One person's parking problem has escalated into an alleged death threat against a teenager.
Two weeks ago, Tobi Lysyk noticed a car parked right in front of her driveway. She lives close to Albert Lacombe School and is no stranger to delinquent parkers. Her family ignored the problem for the first few years and then they started to leave notes for the drivers. Then they called city bylaw enforcement to leave warnings.
After one vehicle was ticketed, the problem took a dark turn.
"She just parked in front of our driveway. We waited. Normally, we wait just to see if they're quickly in and out but this wasn't quick. We called RCMP and they asked if we wanted to ticket and we said, 'Yes.' They asked if we wanted to tow and we said 'No.' (The car) sat there for an hour before she came out," Lysyk said.
When the driver returned to the vehicle with her own young children, Lysyk's 14-year-old son was in the garage working on a bicycle. The driver noticed the ticket and communicated with the young man.
"She apparently saw the ticket and then yelled at him, 'What house number is this?' He held his fingers up (to indicate the house number) and she said, 'I'm putting a hit out on you.' And that was it. She drove away. And it was quite the little speed away. That was quite the reaction we got."
She added that her husband was outside as well and heard the threat. Her son was stunned by the comment.
Lysyk spoke to the St. Albert RCMP to track down the ticketed driver.
Const. Laurel Kading said the matter is still under investigation, and that they are first working to confirm the nature of the statement that was made.
Lysyk and her family hope that they've heard the last of this and don't have to face the wrath of frustrated illegal parkers. The problem, she said, is that there isn't enough parking for people. They're in a rush and they panic and make mistakes, she said.
She gets it but added that they have simply had quite enough, as have their neighbours. She noted that next time someone parks in front of her driveway, she would simply get the vehicle towed.
Parking frustrations
Joe Gierulski lives close by and shares her frustration. He also shares many of the same experiences, although not to the same extreme. There have been altercations with some people, some of which shed even more light on the level of frustration that can be experienced on both sides of the issue.
His driveway was blocked by one driver who balked when he asked her to move. He said that she flipped him "a not-so-friendly middle finger gesture and sped off. In the school zone, almost tires squealing," he said. The dangerous driving shocked him.
Another driver let her dog out of the vehicle. "The dog got out, pooped on my lawn … and she didn't do anything to pick it up. By the time I had gotten outside, her kids were getting into the vehicle and she had taken off," Gierulski said.
Other drivers leave their cigarette butts and many don't even stop at the stop signs. One of his neighbours reportedly had his vehicle hit in his driveway by someone who pulled in too fast. The damage reportedly cost the homeowner a few thousand dollars.
Gierulski ended by noting that he accepts that moving into a school zone would mean an increased amount of traffic but that motorists should mind their manners.
"The challenge I have is parents that disrespect the neighbourhood that they're in. I know that their kids' school is there, but I live there. They're parking across intersections, parking across crosswalks… it's unbelievable. It's not uncommon at all. It would be more uncommon for people to abide by the rules of the road in a school zone."
Albert Lacombe's principal Charlene Kushniruk noted that she is aware of the complaint and the frustrations that continue around all schools. She has already sent out a safety flier to all parents of students at her school, encouraging them to be mindful of the law and to be polite to all residents in the area.
"We just really hope that everybody is mindful, first and foremost, of the school community," she said, adding that bylaw officers regularly patrol the area to help keep everyone safe.
Kushniruk said she has asked those parents to be models of good behaviour and to always choose safety over convenience.
Kading couldn't comment on the investigation but stated that drivers must always be considerate to the rules of the road, especially around schools. There are regular complaints from residents in the area.
"We really need to recognize that, although there's a bit of crunch time in getting their kids to school, it's really imperative that parents take the extra time. There's nothing wrong with parking two or three blocks away and walking your child. If you plan that into your day, it's actually a good time for some conversation with your kid about the day, find out what's going on."
