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"I'll just be a minute"

"I'll just be a minute"

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
July 25, 2012

What do you suppose people think about, when they stop in a crosswalk, in a Fire lane, and right under a No Parking sign? Or don't they?

The driver of this vehicle dropped by the Woodstock Jewel-Osco on Tuesday night about 8:00PM and parked, leaving someone in the passenger seat and the engine running, to keep the passenger cool no doubt. Her "minute" was more than ten.

If there had been a fire call last night, would the first engine have just bumped up against the rear bumper and pushed the car forward? Or if there had been a police-response emergency and 2-3 police cars had arrived, would this car have been in the way?

Many communities have Vehicular Control Agreements with shopping centers to allow police to enforce traffic laws on the shopping center's private property. And, in fact, Woodstock has a few of the Agreements. There was even one at the old Jewel store, before it moved a couple of blocks north and to the east side of the street to its current location.

But the City has refused to complete one on the new property on the northeast corner of Route 47 and Country Club Road, now home to Jewel-Osco, Hallmark, Golden Eagle Community Bank, Papa Murphy's Pizza, other small stores and, soon, the new Panera Bread.

Not sure what the reluctance is. Probably just that I reminded them that there is no Agreement there.

Maybe I should encourage the City not to enter into such Agreement. Then it would probably be struck within 30 days.