Confusing Parking Signs in Clarendon
This sign is one of many in Clarendon, right around the Metro entrance. Am I reading this right? Is there really no parking any time except certain hours on Wednesdays for market vendors? Or is it supposed to mean no parking on Wednesdays from 12-7 except for market vendors and parking is legal the rest of the time?
I see people parking at these spots all week long, so I would guess these signs are just confusing representations of the real law. Plus, there are meters at all these spots, so it makes sense that the county would want to have the spots in use as much as possible. Does anyone know if I am right on this score? Any Arlington County parking enforcement people reading this blog who can shed some light on the subject?
Maybe it’s because my degree is in writing and editing and I have had years of training and work in picking stuff apart but the signs seem a bit nonsensical.
I would read it as the former: No Parking at any time except on Wednesday afternoons/evenings for market farmers.
They’re legal, except during the 12-7p window on Wednesdays when there’s a farmer’s market in the park there.
I agree with you, Carl, and noticed similar ambiguity in the language on the signs around Old Town this weekend. Why do some sign makers hate prepositions? NO PARKING ON WEDNESDAY or even just reshuffling it to NO PARKING 12-7P WEDNESDAY except farmer’s market vendors would be more clear.
It is VERY confusing, but my take on it is, no one can park there EVER with the exception of Farmers on Wednesdays between 12 and 7pm. I was out with my husband a police officer friend who told us it was ok to park at one of these weird signs and I got a ticket! The cops are even confused.
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That sure is a badly worded sign. I would imagine they mean to say that on Wednesday from 12-7PM only Farmers are allowed to park there. Even if that wording was corrected it is still poor as the Farmer’s market only runs from late May to October.