What I've read is that one of the reasons the fines have gone up in recent years is that lower fines were not sufficient to act as a deterrent. I'm much more vigilant about street sweeping since they increased the fine from $25 to $50.

Parking tickets are a downer. I got one in Charlestown this morning, because I put my quarters in the wrong meter (behind my car, not in front) when I went to the gym. But living in a place where nobody pays attention to parking regulations because they're not enforced would be worse.