A D V E R T I S E M E N T
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
Tim Hohl / KPAM 860
Duct tape and spray paint along Northeast Weidler Street in the days after the 2007 Grand Floral Parade.
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The practice of using duct tape to mark your territory along the Grand Floral Parade route could be banned next month.
Portland City Commissioner Randy Leonard told KPAM 860 on Thursday that the Portland City Council will vote on a proposal on March 12.
A work group discussed the plan for six months. It would eliminate the marking off of spots with duct tape or anything else while adding portable restrooms along the parade route, as well as reserved areas for people with disabilities and for senior citizens.
“We’re just gonna try to make it a more pleasurable, enjoyable experience than what it’s been in the past,” Leonard said. “The problem is that in the past that people would show up as early as 5 a.m., stake out a spot only to have somebody come up at 9 a.m. and tell them they're standing in the spot that they reserved a week ago with tape ... nobody owns the sidewalk.”
Leonard said last June that he got the idea for the duct tape ban after he was interviewed by KPAM 860 morning show host Bob Miller.
“Bob said ‘while I’ve got you ... what do you think about people who tape off their little spots on the sidewalk for the…parade?’ I said ‘Bob, I’ve never been asked that before but I’m really glad you asked. I think that that is absolutely boorish behavior and I think it should be stopped,’” Leonard said.
Leonard said after that, he heard from many people who agreed with him, so he decided to introduce his ordinance.
He expects a unanimous vote in favor of the plan.
It is ludicrous to expect that because one has duct taped an area of the sidewalk that it is somehow reserved. What are the logically enforceable criteria? Ten square feet per person? One hundred square feet? One hour before parade time, or one week before parade time? One folding chair per three linear feet of curb, or two lawn chairs and an empty pup tent for a clan-sized lot? There is an expression that possession is nine points of the law; therefore, "If you're not there, sit elsewhere". People, especially Oregonians, are reasonable and considerate. If an area with chairs and such is being reserved by a person or a number of persons relative to the space being reserved, most would not mind. But to expect that because someone came out days earlier and spent five minutes putting duct tape on an area somehow protects it against people actually out in the morning of Parade Day is ridiculous.
(email verified)
Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 02:14 PM
Steve:
Ridiculous as it may seem, that's been going on for certainly the 25 years or so I've lived in PDX and the surrounding area (which is one of several reasons why I've only attended one such parade in those years). Most people, when confronted by the "reserver" would move along. As far as what basis of enforcement is - it is the same one you'd use if your idea of reserving space with chairs was adopted. If you have a chair with no one in it, who's to stop me from moving it out of my way and taking that space besides public scorn?
(email verified)
Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 11:11 PM
maybe we can duct tape the pot holes.or better yet,Leonard's pie hole.
(email verified)
Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 11:27 PM
I think this issue has been misunderstood by newcomers to our weird city.
Duct tape for parade sightseers is a long-standing tradition in Portland, one of the odd actions which makes our city different from Los Angeles, where I suspect many of these conformists come from.
If you can't abide unfairness, and you want to regulate behavior, it's far more sensible to tax the behavior. Revenue from fees for duct tapers would provide for parade clean up costs, police overtime costs, barricades, etc. while maintaining crowd control at the event.
(email verified)
Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 11:33 PM
Just because it's old doesn't mean it's right. In the old days, you could smoke in the work place and last time I looked, no one does that anymore.
Get rid of the duct tape. You can't reserve public space...if you want a spot, camp out. If you don't take your chances with the rest of us...
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 12:18 AM
Pull up the duct tape when you see it, sit anywhere there is an opening! People in this town seem to think duct tape is a unmoveable object, pull it up and sit down...........there is no need to waste time on a city law. Geez, you Califorians are strange!
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 12:34 AM
You folks seem to have selective memory. The tradition of camping out to reserve a spot is decades old. It is only recently that folks have gotten lazy and simply marked a spot only to leave and return days later.
It's just like camping out for concert tickets. The die hards get rewarded.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 01:06 AM
It's stupid, wasteful, and going away. Portland has been dumping raw sewage in the Willamette for decades as well, should we keep that tradition? Get over it, it's going away and you will be fined if you try it.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 01:19 AM
Smell Bad Randy should run for sheriff, with all that law enforcement he espouses.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 01:48 AM
Camping out is good, and a long-standing tradition ! Duct tape, the way it's been handled in the past few years is bad !
That said, I'm not happy that Randy Leonard and our City Council are spending so much time on this issue, though. We have real problems and issues that need to be dealt with. The City Council seems to run around in circles over some issues like this and leave things like hiring enough police and paving streets on the sidelines. When will they start paying attention to what the city government is actually responsible for, and what we're paying our taxes for them to take care of?
This "decision" could have been handled quickly and decisively a long time ago. And why wasn't it? The actual desicion WAS made a long time ago, and whether people like it or not, guess what . . . the duct tape is going away. No big surprise, so why drag this out for a year or more??
And the City Council could have turned this into a win-win by charging people a reservation fee to reserve space before a certain time. The money could have been used for police overtime during the parade, and could have been used for clean-up costs after the parade. And areas could have been set-aside for "no reservations." Some people in City Hall can't think outside the box.
After all this "work" on this issue, will we see front-page screaming headlines "DUCT TAPE IS OUT" in a week or so? Talk about pondering and massaging an issue to death.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 02:16 AM
Now THIS is an issue appropriate for the council to decide. How nice that they have taken a break from dreaming up new taxes and silly ways to spend taxpayers' money.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 02:24 AM
Other Steve,
Are Californians to blame for everything? Did you ever notice that its not just Californians who have moved to Portland? I know what it is, you just have to blame someone else for everything. Its always someone else's fault.
And on this issue, plenty of native Oregonians have spoke out in support of the ban. Its not just one group who think the ban is a good idea.
Grow up. Loser.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 02:41 AM
I am not a newcomer to this city. I have lived here all of my 56 years and duct taping is NOT a tradition! We would get up early on parade day and get ourselves downtown to find a favorite spot. No duct tape, no empty chairs padlocked to street signs, no chalk marks. Everyone just showed up with blankets and lawn chairs the morning of the parade and we all shared the space happily. We have not been to a parade in years since people started with the duct tape.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 03:33 AM
When Randy Leonard says "... nobody owns the sidewalk” he puts his finger on the real problem. It's call the Tragedy of the Commons. If nobody owns it, (or he might just as well have said "we all own it") then we have no way of allocating scarce space on parade day. 364 days a year there is plenty of sidewalk space for everybody. Only on parade day is the space scarce. Economics allocates scarce space through a pricing system, as some commenters mention above. For some reason, Portlanders are too good (or too ignorant) to use economics to solve such problems. What a shame...
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 03:34 AM
Duct taping has existed for at least a decade--that's how long I've lived in the state.
As long as we're talking myths how about this one from Randy: "The problem is that in the past that people would show up as early as 5 a.m., stake out a spot only to have somebody come up at 9 a.m. and tell them they're standing in the spot that they reserved a week ago with tape ... nobody owns the sidewalk.”
Does this really happen? I've been going to the parade for eight years and never have seen this happen.
This is a solution in search of a problem. All of the whining from the Merc about this issue wasn't even from people who attend the parade.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 04:02 AM
Personally, I'd just show up and not honor the tape. Simple.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 04:44 AM
I'll echo what SL said above. I've lived in Portland for most of my 49 years and duct tape is not a tradition. The tradition is to either show up early and claim your space with your feet or show up later and watch the parade from wherever you can. I have seen people claim and defend "their spot", although most would probably let selfish people get their way rather than challenge them.
The idea that people can stake a claim to the sidewalk is ugly and selfish. Marking off the sidewalk as private property needs to end.
Plus, the tape, chalk and paint those people leave behind is an ugly reminder of an ugly attitude that lasts for weeks after the event.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 05:11 AM
maybe we can duct tape,,,,,or better yet,Leonard's pie hole.
Now that would be a sight.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 05:40 AM
I will be organizing bands of people like myself who are against duct tape to rip up any and all duct tape that is put down. So unless you plan on camping out to guard your duct tape, don't expect it to be there when you return.
I will also encourage all parade goers to NOT honor any duct tape you find put down if you are physically there to claim the spot.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 05:42 AM
"I will also encourage all parade goers to NOT honor any duct tape..."
A problem with that plan is that it involves confrontations out on the street which most people are not going to want to participate in. That is why I would prefer a simple and clear statement from the city that calling dibs on the sidewalk is not condoned.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 06:12 AM
Here is a simpler solution, just ban parades.
Portland Tribune: Thanks for the Earth shaking news.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 06:38 AM
If one can duct tape a spot for watching the parade, does that mean I can duct tape my spot in the very front of the line for when a store releases a highly anticipated item, or even for the after-Thanksgiving sales? Maybe a few spots back from the very front.... I would certainly think not.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 07:06 AM
"BS", sounds like you're doing the same thing you blame me for. If you weren't guilty of duct taping ( and no doubt a Califorian), you wouldn't be foaming at the mouth right now.
Try finding a therapist for your issues..........or move back to your ruined state, you've done enough damage here.
I told you Californians were strange!
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 08:00 AM
I stopped attending the parades nearly 20 years ago for the very reasons Randy Leonard cites as part of his proposal to ban duct tape on the parade route.
The whole concept of "reserving" parade spots is out of control. It goes beyond marking spots with duct tape or paint. Since when it is necessary to re-create a living room on the sidewalk? I've seen sofas, loveseats, easy chairs, etc. set up on the sidewalks before both Rose Festival Parades. I don't care if the stuff is set up 8 hours or 1 hour before the parade: it isn't appropriate for an outdoor street event. The sidewalks and the streets are PUBLIC property, not intended for private use.
Let's go back to the way it was years ago when folks exercised common courtesy and brought only a minimum amount of "stuff" to the parade: lawn chairs, blanket, small cooler. Or, they went without any creature comforts, and rode the bus downtown and stood on the sidewalk.
And, people didn't go to the parade expecting to find readily available public restrooms, let alone City-funded porta-potties. Folks planned ahead. They didn't drink a "big gulp" or a giant cup of coffee beforehand, as they accepted the fact that restroom availability was not guaranteed. Restrooms in businesses were reserved for customers only.
The problem today is: nobody is accustomed to "roughing it." Everyone expects to sit in the lap of luxury and be catered to at all times. And, the City of Portland, along with other government agencies and businesses, accommodate these spoiled individuals at every turn.
If people want reserved, cushioned seats for the parade, or want easy access to restrooms: go to the Coliseum and buy a ticket to watch the parade inside the arena. Or, watch the parade on TV at home.
The porta-potties aren't needed. Neither are "reserved" spots on the streets for able-bodied individuals who could stand and watch the parade. Instead, people need to take responsibility for themselves. After all, it is a parade, it is outdoors, and it lasts only 2 hours. Just come downtown and enjoy the parade.
I do agree, however, that reserved areas for senior and disabled citizens are appropriate, considering that most folks are so selfish, rude, and inconsiderate these days. As a result, the City should accommodate those persons, since they have a legitimate need. [Case in point: I have yet to see anyone yield a "priority" seat on a TriMet bus or MAX train to a senior or disabled person who needs it. Instead, some able-bodied person is sitting there while the person who really needs the seat is forced to stand up.]
What's next: adding baggage cars to MAX trains on parade weekends to accommodate the excessive amounts of stuff people bring? Renting U-haul trucks (to haul paradegoers' stuff) to tail every TriMet bus heading downtown for the parade? I hope not. I would advocate a "baggage" limit on buses and on MAX on parade days so the trains can carry as many people as they are designed for. Again, if folks want to be as comfortable sitting alongside the street as they are at home, then stay home and watch the parade on TV.
It's too bad that common courtesy and respectful behavior has become such a foreign concept that the City now has to intervene and tell folks "no more duct tape" and "parade spots are first-come, first-served."
The "me-first" and self-indulgent attitudes so prevalent are the biggest threat to American society today.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 08:48 AM
If you're wanting to claim a spot for the parade a liitle early, I ahve no problem with that. However, you should be IN THE FLIPPIN' SPOT TO CLAIM IT! To attempt to say that "your family has had this spot for years", or "my kids can only see the parade from this spot"...and them be lazy enough to let strips of tape do the work of guarding something so important is not only laughable, but pathetic.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 08:52 AM
People, duct tape does not reserve a spot! It won't kill or bite you in you touch it. Its not made of barbed wire or razor blades.
Reach down and pull it up if its in a spot that you'd like to occupy, end of story.
* Unless you're "BS", then all you can do is whine...
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 09:14 AM
Hay I have an idea.
How about we charge admittance to the parade, make it pay for view on TV. As long as we are going to make viewing the parade probably unpleasant why not go whole hog with it.
Randy we know your reading this, just do it.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 10:25 AM
How amazing, this thing of duct taping the area you want to sit your lazy butt on.
I am 56, born and raised in the city of Roses. I played music in 4 Rose Festival parades, and enjoyed playing to the enjoyment of those who went. But since 1971 I have not attended a parade just for the reason of this duct taping. Are people really that flippen stupid, to think that because they mark their area for the parade, it automatically becomes theirs? how stupid. Its like a cat pissing on the carpet and telling his owners that they shouldnt come sit there in their delared territory.
Society has changed, and i must say for the worst. This whole world is all about each individual. no one cares about there neighbors.
Parades are events that bring out the youth of one another. Its an event to make you happy, and feel good about life. After the parade, you are supposed to end up at the fun center, spend money and have a good time. I havent been to the fun center since 1984, because of the drugs, and assaults, and petty thieves. Once these organizers, and police begin to make this a family event, then i might go again.
But the duct tape thing is stupid, and the people who take their time to mark their territory is wasting their time for something that would be more fun. remove he duct tape, and enjoy the parade.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 10:36 AM
The last time I checked any line at a civic event, it was fist come, first served. I hate Leonard and every thing he stands for and am the first one to say he needs to go, but who gives the right to some "lop" the right to stake out out a claim on a public right of way with duct tape? Not in anyones book or any civil law that I could find...
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 07:58 PM
I'm with Sl, Jerry 2 and B.G. of PDX....been here for 60 years and I was only recently aware of this, "....long standing tradition....". Portland, when you arrive on parade day take any spot that is open, that is the longer standing tradition.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 11:05 PM
Other Steve,
Did I blame you? No. I simply pointed out your need to blame everyone else. And your attitude of "move back" screams of that. Guess what Steve its a free country and I, and anyone else, can live where I want too. And I don't care if you like it or not. I simply am pointing out who the biggest whiner is, and that would be you because you have to blame everyone else.
A large number of people, including native Oregonians, support the ban. Duct taping is not a tradition and it should be banned.
Grow up. And if you don't like the fact that people move to Portland to bad, I guess you're going to be unhappy.
(email verified)
Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 11:14 PM
I moved out of Portland about ten years ago. Is there a town on earth with more screwed up priorities? How much tax payer money do they waste on trivial stuff like this? Anyone remember the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent to research capping I-405 to build a park? A park that no doubt would have been filled by drug addicts and junkies given it's location. Oh wait, lets spends tens of thousands of dollars of tax payers money to change street names. Hey how about the yellow bike program? You know, the ones that all ended up in the river and the lower burnside area with the transients. Portland is appropriately named as the Rose City because the overly liberal politicians and residents view the world through rose colored glasses. Portland is so screwed up and I can't tell you how happy I am to be a resident of Clackamas County. At least I know my money is spent for real improvements.
(email verified)
Sun, Feb 24, 2008 at 07:00 AM
Governor McCall said it best, To the California people many years ago, come visit but don't stay. The parade many, many years ago you didn't camp out, or ducted tape a point. You came Saturday morining and founded a spot to sit and enjoy the parade. I stopped coming to the parade because I wasn't going to camp out for something that the old timers just got up Saturday morning and founded a spot a enjoyed the parade. Then I noticed people were roping off areas, sitting out chairs, duct taping the sidewalks and streets. Then I stopped going; then I decided to duct tape too. The good days was when you could just find a spot and sit down Saturday morning.
(email verified)
Sun, Feb 24, 2008 at 11:17 AM
"...I can't tell you how happy I am to be a resident of Clackamas County..."
And I can't tell you how happy I am that you are a resident of Clackamas County.
(email verified)
Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 03:51 AM
Lame handi"capable" and senior citizens get special seating why can't they be like the rest of us and suck it up and look for a spot itn he morning hours. They already get better parking.
Good to see the city's hitting the important issues.
How's that crime rate coming?
(email verified)
Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 04:58 AM
i found the best place to watch the parade is at least 2 story parking lot garage. Awesome view from up there. No reservation is needed.
(email verified)
Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 06:03 AM
"And I can't tell you how happy I am that you are a resident of Clackamas County."
Koombyya Hippie ;)
Portland liberals are the best entertainment!
(email verified)
Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 09:14 AM
When duct tape is banned........only criminals will have duct tape
(email verified)
Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 12:35 PM
Remember people it's not Right vs Left.
It's Right vs Wrong.....
(email verified)
Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 01:50 PM
The Yellow Bike program was not a city initiative and no tax money was spent on it. It was done by a group of bike enthusiasts who wanted to promote alternative transportation. Yes, the bikes eventually ended up in private hands, but this was expected and it still furthered the intent of the project.
(email verified)
Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 04:11 PM
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Re: Duct tape ban up for vote next month
Wow, Randy Leonard is a real whirl wind city councilman. Duct tape, spray paint........real social issues, lol!
"Downtown Downer"
(email verified)
Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 01:30 PM