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Pedestrian highlights major issue with American cities: 'It really shouldn't be this hard'

"The more you bug and annoy Councilmembers, the more they listen."

"The more you bug and annoy Councilmembers, the more they listen."

Photo Credit: Reddit

A pedestrian in LA highlighted an aggravating trend along the city's sidewalks while expressing frustration about how tough it is to correct it.

Posting in the r/CarIndependentLA subreddit, the Redditor showed a photo of a sprinter van parked fully on the sidewalk, completely blocking it off from pedestrian use, with the caption, "It really shouldn't be this hard to report a car parked on the sidewalk." 

"The more you bug and annoy Councilmembers, the more they listen."
Photo Credit: Reddit

The poster broke down the struggle they'd had trying to report the car to the proper authorities. They said they called LAPD's non-emergency line first and were told to call the Department of Transportation's parking enforcement line instead. 

After waiting on hold for another 15 minutes with parking enforcement and being informed they were 38th in line to reach an officer about the issue, they gave up and went on with their day. 

"As far as I'm aware, there's no way to report illegally parked cars beyond calling LADOT parking enforcement," they said, "And if today is any indication, that means there's effectively no feasible way s*** head drivers like this will face any actual consequences ever unless it's dumb luck."

Making cities more accessible to pedestrians has been an ongoing issue across the United States. Houston has an ongoing battle over highways and sidewalks as it looks to improve its city's infrastructure. Meanwhile, TikTokers across the country are sharing videos of how difficult it can be to get around in many American cities without a car. 

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Commenters offered sympathy and a bit of advice for the poster. 

"Send your complaints to the office for Council District 1," one said. "The more you bug and annoy Councilmembers, the more they listen."

"LA needs a citizen reporting app- take pics and if appropriate, scofflaw gets a ticket in their mail," another said

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"Those people along the A line in Highland Park love using the sidewalk as their personal parking lot," said a third. "Parking enforcement could make so much $$$ ticketing and towing them."

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