There was yet another article about alternate-side-of-the-street parking in the Times this morning. I think I've been reading these since around the time I started to read.
ASOTS, as I'll call it, is a strange New Yorker ritual that involves moving your car once a week so the city can clean the street next to the curb. Everybody agrees it's a pain in the neck, but nobody can figure out a better way.
Well, there is a better way. And, as an added bonus, it involves various members of City Council taking a junket to Rome, perhaps accompanied by a Deputy Mayor or two.
I was in Rome this spring, and here's what they do. They have a small truck with brushes underneath, to sweep up trash. In addition to a trash bin, the truck has a large water tank, which is attached to a long hose.
There's a two-man crew -- the driver, and the hose guy, who walks between cars and up on on the sidewalk and uses the water flow -- it looks pretty forceful -- to push the solid trash up into the traffic lanes, where the truck gobbles it up. Meanwhile, the water is also washing the street.
I know certain people will object to the two-man crew -- too expensive, they'll say. I say, compared to what? Shall we put a price tag on the inconvenience of ASOTS and match that up against the price of the added man? Maybe it's time for a trip to Rome. I'd be happy to tag along as a consultant.
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