Downtown.
Everybody who lives in Milwaukee wants people to come Downtown.
One way to do it is to get rid of those damn parking checkers in their little Jeeps with the power to have your car towed.
Thursday night I was downtown for the first night of Bastille Days. It’s a tradition for our family. Same spot. Same foods. Same trip with Papa (that’s me) to get an ice cream cone after dinner.
We got done and I walked west to Broadway and Kilbourn, where I had parked in a no parking zone, along with dozens of other cars.
Much to my surprise, Broadway was empty. My car was gone and so was every other car parked on that street.
So after spending about $50 on cabs I arrived at the Milwaukee tow lot on 38th and Lincoln at 7:30 a.m. Friday morning. I was standing outside. Eleven other people were also there, saying their cars got towed from Bastille Days.
The clerk who took my money said she wouldn’t even bother asking for my title and insurance card because they were going to be swamped with people trying to get their cars back.
I know I parked illegally. Give me a ticket. Make it an expensive ticket. But for God’s sake don’t tow my damn car. Talk about a message that says don’t bother coming down here or you may end up having your car towed.
It was a festival, for God’s sake. Cars were parked all over. Give those checkers instructions to ticket everybody parked illegally. But don’t tow those cars. What you have done is ruined a festival and really pissed people off about Downtown Milwaukee.
Somebody around here needs to have some common sense.
With a history in Milwaukee stretching back decades, Dave tries to bring a unique perspective to his writing, whether it's sports, politics, theater or any other issue.
He's seen Milwaukee grow, suffer pangs of growth, strive for success and has been involved in many efforts to both shape and re-shape the city. He's a happy man, now that he's quit playing golf, and enjoys music, his children and grandchildren and the myriad of sports in this state. He loves great food and hates bullies and people who think they are smarter than everyone else.
This whole Internet thing continues to baffle him, but he's willing to play the game as long as OnMilwaukee.com keeps lending him a helping hand. He is constantly amazed that just a few dedicated people can provide so much news and information to a hungry public.
Despite some opinions to the contrary, Dave likes most stuff. But he is a skeptic who constantly wonders about the world around him. So many questions, so few answers.
