FMFats has an eye-witness account…

…around 11:00 this morning a couple of motorcycle cops escorted a truck and trailer down Commerce to Ponce. On the trailer was a blond in a convertible Mini-Cooper and a film crew shooting the front of the car. Is this more “Drop Dead Diva” filming or is there something else going on in Decatur?

Anyone else see or know anything about this?

From all the reports of filming we’ve heard from around the area, it really seems like they’re utilizing the Decatur/Atlanta area for much of this show.  Such exposure speaks volumes for that elusive Decatur “character” we’re always so eager and willing to protect, regardless of the show’s quality.

Chris sends along this AP article about a debate in D.C. and other major U.S. cities that sounds all too familiar.  A must read for all the 315 West Ponce fanatics out there!

Here’s the money quote…

Some cities have switched directions altogether, replacing the minimum requirement with a cap on the maximum allowable number of parking spaces. London and San Francisco began making the shift decades ago. San Francisco is currently considering extending the new approach to more neighborhoods.

Activists say too much parking is required even in New York City, particularly outside Manhattan. In August, a coalition of environmental groups said existing parking minimums would boost traffic and cancel out much of the expected improvements from the city’s green initiatives.

The D.C. proposal would eliminate minimum parking requirements with some exceptions. Caps on parking would also be established.

In old D.C. neighborhoods like Capitol Hill and Georgetown, where parking is scarce, opponents of the change fear that if new homes don’t provide off-street spots, competition for on-street parking will worsen.

I guess in the mass-transit starved land that is Atlanta, shared parking is our version of parking caps.

And the question ultimately becomes, do we as a city want to remain progressive in terms of future transit options (outlined in the community trans plan) or should we follow in the footsteps of our predecessors and continue to cater to the considerable outside pressures of the almighty auto?

In case you thought you’d go out and grab some gas at lunch today, about a trillion other people had the exact same idea.

The AJC is reporting no gas and/or long lines this morning just north of Decatur (not to mention everywhere else)…

Overnight deliveries replenished supplies, at least partially, at some stations that were closed Sunday. But others remained dry. And some that did have fuel, like the Shell station at Clairmont and North Decatur roads near Decatur, were running out as cars lined up during the morning rush hour.

“I should be out, maybe before noon,” said manager Andy Jiw, shortly after putting a bag over another nozzle. By 7:30 a.m., cars were lined up five and six deep behind the only two pumps with gas.

Maureen McCarthy, who lives near Emory University, waited in line as the needle on her fuel gauge hovered at empty. She was late for work.

“It’s a nightmare,” she said. “I’ve gone to four different stations. When I saw this one I was like ‘Hallellelujah.’”

So much for waiting for the panic to end before buying…I’m down to 1/4 of a tank.  Luckily, I can take MARTA tomorrow.

Over at Peach Pundit, there’s an interesting discussion of whether Sonny’s price-gouging prohibition is contributing to the problem by interrupting the law of supply-and-demand.

Decatur’s rather fortuitous Car-Free day is this Wednesday.

altmod writes in with concerns about the city’s public recycling cans…

The last three times we’ve been up to the Square we’ve had items we wanted to recycle (glass bottles from grabbing a drink at CVS, plastics, etc.). We noticed that some of the garbage cans have “recycling” on them now. We were very excited. However, since they look exactly like the other garbage cans except a small “recycling” sign (no logo or anything), we noticed they were full of garbage and also hard for us to distinguish when we were looking for them.

I think the city would find the recycling program is more effective if the garbage cans that are now recycling cans were either a different color or had more noticeable signage (really both). Ideally they would also have small signs that explain what people can recycle because we heard people fighting over whether they were just for cans or if they were for all the same items that Decatur collects curbside. People want to recycle and they are willing to do it. But if they don’t know what the “right” thing to do is, they quickly give up. When we don’t “do it right” we impede our own efforts.

Anyone got some blue spraypaint?