….. All of us have been bitten by the nasty parking monster, in one way or another!
…. And once you’ve gotten a few of those painful $33 parking tickets, and if you’re like me, you learn to follow the rules!
…… So when I was downtown for a ribbon cutting for a preserved historic house a few months back, I looked for one of those safe city multi space parking meters nearby the event.
There it was, so being in a rush as usual, I hurried into a spot and cozied up to the gulping money machine. I threw 3 singles in and pushed the little green button as I had done so many times before.
Nothing happened …. I looked closer …. A little message said something like this ” well we know you just put in $3 dollars, but we’re requiring you pay $15 at this meter, and we won’t give you back your $3 if you decide to cancel and not feed me another $12, so nanny nanny boo boo !
%#!@*
Yup, that’s how I felt alright! ….. and I wasn’t giving this lousy beast another red cent ….. I drove another block away and found a more friendly meter …. I gave this one another $3 ( of my hard earned money) and hustled to the event …
….. I mentioned to Mayor Jack Seiler how I had just been had, and by our own City none the less! ….. But as it turned out, the lot was an imposter! … Though it looked just like other City lots, it was a private concern….
….. It took a couple of months, but after a chat with the parking company ( and their subsequent chat with the City Manager), and the Mayor weighing in, the parking company agreed that their parking upcharges weren’t very clear, not quite right …
…… So not only did ASTA Parking do the right thing and put up a new clearer sign ….. but they also dug deep and donated $250 to historic preservation ….
….. a good ending