Back in March, the Mayor's office offered reserved spaces for pickup and carryout to every restaurant in the City. For those who weren't open for a while and may have forgotten, all you have to do is call the Mayor's office and they’ll make it happen.
I ordered from a restaurant on lower King St. last night, but when I arrived to pick it up, the whole lower block was crammed with parked cars. The restaurant told me people are ignoring the reserved space notices and parking anyway, even when asked not to. I had to double park, blocking traffic, while the hard-working young man ran my bags to my car, several feet farther down, where I could pull over slightly. I called the police to alert them to this problem and was told they cannot take the complaint from me, even though it is I who is inconvenienced by it. They will only take it from the proprietor. The result here is the City has offered a very nice situation for all of us, businesses and customers, to help our businesses stay in business. But, a few self-centered people ruin it for everyone else, and the police have other things to do.
Please don't park in front of restaurants, posted or not. You all know take out is the only way they can stay in business. If you see someone doing it, give them a kind reminder and hope they will be community spirited. But don't argue with them over it for sure.
Col (ret) Pat Webb
Alexandria