Citizens Disconnect: No One Likes Student Move-In

A roundup of our favorite requests for city services in the past week.

With the Citizens Connect app and website, Boston allows its residents to take a picture of a problem, send it to the city along with their precise location, and request help. The site is filled with complaints about sidewalk trash, graffiti, potholes, and dead trees. It also contains the occasional oddity. Welcome to “Citizens Disconnect,” the series wherein we round up our favorite few from the past week:

They’re Baaaaaaack

CD1

Concerned Citizen: Under the tag “Student Move-in Issues,” our citizen writes simply, “General Douchebaggery.”

City Response: Closed. Case Invalid.

The return of college students and their moving travails dominated the Citizens Connect app this week. We picked this one because it rather poetically summed up what the posts upon posts about abandoned mattresses, late-night partying, and abandoned solo cups could not. College kids, we love you, but you’re a pain.

And They Can’t Read Road Siiiiigns:

CD2

Concerned Citizen: “There should be better enforcement to write idiots like this up. If State Police doesnt have resources to properly patrol Storrow, BPD should.”

City Response: None.

It’s not even worth complaining about trucks on Storrow anymore, buddy. Trucks on Storrow are like pumpkin beers in July. Shocking, yet inevitable.

Complaining About Citizen Complainers. 

CD3

Concerned Citizen: In case you can’t tell, our citizen has posted  the above screenshot of a previously submitted Citizens Connect complaint, which notes that the Red Line is running on the wrong track. Our citizen writes: “Two issues: 1.) This isn’t the proper forum to report this issue. 2.) If the reporter bothered to listened to the announcements being made or asked the multitude of MBTA employees there, this is due to the power problem at Broadway station caused by a tunnel fire and that shuttle buses will be running now between Park St and JFK-UMass stations until the end of service on Labor Day.”

City Response: “Closed. Case Noted.”

It’s just hilarious that people are complaining about other Citizens Connect complaints. Also, the understated way the city just says, “noted,” as if reading invalid complaints isn’t their life.

A High-Tech Hydrant Hat.

CD4

Concerned Citizen: “Can you have the Public Works Department take care this? Whoever did this is an idiot!”

City Response: “Closed. Case Resolved. Tv picked up.”

Nothing to add here. Just a funny photo of a TV on a fire hydrant. That’s all.

Good Point Award

 CD5

Concerned Citizen: After a street is cleared of cars parked there during street cleaning hours, our citizen writes, “Honestly, i understand it’s more lucrative to clean the street of cars but the whole point of it is to CLEAN THE STREET TOO.”

City Response: “Closed. Case Resolved. The intersection was swept by a contract sweeper.”

It’s unclear whether the city is saying the street had already been swept and this is what was left or it had yet to be swept when the photo was taken. Hopefully the former because that would just make this towing racket they’re running even more deliciously bald-faced.