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from The Ethicist, New York Times Magazine (thanks rick )
Dear Ethicist,
I live in San Francisco, where car owners who park on sidewalks are rarely
ticketed, and even more rarely towed. Navigating sidewalks can get tricky
at times.
I know the ethical way to deal with something I find odious is to work to change
the system and make it better. Several years ago, I helped form a pedestrian
advocacy group, and I do a lot of volunteer work with them. Still, change takes
time, and despite our efforts, the problem of sidewalk parking remains, though
it's certainly better than it used to be.
I now am in possession of a number of small stickers that list the fine for
parking on the sidewalk with the polemic "Sidewalks are for people, not for
cars." The stickers are vinyl and don't damage paint. Stickering cars (some
would call it vandalism) that block pedestrian space is surely illegal, and it
can make people mad, but is unethical? I'm reminding car owners that parking on
the sidewalk can be costly to them and is unacceptable to their neighbors.
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 16:50:09 -0500
Subject: Re: sidewalk parking
From: Randy Cohen <@earthlink.net>
I think those car owners should count themselves lucky that you
weren't toting a five gallon gas can and a box of matches. OK, I
don't really think that, but I feel it.
I belong to a similar advocacy group here in New York,
Transportation Alternatives, and believe the private car to be a
blight on the landscape, at least the urban landscape, and certainly
the Manhattan landscape, where there is great public transportation
(and only a minority own cars).
To my way of thinking, your actions fall well within the bounds of
free speech. You're vigorously expressing an opinion on a genuine
matter of public policy, and you're not damaging anyone's property.
Legal? Probably not. Ethical? Yes. Even admirable.