Dangerous Parking

I have a real issue with people using religion to justify bad acts.

This comes in to play in many ways, but I will focus on a pet peeve of mine. I go to a center learning at night. This place touts itself as THE epicenter of learning in the evening for working people. There is also a Simcha hall downstairs. The parking at this place is not nearly sufficient for all the people that come here on a nightly basis, and when there is an event downstairs at night, the entire area gets gridlocked.

What bothers me is twofold. One, there is a fire lane along the side of the building going down to the lower parking area. This line is almost always full of cars. Even when the parking lot is empty! recently I saw a person pull up behind two cars already parked there. The first car belongs to an idiot. I know this because I know him. I have discussed parking in the fire lane many times, to no avail. The second car belongs to an older gentleman who recently started parking in the fire lane. Perhaps there is an underlying reason, as I know him as well, and he is a good person who would not park there unless there was a legitimate reason.

Anyhow, this third car pulls in behind them. That evening there were probably ten or twelve spots available in the parking lot, which holds about twenty spots. (NOT including the fire lane). I asked the guy to please move his car and not park in the fire lane, which. to his credit, he did. He probably didn't even realize it is a no parking zone, since he just pulled up behind two parked cars. However, the one who parks there every night as if it is his personal spot is at fault here.

The second issue is that the synagogue has requested, out of deference to and for goodwill with its neighbors, that cars only park on one side of the street. This is also not honored. the other day I saw someone pull up and park. I gently  mentioned to him that it has been requested that he not park on that side. He not only blew me off, but was setting a fine example of selfishness and lack of decency for his fellow man to his children, who were with him.

These actions are beyond selfish. Parking in a fire lane, which makes it difficult for emergency vehicles to get close to the building should there be a real emergency, puts every single person in the building in danger. how can one deliberately put his friends and neighbors into danger and not care a whit? I don't get it. Parking in front of the building on the wrong side of the street puts all the parking for everyone else at risk, as it annoys the neighbors, creates an impossible driving situation, and also prevents an emergency vehicle from being able to get down the street quickly.

i have seen this same behavior at other study halls and synagogues throughout Monsey.

My position on this is that if you are going to do these things, please don't come to learn; stay home, watch TV, go to a movie, read a novel, your learning is worthless.