Free-For-All Friday 8/21/15
Decatur Metro | August 21, 2015 | 7:06 amFeel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local topics not yet discussed here over the past week.
Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local topics not yet discussed here over the past week.
Zed
Parker Cross
Parker Cross
Rabbit47
FM Fats
Rabbit47
Cubalibre
At Home in Decatur
hollyannerberry
Steve
Toml
Toml
Throwback Friday? If you’re sick of the old “Mayberry Meets Berkeley” descriptions of Decatur, perhaps we should have done more to propagate the descriptions from this 2009 Guardian article about Decatur…
http://www.decaturmetro.com/2009/01/12/virtual-decatur-rfp-idea-jumps-the-pond/
“Decatur is so Hay-on-Wye meets Oktoberfest, amirite?”
Do you think people describe Berkeley as “Decatur without the Mayberry?”
Hay-on-Wye meets Oktoberfest??!!
Well, Berkeley does have a Farm Burger now… and with the Berkeley Pyramid Alehouse closing recently, I think Decatur beats Berkeley in breweries.
Looking for a reliable handyman(woman) for small household repair jobs, light carpentry.
Agnes Scott College is welcoming its largest first-year class ever today! They are all moving in between 9 and noon, so avoid S. McDonough this morning if you can!
Glad to hear it–I knew that Agnes Scott was worried about their enrollment and has spent a good chunk of their endowment in a bid to revamp the curriculum and do other things to improve the situation, but I hadn’t heard about what their numbers looked like. How big is the entering class?
278! Our previous record was 265.
Excellent.
I am considering buying a scooter for casual use around Decatur on the weekend.
Can anyone out there provide a recommendation based on personal experience?
Is there a minimum cc I should buy?
If I am budget bound and cannot buy a “top of the line” scooter, is there a particular brand I should consider?
Thanks
Go see Bill at Twist N Scoot on Piedmont. He’ll answer your questions and has great choices for what you want to do.
I have a 1968 Lambretta TV175. It’s a labor of love 🙂
Buy a dependable brand. Don’t go for the cheap Chinese bikes. They break down a lot! And they have zero parts availability and mechanics won’t go near them.
They are many reputable bike names. Genuine, Sym, Kymco offer a lot of bang for the buck. Vespa, Piaggio, Honda, Yamaha all make great bikes too.
You can find great deals on Craigslist. Many folks buy them, have a great time and then lose interest. Their loss of interest can be your gain. Just be sure it’s been well maintained. If it is, they can run forever.
The CC question is a matter of application. How are you going to use it? Just around town? Look for a powerful 50CC. If you want to take a longer ride that requires more speed, go with 125+. Just keep in mind that you’ll need a motorcycle license for anything over 50cc. Getting a motorcycle license on a scooter is super easy. So, that’s not a biggie.
If it’s your first bike, don’t go vintage unless you like to work on engines, etc.
The best shop in town is Vespa Marietta. A little bit of a haul but super nice folks. Ask for Floyd.
We have a 50cc Piaggio that we would love to sell to someone who will use it! If interested, please text me at 404 259 8081.
For downtown Decatur, Emory campus, CDC campus: a useful tool saving you much pain, time, and $ otherwise wasted on parking far from your intended destination. Minimize your time on busy streets like Scott. If you’re truly lazy like me, avoid the license step by just getting a perfectly adequate 50cc engine (mine’s a 5-yo Kymco People 50, a Taiwanese workhorse I’m told). Never had any serious trouble, big stable wheels. Just got back from Emory an hour ago. Added a big “trunk” for my briefcase-helmet swap. Store a rainproof outfit there too. Mark of the complete Decaturite!
We have one that we bought several years ago for $300 that needs an engine rebuild. We thought we’d have the time for it but never did. You can have it for $100 if you want!
I have a Yamaha C3 which has been great, although I am told its not the most stylish scooter design. Incredible mileage on 1 gallon of gas, and quiet by scooter standards. If you are over ~175 pounds a 50 cc might struggle on hills. Hence my current diet.
My weight fluctuates between 170 and 180, and I drive up and down Vickers regularly. It’s supposed to be the steepest street in Atlanta.
My weight fluctuates between 170 and 180, and I drive up and down Vickers regularly. It’s supposed to be the steepest street in Atlanta. Over 250 would be a struggle. A peculiar thing I read about scooters: it’s the default vehicle of serial inebriates who’ve lost their drivers licenses.
Tony Powers running for City of Decatur commission! Solid guy. Great businessman. Best news I’ve heard all week!
I’m glad you made that comment. Tony has a history of service to the community, is a long term resident and brings a business owner perspective to decision making. Best of all, he’s the perfect anti-Ridley candidate.
Does anyone have info from the Avondale Estates meeting Wed. night regarding the Euromex development of the Fenner-Dunlop property? I was unable to attend, and haven’t been able to find any info online. Thanks!
I went. Haven’t written it up yet because there’s not much news to report. They didn’t have renderings or anything. It was basically the City Commissioners saying they’d met with Euramex one on one and everything was looking fine. ProTem Terry Giager was the lone voice of dissent. Said it’s too much residential, not enough commercial. I’ll write up what I have later this evening.
So disappointed. I can’t find anyone I know on the list of Ashley Madison subscribers.
This would be an interesting list to see in a “heat map.” Which parts of town have the highest concentration? Which cities lead the way on cheating? I bet we’d see some surprising trends…
Not exactly what you’re looking for, but interesting nonetheless. Zoom in close.
Decatur isn’t on the map, but Avondale Estates is.
http://www.iol.co.za/scitech/check-if-your-spouse-is-on-ashley-madison-1.1903146#.VdXej1JdX0I
I’m hoping Josh Duggar is just the beginning of some delicious and well-deserved schadenfreude the Ashley Madison hack gives rise to in the coming days.
When is Las Brasas opening, already?!?!
This is exactly what I was scrolling through to learn! No response? I was hoping to go tomorrow night. I guess we’ll be picking another place (again). 🙁
Does anyone have, or know how I can obtain, a vector image of the City of Decatur logo?
Linda Harris with the city controls logo usage. Her contact info is on the city website.
Heads up to parents of FAVE school walkers through Oakhurst Square, particularly if said walkers are literal knuckleheads like my son and his posse and they are used to walking to school on the north side of Oakview:
There is a sidewalk detour at Steinbeck’s driveway. The optimal choice is to cross Oakview at the crosswalk back at O.S and proceed to school rather than crossing the two lanes and median, walk 20 feet toward school, and then cross two lanes and the median to get BACK on the north side of Oakview “because that’s how we’ve always gotten there.”
/sigh/
Have they begun charging to park in the courthouse parking deck yet? If not, does anybody know when that is going to start?
I’d also like to know this. I needed a quick Yogurt Tap fix this weekend and decided to forgo it being unsure of the parking situation. I also like to make quick Java Monkey runs on the weekend but finding and fiddling with meters or paying $10 for parking just don’t make it worth my time. Luckily for them I know the courthouse and after school crowds will keep them both in business. I do happen to know houses and residential places I could park to pop in really quick and get back, so there’s always that option when my conscience is on vacation 🙂
Expats pay double starting last Tuesday.
you’re a funny man
Looking for local moving company suggestions?
Highly recommend 24/7 Moving – Affordable, Professional, Friendly. 404-668-0677
I need a reliable automatic car for my college-aged child. We’re looking to spend $2-3K. I would love to buy it from a neighbor. If you have a car in decent condition that you need to get rid of, let DM know and he will put you in touch with me!
Sorry to say you lost out on that awesome 1994 Mustang I had for sale. It was a manual, but fast and fun. Exactly what every young person needs. 🙂
Looking for recommendations for a company that cleans and polishes residential concrete flooring. Thanks.
BTW, I believe it was Smalltowngal who recommended Emilio Herrera for painting some time ago. Thanks for that; his crew did a fine job for me.
Great to hear you had a good painting experience. I wish I could hire Emilio to do everything!
If you find somebody to deal with your concrete floor, I’d love to know who.
Can you post Emilio’s contact info? Thanks
678-887-3826
[email protected]
Thanks!
Anybody have any idea when the county and city mail refund checks following successful 2014 property tax appraisal appeals? I’m closing in on three months since Victory Day and nothing for either 2014 or 2015. My lender has upped my monthly escrow payments since it seems the county hasn’t told them of said victory. Maybe it’s too much to ask that since I paid my overstated taxes on time that my respective governments return my overpayments for at least 2014 in a timely manner. Bet they’ll let my lender know of any future increases faster.
Been a long week. Need some bourbon to cut the snark.
Pet peeve for the weekday morning rush: the huge line of cars going north on Scott and waiting to turn left onto Clairemont. Most drivers get in at the back of the line and wait patiently for their turn to turn. But many do not and try to edge in at the last moment, which just increases the wait for those who got into line correctly. Even worse, some exploit the gap that patient drivers leave for folks going in or out of Westchester Ave. So not only do these rude drivers cut into the line, but they block the turn in or out of Westchester Ave. It is possible that a few folks truly space out and don’t realize they had to get into line to turn left. But they weren’t paying attention because there’s great visibility as they crest the hill at Coventry and head towards the line of cars waiting. And many are just plain cutting in line. Ironically, I haven’t found that families turning left into the Westchester Elementary driveway are causing delays on Scott; it’s those going on up to turn left at Clairemont who are bolluxing up traffic.
I don’t know if cutting in line is some kind of traffic offense, but blocking Westchester Ave. probably is. I hope Decatur police sit there sometimes and stop these drivers. Just the presence of police might prompt some folks to get in line and behave.
And to fellow drivers who get in line properly, maybe we should stop letting cars in? Maybe that’s what it will take to change the behavior of impatient drivers who don’t want to wait their turn? If they occasionally have to give up and drive up a 1/4 mile to turn around , maybe they’ll decide that it’s easier to wait their turn?
“And to fellow drivers who get in line properly, maybe we should stop letting cars in?” — You said a mouthful there. The line-cutters are rude and engaging in a type of bullying. But to me, the letters-in are the most infuriating, especially those who do it multiple times during one wait cycle. They feel good about themselves for being kind to the cutters-in while managing to ignore the fact that they’re screwing the pants off all the rule-followers in line behind them. It happens all over town, wherever there is a dedicated, signalized left turn lane.
Since you understand the situation, what’s the best way to not let someone in? It’s amazing how aggressive some of these cutters-in can be, trying to nose in enough that your only choice is to hit them or let them in. And some of them send you pleading looks and gestures or angrily motion you to let them in, occasionally even yelling out the window. I’ve tried staying very close to the bumper of the car ahead of me but that’s really not safe driving either and I worry what would happen if I was bumped from behind or the car ahead rolled back. I’ve tried motioning that the driver should go to the back of the line but that could provoke folks with anger-control issues. I think it’s best to just stare straight ahead, stay the course, and not glance over. But I’d hate to miss that one in a million chance that the car next to me has a woman in labor or a distraught and confused elderly driver in it.
I have wondered if there’s a technical fix for Scott and Clairemont. The whole Westchester Elementary in/out-left on Westchester Ave-left off of Westchester Ave-left on Clairemont situation is particularly problematic. I’d love to put up on a series of lawn signs along that stretch saying “GET IN LINE AND WAIT YOUR TURN! YES, WE MEAN YOU!”
First of all, before somebody jumps on me for being a soulless b!tch, I am perfectly happy to cut another driver a break when I can do so without screwing other people or creating a separate problem. The comments that follow pertain to the particular situation under discussion.
To AHID’s question, I have no foolproof method. I try to drive assertively enough so that if they insist, it’ll be them hitting me instead of me hitting them. Then we’re going to court. Obviously, that requires closing up most of the space between me and the vehicle in front of me. I’m comfortable doing that because we’re all either stopped or creeping and because I’m paying extremely close attention to my driving and everyone else’s. (Also, I don’t understand why so many people think it necessary to leave 1/2 to a whole car length or more in that kind of line-up when everybody is STOPPED.) How assertive I am in a given situation depends on conditions and how sharp and alert I’m feeling at the time. Pleading looks cut no ice with me in this particular situation and angry gestures have the opposite of their intended effect. People need to pay attention to what they’re doing and where they’re going. If I zone out and forget to get into my turn lane until the last minute, I don’t expect a dozen other people to inconvenience themselves to accommodate me while I correct my mistake. I go around the block. [cue any ‘personal responsibility’ riff]
Keep in mind that Scott Blvd is a State highway, controlled by GDOT, so what makes logical sense has little effect.
“But I’d hate to miss that one in a million chance that the car next to me has a woman in labor or a distraught and confused elderly driver in it.” — I hear that. But remember, there could well be a woman in labor or a confused elderly driver in line behind you!
Excellent point! And I have to say that, when I do glance over to the right at the butt in-ers, I usually see a driver looking impatient, frustrated, and/or entitled, and no passenger. They probably wouldn’t behave this way in front of someone they know.
Not here to defend obnoxious drivers, BUT…being accommodating is the best way to alleviate traffic. Don’t block streets or commercial driveways when stopped, leave a little space in front of you, go the prevailing speed, let people in. Have some music on.
In general, I agree with you but in this particular situation I strongly disagree. Being accommodating to people who are deliberately taking advantage of you and everybody behind you contributes directly to the problem. I’m not saying get in a wreck while refusing to yield. But I have always found the bully stops short of actually ramming me. They scream and yell and pitch a fit, but that’s their choice about how to spend their energy.
Totally agree. For me, the more obnoxious the cutter-inner, the more I will close the gap between me and the car in front of me. We’re all busy and we all value our time. I refuse to reward the person who so clearly places himself above the rest of us who got in the dang line!
Similar gripe about Commerce and Clairmont. Going west on Commerce in the right lane (with the McDonald’s on the right) and people cutting in from the left lane to turn right on Clairmont.
It annoys me so much I go out of my way to avoid the whole situation. I’d rather spend money on a bit more gas to go around it than on the Xanax prescription to dull the road rage.
I try to stay out of that lane unless I am turning right on Clairmont. People do get very upset when they have to sit through the entire green right turn arrow behind a car that is going straight through. It’s not a right turn only, but I treat it that way as often as possible. Bad drivers everywhere!
Kimball House was featured on The Splendid Table today and they twice referenced the location as “just outside Atlanta” and never mentioned our fair city. I’m never listening to that show again! Its DECATUR, people. Oh, wait. Maybe this oversight will make it harder for the entire national and international listening population of NPR to crowd in to take up bar seats, parking spaces and eventually school classroom seats.
Invinceiblesummer you’ve got it right. That session on The Splendid Table was from August of 2014 and the crowds still seemed to have found them. Fortunately, Kimball House is a 5 minutes walk from our Winnona Park Townhouse. We just go early, say hello to Miles and Brian, and enjoy ourselves before the crowds descend.
according to the Lenox Place Facebook page there were several car break ins on Adair Street last night. they were targeting Honda CRV cadalidic converters. one suspect was apprehended. thankful to the dog that alerted his owner so that she called the cops!