MOVE FOR SNOWPLOWS

The city deserves credit for dealing with drivers who leave their vehicles in prominently marked snow routes when parking bans are in place. The designated roads are identified by blue signs featuring a snowflake, leaving no uncertainty by now that after periods of heavy snowfall, vehicles should be removed to allow snowplows to get on with their important work.

The Calgary Parking Authority says that 2,945 tickets were issued earlier this week.

“It’s definitely frustrating that people still don’t understand that they need to move their vehicles off of the snow routes and stay off of them, but the numbers are pretty comparable to the last event,” said Kevin Bulmer, enforcement co-ordinator for the Calgary Parking Authority.

That many Calgarians haven’t grown accustomed to the snow route parking bans — or choose to ignore them — is unfortunate. Most people have better uses for their hard-earned money than needlessly paying a penalty to the city.

Still, the city should continue its efficient enforcement, and when possible, tow the vehicles of those who refuse to heed common sense. What point is there in deploying snowplows if the operators are unable to do their job — that the equipment has to weave around vehicles that shouldn’t be cluttering the streets?

The result is delays in getting the job done and windrows left in the middle of the street that leave the task half finished and create a hazard for drivers and pedestrians who follow.

The city does a good job of publicizing the snow route parking bans, but it should be obvious to Calgarians that 24 hours after a substantial snowfall has ended, crews need to make the roads passable. A second parking ban begins at 10 a.m. Saturday and is expected to be in force for 72 hours.

There’s no advantage to hampering the work of city workers and ending up with your vehicle barricaded behind a wall of snow.

The fine for violating the ban is $75, but the penalty drops to $40 if the ticket is paid within 10 days. The price is $50 if the ticket is paid within 30 days. If tickets go unpaid, the owners are unable to renew their vehicle registrations, according to the Calgary Parking Authority.

Fines send a potent message to people who disregard a simple obligation to their neighbours. The revenue could even be dedicated to supporting or improving snow removal, a task the city invariably gets criticized for, despite its best efforts.

Calgarians often gripe about the quality of their snow removal. The least they can do is make the most of it.