A Somerville police officer, when knocking my door to tell me my car would be towed unless I moved it (much appreciated), told me that they only ticket and tow for the 48 hour rule if there has been a complaint.

Someone *really* didn't like my car, because it hadn't even been there for 48 hours (about 46). I got off the ticket by showing them the airline ticket I used coming into the country, 48 hours before the ticket was issued.

I also had 3 tickets in that period for parking on the wrong side of the road, two of them 6 hours apart. They let me off one of those too. That's another rule I think is pointless on a quiet residential street.