A Lunatic's guide to Parking in DC
On June 11, 2004 Jason and I were able to attend the Washington, DC Chamber of Commerce dinner where such people as John Lawrence and Tyron Garner were honored for their man love turned civil rights battle victory. During the awards ceremony, Mayor Anthony Williams welcomed the out-of-towners by stating that they should get "lots of parking tickets" because it "pays his salary." I find this comment to be very telling.
My extreme dislike of meter maids began a couple of years ago when I lived in Glover park. Once when leaving extremely early to avoid a $100 rush hour ticket, I found the guy at 6:50 had already begun ticketing for a zone marked for 7:00. My friend Ivan argued when I complained to him that people who didn't get outside by 7:00 deserve their tickets and by 6:50 they probably wouldn't make it. Fortunately for me, he hadn't gotten to my car yet. A second time, I was not so lucky. Another example of the city's extreme ticketing policy comes from my trip to Key West where I parked in a location that was not marked "No Parking" and where I always see cars parked. Unfortunately for me, this spot was within 20 feet of a Stop sign. During this week I received three tickets. The confusing aspect of these tickets for me is that there are several examples of legal parking spots clearly marked that are within 20 feet of a stop sign. My breaking point occurred last Monday when I parked close to a fire hydrant. I was far enough away where I thought I would be okay, and a sign in front of my car declared the spot legal. I returned to my car the next morning to find it ticketed stating I was within 10 feet of the hydrant. I counted off the ten feet and noted the sign outside of the region of my car and took a picture to battle it by mail.
All of this leads me to believe that the city has created a policy of ticket now, and if the citizens care let them battle it later. What pisses me off is that my car was marked to be towed two of these times even though the tickets weren't legitimate. The Washington Times reported in an article on April 8. 2004 (I think that's the right date...)about the city's then new vigorous ticketing program. I had no idea that it was the City Council and not Mayor Williams who would take the tackiest of steps to undermine the city's need for revenue.
In June 2002, council members voted to exempt themselves from most parking regulations. The measure, coming after a year in which traffic-enforcement officers had cracked down on illegally parked council members' cars, was sponsored by council member Carol Schwartz and supported by fellow members Kevin P. Chavous, Jack Evans, Sandra Allen, Adrian M. Fenty, David A. Catania, Jim Graham, Harold Brazil, Vincent Orange and Linda W. Cropp. Council members Phil Mendelson, Kathy Patterson and Sharon Ambrose voted against it.
How is it possible to understand the laws created when you exempt yourself from such rules? Is this the same Carol Schwartz, who solicited my vote at a gay wedding (during the toast no less) and who I later witnessed dumpster diving outside of the 7-11? I thank you for not wanting to take up my parking spot, but I'd rather you get the boot.
My extreme dislike of meter maids began a couple of years ago when I lived in Glover park. Once when leaving extremely early to avoid a $100 rush hour ticket, I found the guy at 6:50 had already begun ticketing for a zone marked for 7:00. My friend Ivan argued when I complained to him that people who didn't get outside by 7:00 deserve their tickets and by 6:50 they probably wouldn't make it. Fortunately for me, he hadn't gotten to my car yet. A second time, I was not so lucky. Another example of the city's extreme ticketing policy comes from my trip to Key West where I parked in a location that was not marked "No Parking" and where I always see cars parked. Unfortunately for me, this spot was within 20 feet of a Stop sign. During this week I received three tickets. The confusing aspect of these tickets for me is that there are several examples of legal parking spots clearly marked that are within 20 feet of a stop sign. My breaking point occurred last Monday when I parked close to a fire hydrant. I was far enough away where I thought I would be okay, and a sign in front of my car declared the spot legal. I returned to my car the next morning to find it ticketed stating I was within 10 feet of the hydrant. I counted off the ten feet and noted the sign outside of the region of my car and took a picture to battle it by mail.
All of this leads me to believe that the city has created a policy of ticket now, and if the citizens care let them battle it later. What pisses me off is that my car was marked to be towed two of these times even though the tickets weren't legitimate. The Washington Times reported in an article on April 8. 2004 (I think that's the right date...)about the city's then new vigorous ticketing program. I had no idea that it was the City Council and not Mayor Williams who would take the tackiest of steps to undermine the city's need for revenue.
In June 2002, council members voted to exempt themselves from most parking regulations. The measure, coming after a year in which traffic-enforcement officers had cracked down on illegally parked council members' cars, was sponsored by council member Carol Schwartz and supported by fellow members Kevin P. Chavous, Jack Evans, Sandra Allen, Adrian M. Fenty, David A. Catania, Jim Graham, Harold Brazil, Vincent Orange and Linda W. Cropp. Council members Phil Mendelson, Kathy Patterson and Sharon Ambrose voted against it.
How is it possible to understand the laws created when you exempt yourself from such rules? Is this the same Carol Schwartz, who solicited my vote at a gay wedding (during the toast no less) and who I later witnessed dumpster diving outside of the 7-11? I thank you for not wanting to take up my parking spot, but I'd rather you get the boot.
posted by Schitzo at
9:56 AM
