Disgusted.

[marmota.livejournal.com]

a few weeks ago, I was issued a parking ticket in the brief window of opportunity between exiting my car and obtaining a guest permit from my destination. On showing the permit in hand to the ticket writer who was still there, I was told "it took me a minute to write it. dispute it.", and they walked off. So, I've disputed it.

Today, I received in the mail a demand for payment saying that my dispute had been denied, and I quote, "Hearing officers cannot dismiss validly issued ticket(s), which conform, to the parking rules and regulations.".

Apparently policy is now, or perhaps may always have been, for there to be no grace period whatsoever in obtaining guest permits.

So, fair warning. Apparently Somerville expects nonresidents to have to cell phone ahead to destinations and have someone meet us curbside with a permit.

I'm thoroughly disgusted by this, and out $50 for being LEGALLY PARKED.

Comments

[m00n.livejournal.com]

I agree with junerose. Showing up at the parked car with the permit in hand should be reason enough to stop writing the ticket. It is not the same as trying to get out of paying a meter because you were "just going to be a minute" because a) It is reasonable to expect that someone leave their car mainly for the purpose of retrieving the permit, and b) Chances are, if the person has a guest permit to present, they were probably going to use it anyway, unlike a quarter, where it's obvious that the person is only now trying to pay because they're getting a ticket. If you have access to a guest permit, there really isn't any reason you wouldn't use it every time.