Ray Jarvis, director of public works for South Lake Tahoe, see it all. Whether it’s snow and snow or rain and sleet, Jarvis and his team help the citizens of South Lake Tahoe clean up and get to where they need to be every day.
In response to reporters’ questions, Jarvis said one of the biggest problems he and his management face are illegally parked cars.
“One of the biggest problems we’ve had this winter is illegal parking,” Director of Public Works Ray Jarvis told KoloTV. “Not only do they delay the snow removal process; they pose a danger to everyone involved.
Jarvis reminds residents that irresponsibly parked cars can cause a slew of problems, not only for his department, but for other drivers as well.
Recently, the South Lake Tahoe Department of Public Works had a major problem with a vehicle parked illegally while clearing snow after a severe storm.
When a plowman was working his way down a city street, he hit a car that was parked on the street. He called for help in order to free the car, which was buried under several feet of ice, and the plow driver and the police officer began to scrape the car.
It was then that the two discovered that a woman was inside. The police, waving at the window, saw that, fortunately, the woman was unharmed. The driver claimed she was only in the car for five hours, but police believe she was in the car much longer due to the massive amount of snow.
While the woman in this case was fortunate, experts caution to be aware of the dangers of staying in your car during a major snowstorm. Staying inside a car buried in the snow or trying to start it could have fatal consequences, Chris Fury, a spokesman for South Lake Tahoe, told reporters.
Experts also recommend making sure the exhaust pipe is not clogged and checking the car’s brakes and battery regularly during the winter months.
