"Why is It?"

Why is it in PhiladelphiaPA, police are not stopping and ticketing pickup trucks, service trucks, buses, and other prohibited vehicles from utilizing the Fairmount Park Drives?

How many times have you seen this? What happened to the law enforcement of such activity? It has been witnessed on numerous occasions where police would drive past these restricted vehicles as if they were allowed to use the park drives.

There used to be big green and white signs posted at nearly every entranceway leading into Fairmount Park. The signs warned of prohibited use of vehicles larger than passenger cars and family vans. Nowadays, school buses (an occasional tour bus - hopefully w/permits), trucks with ladders and other material on board, trucks pulling landscaping trailers (no Park Commission placards posted), company vans with logos other than city official insignia, and yes - an occasional tractor-trailer drive right on through as if they were a passenger vehicle. Once in awhile one might see a cop pull over a tractor-trailer and/or a box (panel) truck on the Lincoln Drive.

Every time I see these occurrences, I wonder if the operators of these vehicles are aware of the ordinance(s) of yesteryear. I wondered if the younger police officers are aware of this ole rule - "No Large Vehicles (license plate tag identifying the type of vehicle) In The Park?" We used to have the Fairmount Park Cops with the white hats patrolling our park drives as well as the many trails within the area (usually on horseback - it continues in Valley Green). What happened to them? Where'd they go?

AND...

What about the folk(s) that are detoured when a "Regatta" (out of town teams) comes to town? The neighboring inhabitants of that particular area (the East Side of the river) don't have driving access to their favorite picnicking spots...they have to walk. I certainly feel bad for the older folk(s). Where do the boat race participants and spectators park their cars? Are they allowed usage of the roadway? The detour(s) direct drivers around and away from the race area (some driver's say, "it ain't so bad"). What do Philadelphians do if and/or when they wish to view or participate in the activities? Do they all walk to the spectator area when coming from Roxborough, Manayunk, Germantown, Mount Airy, and Chestnut Hill? Where would they park their cars? The Fairmount Park Commission has not been overwhelmed by protests from the cities populace...including this reporter.

When the drive on the west side of the Schuylkill River is closed - "For Recreational Activities" from early A.M. until about 5:00 P.M., drivers better not get caught driving any type of vehicle on the drives - but then again...on the weekend(s), two of the drives are barricaded.