoir shores. There just weren’t enough parking spots. Cars lined Highway 21 below the dam and at Spring Shores Marina upstream.
Visitors to Barber Park’s river float launch site found it impossible to enter or park. Many pulled off Eckert Road and Boise Avenue only to be tagged by Boise Cops with $35 parking tickets.
Since the City offered free parking downtown at the parking garages and on the street, the GUARDIAN thinks it would be a patriotic gesture for the city to make a one time only offer for amnesty to those motorists tagged along Eckert Road and Boise Ave.
Sure, there were signs plainly posted, but folks drove across town or the valley for a relaxing float only to find access denied. They were willing to walk nearly a mile in some cases, they weren’t trying to avoid the park entrance fee. THE SYSTEM WAS MAXED OUT!
Even the river was bow to stern with scantily clad patriots trying to beat the 100 degree heat.
We’ll sound the usual growthophobe mantra that too many people cause the problem. Before we demand more public facilities, we have to slow the growth so there aren’t more problems in the future.
Meanwhile, GIVE THEM A BREAK!
The private funded fireworks display was great. Not too long, spectacular, and a chance for locals to meet and greet in a relaxed setting.
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Comments & Discussion
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Jul 5, 2007, 11:51 am
Don’t do the crime if you can’t pay the fine!
Jul 5, 2007, 1:37 pm
I hopeful that President Bush will commute (not pardon) these fines. Clearly, the folks are guilty of the crime, but in this case the facts merit a commutation of the fine.
Jul 5, 2007, 4:27 pm
I’ve always thought “scantily-clad patriots” were the best kind, Dave! (Wait… I’m envisioning Ben Franklin in a Speedo… and I take it back!)
(-;
Especially since they’re teetotaling patriots, at least for their time on the river.
I’ll have to respectfully disagree on the parking issue. There’s no Constitutional right to parking; when it’s gone, them’s the breaks. (Although perhaps it would be right for Mayor Bieter to commute their sentences, just this once, along with a stern warning.)
Your photos are fantastic, as always. Especially the fireworks.
I bicycled to Sandy Point earlier in the morning, and posted a few photos I snapped along the way:
http://bikenazi.blogspot.com/2007/07/independence-day-ride.html
EDITOR NOTE–We get enough bikers and they will figger a way to tax ’em and charge for parking!
Jul 5, 2007, 6:39 pm
So what happened to the buses that used to haul people up to Barber Park. It’s still in operation as far as I know. Heck double the fine, maybe next time they will take the Bus. Looks like lot’s SUV and pickup to me. Gas guzzlers!
EDITOR NOTE–Robert, WHERE do the people park?–there are no buses from Kuna or Meridian. Ann Morrison Park certainly doesn’t have parking for all those cars. We called for amnesty because despite anyone’s best intentions, they had no place to park.
Jul 5, 2007, 8:31 pm
MR. GUARDIAN ( large caps)
Ya let folks park on Eckert Road. And as I drive to my home at Golden Dawn they open up car doors, get stuck on the shoulder of the road, take coolers out, get the dogs out, the kids are out in the middle of the road, and dump the trash in the shoulder. Only a 35 mile per hour speed limit there! And don’t forget they have to pee because they can’t drink on the river now.
The day will come when someone is killed for being out in the road.
Gee I always thought I could count on you for having some rules.
porcupine
ps I’m one of the many that called the police.
Jul 6, 2007, 7:12 am
Dave sorry but I’m against any more parking lot’s. Parking lot’s bring more cars, more polution. We need another alternative. No to parking lots.
Jul 6, 2007, 10:04 am
I think some of y’all are missing the point. He isn’t calling for an extended parking lot, or that what these people did on the 4th is necessary right, but he is suggesting an extenuating circumstance, and a one-time amnesty.
I was one of the many people who ventured to Barber Park to float the river. We tried parking at Ann Morrison – it was closed for the festivities. We tried finding parking close enough for the shuttle, and found out from others that there was a backlog for the shuttle. So we drove down to Barber Park and saw the line of cars parked down Boise Avenue. We parked along the street.
It wasn’t nearly as bad as you, porcupine, made it out to be. The vehicles were off of the road, and most traffic slowed down in respect of those walking along the road to get to the park.
I find this attitude of yours a little troubling, and a lot whiny. I’m not sorry that the masses descended upon your nice home far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city, and completely ruined your day. I would remind you that with days of celebration come the headache of the celebration – I was kept up until 2am listening to the bang and crack of fireworks. It wasn’t a big deal to me because I realize that people are celebrating, and its something more than just my petty little grumblings; I’d ask the same of you.
Jul 6, 2007, 1:13 pm
TJ…let me get this straight, you and Dave parked illegally, knowing that you deserve a fine for doing so…and you want a one-time amnesty because it was a special day?
Hmmm…doesn’t make sense to me. If I knowingly break the law, I would expect to pay the consequences. Please don’t ask me to understand that it should be different for you.
I have seen plenty of stories on this blog decrying special treatment. But when you and Dave break the Law??? There should be amnesty? PLEASE!
Dave, I’m disappointed.
EDITOR NOTE–Deadmeat you have totally missed the point. DAVE did not break the law, Dave did not float. Dave doesn’t want more parking lots. Dave does NOT advocate breaking the law. Dave is merely the messenger. As TJ notes, the city closed part of AM park for fireworks prep, the shuttle was overstressed and there was NO PLACE TO PARK! Circumstances–not scofflaws–created the situation.
Jul 6, 2007, 1:35 pm
Oops, you’re right, my apologies…Dave did’nt break the law…I just assumed.
As for missing the point…No Parking means No Parking…regardless of the circumstances.
Jul 6, 2007, 6:02 pm
I may have parked illegally (I’m not sure, though: there really were no signs suggesting we couldn’t park off of Boise Ave.), though I did not get ticketed. And as Dave’s pictures show, I was one of a few hundred that did the same. While I was walking to the park I did see a few cops giving tickets to those who parked in the subdivisions and in driveways, but they must have skipped Boise Ave.
Dave summed up my point, and I agree with him. I’m not asking for special treatment; I am saying this was a unique situation, though. To prevent this from happening the next time the city and/or homeowners should probably post clear and easy-to-understand signs, because obviously the message wasn’t getting through.
Jul 6, 2007, 6:05 pm
tj
What I’m tell you is someone is going to get killed by parking and walking in the middle of Eckert. That is the reason that they have no parking signs everywhere. And if you get a chance drive by and look at all the trash that the good folks dumped while they were parking under the no Parking signs.
There is no side walks, or bike lane. I’m sorry that the system was over stress and some folks got tickets, BUT THEY PARKED UNDER A NO PARKING SIGN… gee go figure!
Next thing Dave is going to be asking for is a one day of drinking beer on the river again, because the system was over stress and folks need a drink!
Jul 6, 2007, 8:16 pm
How did DAVE take the pictures? Did DAVE walk? If DAVE walked (or biked), GREAT!… otherwise DAVE had to park his DAVEMOBILE somewhere.
EDITOR NOTE–DAVE did not leave his vehicle unattended. Even though he doesn’t have a rig with an NBC peacock and call letters all over it, he risked the ticket and won in the name of public news gathering on behalf of patyriotic Americans.
Jul 6, 2007, 10:43 pm
Thanks for capturing the 4th with photos. The fireworks were perfect just as you said. I would not look to Mayor Bieter for any kind of amnesty. What happened at the Ten Commandments Monument clearly shows the lack of mercy that he extends to anyone outside of the law. He is legally right, and safe as long as he never needs any mercy himself.
Jul 6, 2007, 11:22 pm
That is an incredible picture. Where were you standing when you took it? (I am assuming this was from the 4th of July celebration in Boise this year.)
EDITOR NOTE–
Fireworks shot was made from the sidewalk on Crescent Rim overlooking the park. For Not Dave, I parked in a friend’s driveway.
Jul 7, 2007, 2:14 pm
If I remember correctly, there are signs on Eckert Rd stating that parking violators can be towed. If that is the case, then it seems to me that amnesty has already been granted because the cars were not towed. And I’m sure there were plenty of tow companies that would have jumped at the chance to have the business (at holiday rates no less).
With that point being made, those violators who have already been given a commuted sentence should be happy that all they got was a parking ticket. If it helps, maybe they should just consider the $35 fee as “event parking” for the great 4th of July float that they had.
Jul 7, 2007, 6:44 pm
Dave, you should put together a little album of the fireworks at Ann Morrison and post them on this site. The one is great. I’m sure you have others that are equally good if not better.
EDITOR NOTE–Thanks for the compliment.
Jul 7, 2007, 8:11 pm
For everyone who may not know…on top of being a great watchdog, Dave is also a world class photographer. I have a 15-20 yr old blown up photo he took of a state trooper in front of Redfish Lodge with a ventriquilist dummy giving a safety talk..and it is still one of the best pics I’ve seen. Keep up the good work and great photos Dave…..
EDITOR NOTE–And to you, thanks for the compliment. Your judgement is perhaps suspect because it is a picture of your daddy…the trooper, not the dummy.
Jul 9, 2007, 7:32 pm
I’m quite taken with the AM Park shot from Dave as well… I second Sara’s note. The most random place you’ll ever see Dave’s photos are at the Jiffy Lube on Overland… he took shots of a fire there several years ago, and they hang on the wall in a frame.
And Dave, I always pictured you as the bike type. Maybe you should get a bike with a big channel 2 logo on it or something.
EDITOR NOTE–Thanks, I think. I do bike regularly to the Vista Moxie branch where a guy recently told me you are , “a pretty good kid.”