What about People Who Pay No Attention at All?

On Saturday, we had a nice big snowstorm here in the Twin Cities. My house had 7" of wet, heavy snow. I shoveled it, but this isn't about me. This is about a phenomenon that I think affects the politics of this country. When it snows, the City of St. Paul (and other cities) declares a snow emergency. When that happens, people have to move their cars off the street to allow the snowplows to clear the streets. It's a big hassle for some people, especially those who live where they have no off-street parking. Such is not the case in my neighborhood, where every house has a driveway and a garage. Those who ignore this and leave their cars on the street end up with them towed to the city impound lot, and retrieving them costs about $200.

The media covers these snow emergencies thoroughly. Even on weekends, every radio station and television station broadcasts the snow emergency declaration and talks about getting cars off the street. The city also sends out emails to everyone who has registered for that service. Plus, it's not like this doesn't happen every time there's a snowstorm. You can't live here without knowing about snow emergencies. The plowing happens in the same way each time, so you'd pretty much have to not be paying attention at all.

So, here's my neighborhood: 1950s houses, almost all owner-occupied. A driveway at every house. So, on my block alone, six cars were towed. Six. What can that mean? Six cars, all in running condition, to my certain knowledge. Our street was plowed a day after the storm, so it wasn't as though it happened suddenly. The snow emergency rules have been the same for the entire 6 years I've lived here. There are half a dozen of these snow emergencies every year. What does it mean?

It means that six people were not paying enough attention to the world around them that they ignored 7" of snow, didn't hear the radio or watch television, and just left their cars on the street. This morning, of course, the teevee news was all about the outrage from people who had to get to the impound lot and cough up a couple hundred bucks to get their car back. Team coverage.

I suppose an argument could be made about the unfairness of all this, but the fact is that if the plows plowed around the cars, the streets would be an even worse mess than they already are over the winter. In Minnesota, the snow on the street stays there all winter if it's not plowed. It slowly turns to rock-hard ice blocks, and is a serious hazard.

Where does politics fit into this? Well, if those people cannot be relied upon even to notice that there's 7" of snow on the street, listen to the radio, read the newspaper, or check their email, what is the chance that they're paying any attention to political issues. So, when things happen that affect them, they're suddenly outraged - just as they are when their car gets towed and costs them money. They take no action by voting, but they're incensed when things don't go their way - just as they're incensed about the city towing their car so the streets can be cleared. Lots of people aren't paying any attention, but they're pissed anyhow. I see this as a real problem, and have no idea what to do about it.

but blew it off in one way or other anyway?

I don't know the answer to that one, but I'm betting they were outraged when their own obstinate stupidity cost them $200. Come to think about it, that sounds like the teabaggers, doesn't it?

I would love to say that is a trait only of repubs...but obstinate stupidity knows no socio-economic, racial, cultural, gender or any other boundaries.

Hell...even this weekend I was being obstinately stupid and the result was a 2 hour argument with Mrs. Rebubula. I lost and I should have...I was being a dick. Happens to all of us. I guess the difference is that most smart people are able to realize that they are being a dick; apologize and try to make things right.

/went to bed with Mrs. R and were a happy couple again.
//Still feel a little bad about it, but it happens.

by towing their cars. However, they would also scream bloody murder if the streets weren't plowed or there were huge ice chucks on the roads. You see, it's only when it affects them personally, whether they are paying attention or not, whether the problems were preventable or not, that they must lash out at the nearest scapegoat - the government, immigrants, liberals, Muslims, Nancy Pelosi, etc. They are ever vigilant about their "self-interest," but haven't a clue about the defining term, "well-understood."


Edit: This post is a reply to post #3 NOT #6

The ones I wonder about are the serial offenders.

People don't think the rules apply to them. But here they plow them in first and give them the ticket....the message is there is no escape. Rules are rules.

streets. What happens then is that the owner shovels just enough snow away to move the car to a spot that was plowed. Then, they leave the pile where it is. The city doesn't plow streets twice, so that pile turns into ice and is unplowable after the next storm. It can get very ugly. I suppose they ignore the ticket, too. I don't know.

WTF...the noise of the plows, cops, & tow truck including the lights & voices. Its happens all over cities & towns. I find these people will then complain about the shitty job the plow guys did.

Sid

In any major urban area, events such as this wil have differing results. Yes, some of your fellow citizens will be negligent, forgetful, and then angry when it costs them. Of course.
But unless you see a person being those things, the sight of the car on the street should not be seen as evidence of those things in particular situations.
In any large city 'emergency' there will be some who can not respond as they should, always. Some will be out of town, some in hospital, some too ill to leave the house or notice what is going on. Some are elderly, and that which they always saw to does not get seen to. A few cars will be there on the street because the owner had died. A few will be attending child births, a few death beds, others might be attending to greater and more personalized emergencies. Attending to their business, which might not be your business at all.
In some neighborhoods, if a nieghbor does not do that which is being called for, others check to see if they are able to, if they are aware of it, if they need help. That is one way to do it.
I heard many people to my right foist similar conclusions after Katrina, about the many people who failed to evacuate.

but here you learn snow emergencies are absolute when you are a kid. Even if you have a personal emergency you or someone you ask has to move your car, period. Otherwise emergency vehicles would not be able to get into residential neighborhoods after the first snowstorm. Neighbors do help neighbors.

I have one sister and now her kids who are oblivious and who always get towed the first snowstorm (even when Mom called her to remind her) and always are sore about it. This year however, my folks are no longer alive to bail them out at the end of the month when their money runs out because they could not think past their Xbox, new movie or partying.

It is the same with clearing sidewalks. You are responsible for clearing them or the elderly, disabled and kindergartners are at risk of injury from a fall or unable to get to the bus line to get to work, school or the grocery store. It is survival.

You either find a way to get it done, pay the fine or move to Florida. My kids always shoveled sidewalks and driveways for elderly neighbors with or without a couple dollars compensation.

a snow emergency and they haven't moved their vehicles. I don't do that for the entire neighborhood, though, or even my entire block. I don't know everyone on my block or neighborhood, so I rely on their nearby neighbors to handle that, as I do for my nearby neighbors.

I also take care of snow removal for a couple of elderly neighbors who can't do it themselves, and my other neighbors and I have a friendly competition to see who gets the sidewalks clear first. I'm usually first, so I clear about six houses worth of sidewalks with my snow blower before anyone else gets started. On the other hand, if I can't because I'm sick or something, I know my neighbors will handle it.

But, I'm not able to do the whole block. There are limits.

and become one of the willfully ignorant.

That makes a lot of sense, eh? Uff da!

I went through a N.Dakota winter and the ice after the plowing was horrible. I don't know how people can live like that!

I like my nice temperate weather here in S. Texas. I stay indoors during july and august, but other than that - the weather is fine.

storm. I have no idea. I could put four cars in my driveway. I only have two, though. I never park on the street, it's too damned narrow anyhow, and I don't want to wake up to some drunken moron slamming into my car or finding flat tires when the dumbass teenager up the street decides to slash everyone's tires as a prank.

I don't know why people don't park in their driveways, but it's none of my business. If they don't during a snow emergency, they're stupid.

As for living here, Winter's just not that big a deal. You deal.

by the city. Then go on to complain how there is too much government in their lives and make money off the people by towing their cars!!!

But conveniently omit the fact that the city is also the ones that plow the streets and fund it partially via morons like the people stated in your article.

But that is beside the point of or OP.

There are people that will just never learn. Will never care enough, will not pay attention regardless of how often they are told and will continue to blame everyone for their stupidity.

Those are the ones the tea party ball lickers refer to as "real Americans". Because they let their lack of knowledge and stupidity to be the determining factor in all their half-witted decisions regardless of how it will bode for them or for the people around them. Because THAT is the ultimate form of "Independence". LOL