Compo Beach Parking Lots Are Closed. So Westporters Parked On Soundview.

Posted on March 15, 2020 | 36 Comments

Around noon …

… and a couple of hours later.

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36 responses to “Compo Beach Parking Lots Are Closed. So Westporters Parked On Soundview.”

  1. Wendy Cusick | March 15, 2020 at 4:04 pm |

    Wow! I saw a post about police ticketing a couple cars. I thought it was about 3 or so. I didn’t realize it was this many!

  2. Mark Post | March 15, 2020 at 4:08 pm |

    What is it that makes some Westporters believe they are special and immune to society’s greater good? The town closed the lots to prevent crowds. Now police will need to get involved vs doing other duties more helpful to the town. These are probably the same people who rant on this site about inclusiveness etc. of course, once they’re home and it’s convenient for them.

  3. John L Krause | March 15, 2020 at 4:11 pm |

    “Life, uh, finds a way”
    — Dr. Ian Malcolm. Jurassic Park
    Maybe they’ll re-think this odd idea

  4. Patricia Carey | March 15, 2020 at 4:12 pm |

    Just came back from there. (no I didn’t park on the street). It was crazy. And dangerous….I didn’t see any police presence.

  5. Peter Shiue | March 15, 2020 at 4:15 pm |

    Probably several out-of-towners as well.

  6. Dale Eyerly Colson | March 15, 2020 at 4:20 pm |

    But, of course they did.

    “But I WANT to” sadly seems to be behind the prevailing logic behind such things.

  7. Lauren MacNeill | March 15, 2020 at 4:23 pm |

    We are going to have to implore state and local officials to make it illegal to do such things as people can not seem to help themselves. They are being so selfish. I hope these same people won’t take up the limited ICU beds but they will. For gods sake – you’re not being called to war or even to be locked in a hotel for jury duty – you’re just told to STAY HOME.

  8. Joelle Berger | March 15, 2020 at 4:23 pm |

    …and the police were there giving tickets!!

  9. Debbie O'Malley | March 15, 2020 at 4:24 pm |

    COME ON PEOPLE. The implication of closing the playground and beach lots is another gentle nudge by the town to suggest that you stop going to places where crowds gather (however distanced apart) and remain with your immediate family unit at home. Are they going to have to barricade the end of all roads to trap you in? Work for the good of everyone. Only go out for what you HAVE to do. Enjoying a nice day at the beach is a want, not a need.

  10. Amy Ancel | March 15, 2020 at 4:24 pm |

    Omg, such entitlement! Really shameful. I have zero sympathy for these people and hope the cops throw the book at them.

  11. India van Voorhees | March 15, 2020 at 4:33 pm |

    This breaks my heart. I want to think better of people.
    I want to be more like Ann Frank: “In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.”
    But sometimes it’s just so difficult.

  12. Roger Wolfe | March 15, 2020 at 4:36 pm |

    Selfish, entitled, more-equal than everyone else.

  13. K.F. Spearen | March 15, 2020 at 4:57 pm |

    I’m So Special , so I can Park Anywhere Syndrome “”

  14. Harry Smiley | March 15, 2020 at 5:03 pm |

    Start towing the cars. Arrogant ignorance at its best.

    • Jack Backiel | March 15, 2020 at 5:10 pm |

      What they need to do is leave immediately, go buy a bagel, and go home!

      • Josh Stein | March 15, 2020 at 6:32 pm |

        What is with you an telling people to go buy a bagel in multiple threads? Its bad advice to tell people to go have more exposure and potentially cause additional transmissions of coronavirus.

  15. Dick Lowenstein | March 15, 2020 at 5:19 pm |

    I believe Sherwood Island State Park –the beach, open areas, and the parking lot — is open, though the park buildings are closed.

    • Wendy Cusick | March 15, 2020 at 7:25 pm |

      Yes, Sherwood Island State Park is open.
      Just keep an eye on the brown wooden sign as you enter it tells you when the park will close. The buildings are not open. They have portables at the Pavilion.

  16. M. Levine | March 15, 2020 at 5:49 pm |

    It wasn’t just on Soundview Drive. People were parking up and down the four avenues leading to the beach…just ditching their cars in front of residents’ homes.

  17. Meredith Poster | March 15, 2020 at 5:50 pm |

    Very sad state of affairs in our community. People think they can do whatever they want…and they do. What will it actually take for people to actually heed advice (or listen to directives) that could be a matter of life and death for some?!

  18. Deb Alderson | March 15, 2020 at 5:56 pm |

    WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE!!!!! Dan, I don’t know what else you could do to inform people of the seriousness of this virus. I truly appreciate your posts. They have been so informative. I read an article today from the Boston Globe that brought me to tears. It’s titled “A coronavirus cautionary tale from Italy” It’s from March 13. Perhaps reading about what’s happening in Italy will have an impact on some of these people. I know it did for me.

    • Linda Gramatky Smith | March 15, 2020 at 7:38 pm |

      Deb Alderson, I read that article about how the U.S. is about 10 days behind Italy’s response to the COVID-19 and how the cases *exploded* there exponentially! Can you possibly find the article again and share it here for Westporters to read. Very, very sobering, but hopefully we CAN stop the spread by washing our hands and social distancing ourselves for a few weeks.

  19. David J. Loffredo | March 15, 2020 at 6:56 pm |

    Maybe we do need to thin the herd a bit….if only we could target the right herd.

  20. Luke Garvey | March 15, 2020 at 7:06 pm |

    OK, that’s not cool. Any police response?

    • Wendy Cusick | March 15, 2020 at 7:42 pm |

      Yes, I read on another site police were ticketing.
      Unfortunately, after those cars left with their tickets a new set of cars moved in to take there place. I see from another post above they were parking on all four side avenues too.
      I’ll take a wild guess that close to 100 cars maybe more….
      Just before I started typing this I saw another posted picture of Westport Parks and Recreation are using their large white rack body truck and green pickup truck to block the EXIT of Compo Beach!
      People must have been driving in the wrong way to park at Compo Beach.

  21. M. Thompson | March 15, 2020 at 8:00 pm |

    I’m going to share a few thoughts and observations and would love to hear some feedback since I don’t thoroughly understand all the disgust that is being spewed above.

    Are people mad “mainly” because cars showed up at all, or because they
    were parked illegally? If they were parked illegally, they should definitely have gotten a ticket…..no argument from me at all on that.
    I , for one, was in the Compo area today and saw many people walking in the area, mostly in groups of two, and we witnessed very little in the way
    of people stopping to chat with others. Most of those we did see talking with other couples were standing many feet apart, so “social distancing” was being observed. Would the people who wrote in earlier also be upset at homeowners who live in the Compo area if a couple was out getting some fresh air, or is it the fact the cars brought people to the area the real disturbing part?
    Yesterday was a zoo and a great many folks were stopping to chat with
    others and the playground was very busy. That wasn’t good and the town reacted with its closure decision. Today was therefore a huge improvement as the crowd was way way down, and that is a good thing.
    I was there and was watching intently during our walk. It wasn’t at all like yesterday, and a couple out for a walk, minding their own business, isn’t
    a threat.

  22. Pat Prenderville | March 15, 2020 at 9:48 pm |

    I vote that this photo be entered into the “06880 entitled parking hall of fame”

  23. Mark Jacobs (AC) | March 15, 2020 at 10:14 pm |

    Run the actual license plates and shame these morons.

  24. Deb Alderson | March 15, 2020 at 10:15 pm |

    Respectfully M. Thompson – from my perspective, the article of what is happening in Italy truly concerns me. If we don’t take it seriously it could happen here. I would rather not even see social distancing. If schools, Senior Centers, Town Hall, Broadway, Apple, etc. are being closed, then I think we need to take a step back. We’ve even been asked not to have play dates or small dinners. It undermines the purpose of closing the schools. Perhaps some people will think I’m overreacting, but I have had pneumonia six times and hospitalized 3 times – so you know my immune system stinks. It makes my decision to stay home pretty easy. I just hope that more people take it as seriously as I believe the situation warrants.

  25. Wendy Cusick | March 15, 2020 at 10:16 pm |

    Flattening the Curve is the new important phrase. This article from Forbes popped on my feed. I thought it was a good read. (Someone might have shared it already)
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/tarahaelle/2020/03/13/why-everything-is-closing-for-coronavirus-its-called-flattening-the-curve/?fbclid=IwAR1fEPjYwfbEKfUBVG-u3Ro00NT6ljXxg0xC6ZagBwFyzYV5QSF3cETzH7A#6b70e9e6e2b1

  26. Chris Grimm | March 15, 2020 at 11:33 pm |

    This was a predictable result of the no parking policy – as were the increased crowds at Sherwood Island SP today over yesterday (increasing the likelihood of more direct social contact).

    That said, the Sherwood crowds were well spread out, people avoiding much contact (as far as I could see) – generally families together and people in pairs.

    I was walking my dog and avoided contact with others – and it was easy to do because there is so much space there.

    Curious, because I haven’t seen one way or the other, does the parking ban not apply to Longshore?

  27. John Terpening | March 16, 2020 at 11:14 am |

    So………Dan, Great job of educating the smart ones as to the severity of this virus with all your constant updates, facts, resources, lists, etc. I also think town hall is doing an excellent job. I don’t think a lot of people are getting “it” so let me help. I will try to write for the STUPIDS, the ARROGANTS, the BELLIGERENTS, the SELF-ABSORBED, the UNCONCSCIOUS, the DISPRECTFUL, the IMMATURE, the SELF-ASSURED, the UNEDUCATED, the one’s with NO “COMMON SENSE”, the one’s that are “YOUNG AND HEALTHY” and the ones that are “OLD AND AT RISK” …….. on and on it goes. Sad, very sad. We assume that folks can read, comprehend, and act, on good information and advice, but in this case it is more obvious then ever that most don’t get it. Most can’t comprehend what a pandemic is. Most seem to think that because you can’t see it, it doesn’t exist. This is a killer. It is hiding in plain sight. It is opportunistic as hell. It lives on healthy people for a long time before it slowly moves into one’s respiratory system and begins to do permanent damage. Once someone has contracted it and tests positive, they have probably spread it to most of the people they have come in contact with as well as those they have passed in hallways, doorways, open rooms and closed rooms (it can float through the air for ten feet, land, and wait to kill). During which time it remains invisible, quiet, and slow to die.
    Let’s look at the parking problem at the beach. How many people were closer than ten feet away from another person (loved one or complete stranger)? How many people had just shopped at Trader Joe’s before going to the beach? How many people handled canned goods, fruit and vegetables, dairy products, bottled water, cheese, etc. that were set on the counter, handled by the cashier, placed in a bag, put in a possibly contaminated cart, pushed to the exit door, pushed through the exit door, rolled to the car, opened by pressing on a contaminated door handle, set the contaminated merchandise on the car seat next to the toddler, had the baby stroke the bag, had mom give the kid something from in side the bag (with the hands that have been exposed twenty-five times to the virus), drove home, carried the contaminated bag, with it’s contents, and the toddler into the house, set the bag on the counter, put the groceries away, picked up the baby, kissed and cuddled, without ever once disinfecting herself and anything else that she brought into the house.
    One potato……one death, two potatoes………..two deaths, three potatoes…………fifty-three deaths and four potatoes………… More Deaths. Seeing as how this pandemic grows exponentially (look up the word! (we are talking math, science, physics, time, veracity and the limitations of the human body(in this case the immune system). The sad truth is that this will take out (KILL) mostly the old, the sick, those with compromised health (immune system). And don’t think for a minute that there is a silver bullet. Again……..read! The outlook is grim as far as testing, treating, vaccinating, etc. At least a year out for a cure/treatment. How long before we have all the test kits we will need to help quantify the spread of this virus? Who will qualify for the diagnosis and the treatment? Insurance? Medical costs? Lost wages/income, etc. With the elders already compromised in so many ways, what will they tell themselves, when they know that they will be the first to go (triage, save the young and let the old go. Who will benefit the most for the least expense)? What does “High Risk” mean to a young, healthy person? What does “High Risk” mean to someone who’s parents are still alive? How do you share your fear, your insecurity, the remains of your financial wealth, your mistrust in the system with others when you are told that to protect yourself you will have to stay by yourself, isolated from others? How will our elder care facilities gather the resources they need to beef up the care that is needed to protect and care for the weak and the lonely?
    Do you think these elders are heading to the beach to illegally park so they can stroll down the beach with their little white fluffy four legged friend looking to discuss this “crisis” under the auspices of needing to get some “fresh air and sunshine” in order to fight the fear of contracting the virus?
    I think maybe most of them have missed the point. Wash hands and stay home! Let’s go through this again. Wash hands! This means if for some unfortunate reason (or just plain carelessness) one has come into contact with this little tiny invisible killer that is hoping to end up in a bronchial tube or lung has been handed off to you. Your only defense is to wash it’s silly stupid little ass down the drain! Do not touch your face! I’ll explain this one………! Located on most persons body are three openings that can let this little bugger in to “KILL” you. Most of us have eyes (one or two), a nose, and a mouth (large or small). Think of them as kid’s slides (like the one’s at the beach which we are suppose to stay away from). One little itch and there you have it. A subway moving faster than the “Midnight Express” straight to your lungs. Last stop,…………… the morgue.
    And lets talk about what it means to “stay home”. With the exception of our social servants, health care professions and providers, police, fire and emergency personnel the only other one’s that should (not!) be out on the street are the homeless.
    Get it? If you have a home, a house, a place of residence, STAY THERE! What could be more simple, more clear, more easy to understand than…….Stay away from other people! This virus is lethal (look this up to!). It KILLS!!! It jumps 10 feet, it can live for hours and/or days on a variety of different surfaces, it hops rides on perfectly healthy people who don’t feel anything until it is to late. And when going inside to stay away from other people disinfect your way in! Disinfect everything that came in with you. Disinfect anything that has to come in. Do your best to imagine how this is carried on clothing, in food, on your books, laptop, computer, cell phone, Iguana (ok, just seeing if you are paying attention). One must be vigilant and like the virus, disciplined and diligent for the duration of this “PANDEMIC”. A week, a month, a season. And get ready, take all that you learn (if you live through this first round) into next years flu season. It may just make it through the summer and before the treatments and vaccines are available, it will strike again. Remember like my cancer, it will consume the host until we are dead!
    The beach goers were creating their own cruise ship on the beach. I am saddened by the thought that through this giant lack of understanding our police personnel were put at risk. Writing tickets and leaving them on potentially infected cars seems like trying to kill a Rhino with a fly swatter. The cars probably should have been removed, pushed into a pile and burned in order to protect the little old people who were staying indoors to not be exposed.
    I love the great “I”, the almighty “I”………… “I didn’t know”. “I didn’t read the news”. “I don’t believe it”. “I don’t care!”,” “I didn’t understand it”, “I didn’t believe it”, “I did it my way …….”I”,”I”,”I”…… the self righteous “I”, in other words “I don’t give a shit about anything other than how I perceive this world to be according to “ME!”
    I regards to the parking/use issue at the beach I think the Westport Police in conjunction with the mayor and the health department close the entire beach, all the parking lots and Soundview Ave. with the exception of residents (with valid ID’s). I would not be surprised to see other streets, parking lots, etc. closed as a health safety issue while we all work through this very disruptive pandemic. Imagine a war going on, because that is what we are looking at Covid-19 vs. us (as in United States of America). Again, DISTANCE OURSELVES!!!!!!!WASH HANDS OFTEN!!!! DISENFECT!!! STAY HOME!!!!!

    • Debbie O'Malley | March 16, 2020 at 1:24 pm |

      *mic drop*
      Thank you John! I think we are nearing the point where we are not going to be left with the option to make bad choices – the law will do for us what we seem unable to do for ourselves.

  28. Adrian Little | March 16, 2020 at 2:15 pm |

    And now we have 20 people positive out of a 31 person sample.
    THAT is scary.