Lets improve parade etiquette

Is there some sort of proper parade etiquette?
Should there be?
Few places on earth love a parade as much as our corner of east central Indiana and western Ohio.
There’s something about the idea of marching bands, candy being tossed to kids, firetrucks and the rest that gets our motors running.
But sometimes, parade watchers themselves become a problem.
Imagine for a moment this particular scene which has unfolded now and again over the years.
A group of older folks with lawn chairs finds a spot on the sidewalk and settles in. Then before the parade begins, someone’s van or SUV pulls into a parking space and blocks their view.
Technically, no one has done anything wrong. Sure, the driver of the vehicle was inconsiderate.
But an open parking space is an open parking space.
And, besides, the driver and the folks in the vehicle might be just as old as the senior citizens in their lawn chairs.
Just the same, it comes across as impolite, a violation of parade etiquette if such a thing exists.
Some communities address this by prohibiting parking on parade day.
That way, everyone’s treated equally.
In Portland’s case — where Meridian Street is far wider than most downtown thoroughfares — it should only be necessary to prohibit parking on one side of the street.
It would be a modest improvement, but it would be an improvement.
Now if we can just come up with a way to make sure that the candy gets to the kids and that the pooper-scooper always follows closely behind the horses, we’ll be all set. — J.R.