Author Topic: Does anyone know if it's legal to park at this spot (pic)?  (Read 1178 times)

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Offline 1995hoo

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Been meaning to inquire about this one for a while. When DC lowered South Capitol Street during the construction of Nationals Park, they truncated Q Street SW so that it ends at a metal railing just west of South Capitol Street. But they left most of the pavement behind. See picture below. Does anyone know if these cars are legally parked? The way you get into there is by driving over an asphalt area behind that tree (or by driving over the curb if you don't care about your suspension). I assume it's probably illegal given that it's public property that is no longer part of the street system, but I'm curious whether anyone knows. Seems like a possible good way to park for free right across the street from the ballpark, but I'd rather not roll the dice on a ticket (or, worse, a tow to Blue Plains) to find out whether it's legit.

The picture was taken at the corner of South Capitol Street and Potomac Avenue* looking southwest with the ballpark behind me.

*Or Potomac Street or even Potomac Avenue Street, depending on which street sign around the ballpark you believe. The sign at First and Potomac SE does indeed say "Potomac Ave St"!  :roll:


Offline mitlen

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Not to be a smarta** but in the District it's all a crapshoot.   I've parked illegally and never been ticketed/towed and I've been in a legal spot, come back and the car is gone.   It depends on the LEO and how he/she is feeling that day.   Of course, I got an apology after going to the ticket adjudicator.

Offline CALSGR8

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Any signs around the place that says NO PARKING OR CARS WILL BE TOWED?

Offline PowerBoater69

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The safest bet is to stick to lined spots, but I've heard that people have been ticketed even there.  I parked down the street in a location with no lines but also no No Parking signs and got towed along with a bunch of other people.  The tickets are only $20 and if you do get towed they leave your car on the street a couple blocks away so it's somewhat worth the risk to avoid the $15 fee at the gravel lot.

Offline mitlen

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Surely we have an LEO or retired on the board.   I google mapped the location and it looks like the spot in front of the cement business.    Looks like a business area to me and if the street isn't marked (per CAL), I don't think they'd bother you.    May want to give it a second look at night.    If you google the location and zoom in, it looks OK but as PB mentions and I said earlier.   It's a crap shoot.

Online blue911

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Been meaning to inquire about this one for a while. When DC lowered South Capitol Street during the construction of Nationals Park, they truncated Q Street SW so that it ends at a metal railing just west of South Capitol Street. But they left most of the pavement behind. See picture below. Does anyone know if these cars are legally parked? The way you get into there is by driving over an asphalt area behind that tree (or by driving over the curb if you don't care about your suspension). I assume it's probably illegal given that it's public property that is no longer part of the street system, but I'm curious whether anyone knows. Seems like a possible good way to park for free right across the street from the ballpark, but I'd rather not roll the dice on a ticket (or, worse, a tow to Blue Plains) to find out whether it's legit.

The picture was taken at the corner of South Capitol Street and Potomac Avenue* looking southwest with the ballpark behind me.

*Or Potomac Street or even Potomac Avenue Street, depending on which street sign around the ballpark you believe. The sign at First and Potomac SE does indeed say "Potomac Ave St"!  :roll:

(Image removed from quote.)

If you can't legally drive to the spot, you can't legally park there.

Offline mitlen

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If you can't legally drive to the spot, you can't legally park there.

Didn't wanna call you out but glad you saw this.

Offline PANatsFan

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The safest bet is to stick to lined spots, but I've heard that people have been ticketed even there.  I parked down the street in a location with no lines but also no No Parking signs and got towed along with a bunch of other people.  The tickets are only $20 and if you do get towed they leave your car on the street a couple blocks away so it's somewhat worth the risk to avoid the $15 fee at the gravel lot.


Tow truck drivers might, y'know, mess up your car. Maybe you drive  a crapbox and it doesn't matter.

Offline PowerBoater69

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Tow truck drivers might, y'know, mess up your car. Maybe you drive a crapbox and it doesn't matter.

I got towed last month, no damage done.

Offline epic_phalanx

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I got towed last month, no damage done.

I got to my car as it was being towed, and it came off the truck with a flat tire.

Offline 1995hoo

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If you can't legally drive to the spot, you can't legally park there.

This was my hunch and is one reason I thought I'd ask if anyone knows. To respond to CALSGR8, no, there are no signs at all, which is why I wondered about it. Had there been "No Parking" signs, I wouldn't have needed to ask. The one thing about what blue911 notes is that it's not readily apparent whether it's illegal to drive over the asphalt area behind the tree, but because of the metal barrier across the street my gut tells me that it is. That's one reason I didn't take the chance.

I've found a legal place to park for free, or for minimal metered rates, so I think I'll stick to that. Thanks to all who replied. I guess my general rule of thumb in the District—if you have any doubt, don't park there—is probably still the best way to go.