Wednesday, March 2, 2011

What can the rich afford?

I was up on the very far Northern side of town the other day. Since that is the part of town nearest the mountains I brought my camera. The intent was to take some pictures of the mountains up close. That's exactly what I did despite this sign.



Really? I'm not allowed to stop, park or stand in that spot on that road. And the street had those signs down both sides of the road every several feet. Seriously.

I must now add that this particular area is known to all as where the VERY rich live. Now I'm happy for the people who are fortunate enough to be rich or to have gotten rich. But do they really need a million signs on their street trying to keep the common rabble (like me) from even stopping or standing on their very privileged street? I'm sure they can afford decent security systems so a person standing doesn't seem like much of a threat to this castle-like structure.



Or these giant houses.



Which brings me to the next thing the very rich can afford. To employ these



So they can ruin these



for the not so rich.

14 comments:

Hart Johnson said...

Man, I hear you Marjorie. I mean if they live in a gated community and pay for the damn road (which already irks me) then maybe, but not allowing people to stop and enjoy scenery they don't even own? No FREAKING way.

I can see legitimate reasons... if there is erosion, so wanting no cars on the shoulder... if there are curves, so it is dangerous... but anything like THAT should be explained (and on like stretches of road in NON rich areas). I also get irked with lakes that don't allow beach access for people who CAN'T live on the lake--I don't think lakes should get to be owned unless you've bought all the way around and even then I take issue. And even moreso on the ocean... Beaches belong to everyone. So there.

Hart Johnson said...

(I think it's possible we've found a political issue we agree on)

Marjorie said...

Tami, It was not a gated community there were no guards or signs saying "private property". It was a public road. Which is why it made me so angry. I have the right to stand, jump, walk, ride a tricycle, or Zumba there on that PUBLIC road if I want to.

Places like lakes and beaches and mountainous scenery should be for everyone. I get that people have their homes there, but I was not on their particular stretch of private property. So the city and those particular richies can pucker up and kiss my...

So I guess this was my small protest: to actually park, stop, and stand where I was not welcome or wanted.

So I AM in agreement with you, Tami.

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

This was most interesting to read, here a while ago the Government wanted to sell some of the beautiful forests we have in the area where the horses, donkeys, sheep and others roam freely.
There was uproar so they gave in on that.

Thanks for coming my way lovely to hear from you
and hope all is well.

Yvonne.

ViolaNut said...

I may be wrong here, but as far as I know stopping, standing and parking ALL refer to vehicles. They can't do a buggery thing about standing on your FEET unless it's private property and posted "No Trespassing". And since I know you can't drive, I think you're safe. ;-)

Marjorie said...

Vehicles can stand? Well, My mom did drive me over there. So she and her car were there and waiting for me. Still seems pretty silly. I still have a feeling they were referring to people at any rate. Undesirables who have the misfortune to not be rich.

Arlee Bird said...

"Standing" is a term for vehicles that are waiting--as in a cab stand, which is where a taxi would sit and wait for fares. This sign would not refer to a person standing--they couldn't prevent a person from just standing there unless it was a restricted property and they wouldn't put up a public sign to prevent anyone from standing on private property. Contact the highway department if you think their is a problematic issue and maybe they can give you the reasoning behind the signs.

What I'm wondering is what is in the second to the last photo? I can't make it out. It looks like construction equipment or a train locomotive.

Lee
Tossing It Out

Marjorie said...

Lee- Thing is, I have never seen another one of these signs around town. Not one. All of the signs like this I have seen are on this road. The second to last photo is an excavator.

Stephen T. McCarthy said...

MARJORIE ~
Good for you, my rebellious friend!

Back in my youth, when I was hanging out with this sort of "drinking gang" (referring to ourselves as The League Of Soul Crusaders), we often ran across signs and rules and authority figures attempting to restrict our movement and behavior.

We had a slogan that answered all of that, and it went like this:

"WE DO WHAT WE WANT!"

And we did.

"Wish you were there".

~ Stephen
"As a dog returns to his own vomit,
so a fool repeats his folly."
~ Proverbs 26:11

Marjorie said...

Stephen- Maybe I should adapt your slogan to "I do what I want!"

Hope you don't mind. Haha!

Stephen T. McCarthy said...

It served us well, and now it's all yours, my friend. Use it in good health!
;o)

~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'

DiscConnected said...

Marjorie-

I recommend you file a complaint.

Obviously, whoever put that sign up did, in fact, stop, park and stand while doing so.

"Do this, don't do that
Can't you read the sign?"

Larry

Marjorie said...

Disc- haha! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

Anonymous said...

You rebel. You're lucky a helicopter didn't pop up suddenly with a loud speaker saying "Get back in your car, no loitering. You have 2 seconds to comply." and they are brandishing an automatic weapon. :)

Sandi
http://www.ahhsome.wordpress.com