Fake No Parking Signs

Fake no parking signs crop up all over Houston: Illegal signs prove to be an effective scare tactic

After recent reports on the growing problem of fake "no parking" signs, the City of Houston is hoping to set the record straight about legitimate street parking.

We all know that a battered lawn chair along the curb isn't a legally-binding traffic deterrent. And that re-purposed election sign threatening to tow your car? At best, it can only scare away potential on-street parkers.

But store-brought signs at any Lowe's or Home Depot are looking pretty convincing these days . . . and they're being put to use all over town. As such, CultureMap reached out to Alvin Wright with the Public Works & Engineering Department to clear the air.

"You can only post a sign when it's on your own private property."

"People may put up these parking signs with the best intentions, but they need to know it's not legal," he says. "Taxpayers put out the money to make sure these public spaces are free for everyone to use. The rule is pretty simple — you can only post a sign when it's on your own private property."

While the public works department won't issue fines, he said the Houston Police Department can dole out tickets for upwards of $200 for to any rogue sign makers tampering with public street parking.

Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind when you're looking to park along the street:

Metal (or sometimes cardboard)

Unless it's a temporary measure for a parade or street festival, the city sticks with good ol' fashioned aluminum for all its signage. When you see official City of Houston "no parking" signs made of cardboard, you'll typically find them strung to another piece of city property, like a parking meter or lamp post.

No utility poles

While telephone poles may be the domain of lost kitty posters and ads for indie bands, they're not used for traffic signs. Though on public land, wooden utility poles are not city property.

Find the sticker

Every official City of Houston sign will feature a three-inch square sticker covered in barcodes and warning against tampering with traffic control devices — a sure indicator that you're on public ground.

When in doubt, keep driving

Houston attorney and parking expert Rich Robbins warns of the legal strength of towing services on private property. His suggestion? If you're unsure whether a parking space is on city land, keep circling the block.

While these $5 signs from Lowe's and Home Depot look official, they hold no authority on public city streets.

fake no parking sign, tow sign, April 2013

ABC13-Miya Shay Facebook

While these $5 signs from Lowe's and Home Depot look official, they hold no authority on public city streets.

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gone fishin'

Texas Parks & Wildlife hosts free fishing for one day only in June

Photo by Evan Wise on Unsplash

Free Fishing Day takes place on the first Saturday in June every year.

It's the reel deal: Texas' annual Free Fishing Day returns Saturday, June 6, allowing all Texans (and visitors) to fish in any public waterway without obtaining a license.

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), Free Fishing Day was created to encourage Texans to explore the outdoors with their family and friends, and to give new anglers the opportunity to try fishing without having to pay for a license.

"Our hope is that experienced anglers will use this opportunity to take others fishing and share their knowledge, skills, equipment and love of the sport to recruit new anglers," said Tim Birdsong, Director of Inland Fisheries at TPWD.

To learn the basics of fishing, TPWD offers resources for how to get started, safety, supplies and gear, casting and baiting, cleaning and storing fish on its website.

The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC), located at 5550 FM 2495 in Athens, is offering free admission for everyone on Free Fishing Day from 9 am to 4 pm, and visitors will have a chance to catch a tagged catfish and win a prize of their choice during its “Fish Tag Friendzy” event. The event will also feature hourly drawings for summer pass packages, dive shows at 11 am and 2 pm, and hatchery tram tours. Visitors may bring their own fishing tackle or borrow gear from the TFFC.

To make the most of Free Fishing Day, TPWD provided these ideas for finding fun and high-quality fishing opportunities:

Fishing close to home: Texas offers numerous lakes and rivers with access to fishing throughout the state. The Lake Finder page on the TPWD website can help anglers find lakes by region or alphabetically. Information and fishing tips on more than 150 lakes are available. Check out the River Fishing page to find out where to get access to Texas’ flowing waters.
Saltwater fishing from a pier: There are numerous wheelchair-accessible fishing piers available for public use up and down the coast. Piers are a great place for the entire family to try saltwater fishing without the need for a boat. Public access sites can be found in every bay system.
Fishing in the city: TPWD’s Neighborhood Fishin’ lakes provide urban angling access for the entire family across the state. All 18 Neighborhood Fishin’ lakes provide a great opportunity to catch channel catfish, including five lakes in Dallas-Fort Worth, four in the Houston area, two each in the Austin and San Antonio areas, and one each in Amarillo, College Station, San Angelo, Waco and Wichita Falls. Information on lake locations and how-to fishing videos can be found on the Neighborhood Fishin’ website.
Community fishing lakes: Check out all the community fishing lakes in Texas which can be great options for Free Fishing Day and year-round.
Kayak fishing on a Texas Paddling Trail: With more than 3,700 named streams, 15 major rivers and some 3,300 miles of tidal shoreline along the Gulf Coast, Texas offers unlimited possibilities for paddling adventures and angling opportunities of all types. Enjoy improved and maintained fishing and paddling access to rivers, creeks, lakes, ponds, bayous and bays on any of the 83 official Texas Paddling Trails available throughout the state. Kayak fishing opportunities also abound through TPWD’s River Access and Conservation Areas (RACA) program.

Additionally, anglers can fish for free at more than 70 state parks all year long, though park fees still apply. This weekend, Guadalupe River State Park outside San Antonio, Lake Arrowhead in Wichita Falls, and Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site in the Hill Country are offering a variety of Free Fishing Day events.

TPWD reminds that anyone fishing in federal waters must acquire a license for the private recreational angler red snapper season, which opened on May 22.

texas parks and wildlife department fishing free fishing day