Our View: Don't chance it on winter parking

This week’s snow reminded us that it’s time to shift into winter mode. That means we need to wear our hats and mittens, get out our brooms and shovels, and keep our cars off the streets at night.

From Nov. 1 until March 31, in Cloquet, cars cannot be parked on the streets or in alleys between midnight and 6 a.m. In Esko, it’s prohibited between 4 and 7 a.m., and in Carlton, the hours are 3 to 6 a.m.

Overnight parking in the winter has been prohibited for many years and should not be much of a surprise to most of us. But a nice reminder about this time of year that may help you avoid a ticket, or worse, a tow.

Cars parked on the streets during the overnight hours are subject to being ticketed and towed. Paying a fine is bad enough. A tow can cost $100 or more.

Sometimes, the overnight police patrols might put an orange reminder sticker on your car, pointing out the restriction. We truly appreciate these neighborly reminders. In larger cities, if the cops are taking the time to put a note on your car, it’s attached to an expensive ticket. So these warnings are a nice perk to living in a small community.

But don’t think you are entitled to one “free” warning before you get a ticket. You’re not. You can be ticketed and towed even if it’s not snowing and no snow is forecast. While it may be inconvenient, we suggest you find off-street parking for your car now, rather than taking a chance on a ticket. And simply pulling up on the boulevard won’t do it. That’s prohibited because that’s where the snow goes when the plows come through.

This is also a good time to remind residents that it’s their responsibility to keep the sidewalks cleared in front of residences. While many of us wish the city would do it, it’s just too expensive. And, please don’t plow snow onto public streets: it’s dangerous and illegal.

With the inevitable snow coming our way, we hope this reminder helps everyone get around safely this winter.