Rochester’s Snow Emergency Parking Rules Are The Most Confusing Ever

They're no doubt meant to help clear confusion-- and help plow drivers clear our streets-- but Rochester's Snow Emergency rules are kinda confusing.

With the weekend weather forecast calling for more wet, heavy snow, word came down Friday from Government Center that the city of Rochester had issued a Snow Emergency that was taking effect Saturday at noon and would run through Thursday, March 14th.

It would implement what some cities call 'alternate side' parking restrictions, with parking on city streets not allowed on either the odd or even side, depending on what day of the month it is, so that plows can get through and get the streets cleared. So far, so good, right?

But here's where things get confusing, though. According to the city of Rochester Facebook page, the Snow Emergency parking rules were explained like this: "Parking is not allowed on one side based upon the day - no parking on the even side on even days and no parking on the odd side on odd days."

But that's just the OPPOSITE of how Snow Emergencies operate in many other cities. Take, for instance, Eau Claire, Wisconsin (where I used to live, and became very familiar with their rules.) Snow Emergency rules there state that on "Odd-numbered days, vehicles shall only be parked, stopped, or left standing on that side of the street having odd-numbered addresses; and on even-numbered days vehicles shall only be parked, stopped, or left standing on that side of the street having even-numbered addresses."

Which makes much more sense, doesn't it?  What day is it? It's March 11th-- an odd day, which means you can park on the odd side, right?  Nope. Not in Rochester. Here, because it's March 11th-- an odd day, you'd park on the... even side? It seems easier to just keep things consistent-- if it's an odd day, park on the odd side. If it's an even day, park on the even side

That confusion was evident on the city's Facebook page, where many residents voiced concern over how the rules seemed... a little backward. The city responded by publishing a list of dates and the corresponding side of the street on which it was legal to park. But it seems to me, yeah, the rule is at worst, confusing and at best, a counter-intuitive, isn't it?

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