I visit the library three times a week. For a year I’ve noticed how many cars are parked and empty in both the ‘No Parking’ fire zone and bookdrop drive-in slot.

Tuesday, April 9, I tried to enter the bookdrop. It was half blocked by a parked, engine-off SUV. I sounded my horn; the driver made no attempt to notice or move her car. In front of her were three more SUVs, all engines off, two with drivers occupied with iPhones. One eight-passenger SUV parked directly in front of the library door was empty.

I parked in the ‘parking lot’ and sat on a bench in front of the library to observe other cars now double parking and/or circling to pick up their children. This caused a traffic jam of other patrons, who could not leave, as the round-about was clogged with cars. Drivers in the ‘No Parking’ zone made no notice of this and were engaged with their iPhones.

I wrote down three license numbers from the parked cars in the fire zone and took them to the front desk. A library employee acknowledged the ongoing problem and came outside and asked drivers in the parked cars to move. As he re-entered the library, one car simply drove around the parking lot and re-parked in the ‘No Parking’ fire zone.

I entered the library to observe patrons at work tables, and went out to sit on the bench again. Fifteen minutes later, a lady and young man exited and got into the eight-passenger vehicle, still parked in the middle of the fire zone. Note: there was available parking in the parking area during the entire time that I was there.

I will be sending this letter to the traffic division of the Mercer Island Police Department with a request for enforcement. And I ask those who are parking illegally: What are you teaching your children about observing laws?

Jean Epperson