Urban Elitism

I have lived within 2.5 miles of downtown since I first planted roots in Denver in 1998. Bike commuting from the get go, embracing the walkability of our climate and my chosen proximity to life’s necessity. I can get a bit (actually, a lot) high and mighty about my urban lifestyle, choosing small spaces over three car garages and good school districts. Going to Sputnik for dinner versus Chili’s. Often I catch myself doing this and just laugh. We are all just trying to get by and reacting to our own situations, so if someone wants a long commute in the name of square footage, so be it. Yet, there are some things you cannot turn your back on; such as parallel parking.

The photo above? Not staged. The driver pulled in, Aleka and I chuckled at the misguided first attempt, and then froze in horror as the driver hopped out and walked off. That was their parking job. I have access to a VW GTI that I could fit between that Subaru and the curb. No telling where this person took their drivers’ education, but parallel parking was obviously not on the curriculum.

I am not alone in the importance of parallel parking. I now have several friends, you know who you are, who take great pride in their parallel parking. The moment the car goes in reverse we all go silent, a great judgment being cast forth in those moments of quiet, as we wait and see if they will need to start over, straighten out, or hit the holy grail, in one fell swoop effortlessly find their wheels kissing the curb and bumpers equidistant from the nearest cars. I always root against them, but then again, I am an urban snob, who is not quite in remission.