Tweet
I got a parking ticket?
Really??
I just finished spending the past four days at a convention in downtown Austin. No, it wasn't for fun, it was for work. Since I live "close by" (an hour away) I chose to commute in each day rather than spend $200+ each night to stay at the hotel.
Parking was not really an issue, as I got into town well before the morning rush, and plenty of spaces were available. We no longer have meters, but rather, "Pay to Park," where you feed a machine, it spits out a slip, and you affix the slip to your windshield. Except for one liiiitle thing. I have handicap plates, and Texas statute says I park for free. So of course I did NOT feed the machine.
I came out this afternoon to find a little envelope tucked under my windshield wiper blade--it was a ticket for not having a parking slip.
Instead of heading home, I circled around and pulled into the police station to find someone to talk to about it, half expecting to be told that the law had been changed and I had not heard about it.
While I was waiting, I called home to explain why I was going to be a bit later than expected. After about 45 minutes I get called back, and explain that I had received a parking ticket, but I have "wheelie" plates. The officer looked up my plates, saw that yes, indeed, they are handicap plates, and yes indeed I don't have to pay to park. He even said that he didn't understand how the person issuing the ticket had missed the insignia on the plates. He did double check my ID, and then went into the computer and took care of the ticket.
When I got home, I found out that as soon as I hung up, DH had called his lawyer, had a case opened up for me, and had printed off a hard copy of the state parking statute. I think he was a little disappointed when he had to call the lawyer back to say it had already been resolved!
I just finished spending the past four days at a convention in downtown Austin. No, it wasn't for fun, it was for work. Since I live "close by" (an hour away) I chose to commute in each day rather than spend $200+ each night to stay at the hotel.
Parking was not really an issue, as I got into town well before the morning rush, and plenty of spaces were available. We no longer have meters, but rather, "Pay to Park," where you feed a machine, it spits out a slip, and you affix the slip to your windshield. Except for one liiiitle thing. I have handicap plates, and Texas statute says I park for free. So of course I did NOT feed the machine.
I came out this afternoon to find a little envelope tucked under my windshield wiper blade--it was a ticket for not having a parking slip.
Instead of heading home, I circled around and pulled into the police station to find someone to talk to about it, half expecting to be told that the law had been changed and I had not heard about it.While I was waiting, I called home to explain why I was going to be a bit later than expected. After about 45 minutes I get called back, and explain that I had received a parking ticket, but I have "wheelie" plates. The officer looked up my plates, saw that yes, indeed, they are handicap plates, and yes indeed I don't have to pay to park. He even said that he didn't understand how the person issuing the ticket had missed the insignia on the plates. He did double check my ID, and then went into the computer and took care of the ticket.
When I got home, I found out that as soon as I hung up, DH had called his lawyer, had a case opened up for me, and had printed off a hard copy of the state parking statute. I think he was a little disappointed when he had to call the lawyer back to say it had already been resolved!
Comment