I put a quarter in, really!
November 15, 2010
Dear Sir or Madame:
While on a week-long business trip, I made plans to meet a friend of mine in Bethesda on Tuesday November 9. I arrived at just about 6:00pm, and found parking on Norfolk Avenue. I noticed the spot I pulled into had a non-operating meter. I then saw that the spot to the left of that had a note affixed to its meter stating that it was broken and that two quarters had been inserted. Since the spot to the right of me was vacant, I pulled back. I didn’t notice anything wrong and inserted two quarters. No time registered. Not sure what to do, I looked around, saw nobody to ask, and so wrote a similar note and inserted it into the coin slot. I walked the very short distance to the restaurant on Del Ray and told the host what I had done. He explained that the town is known for issuing summonses and suggested that I move the car to be safe. So I walked back to the car, and pulled into the metered garage on Del Ray.
In the garage, I encountered three more consecutive empty spots. I got out of my car, inserted another quarter into the meter, and nothing registered. By this point, I was not happy. I looked at the first empty spot next to me and saw a small indicator that that meter was also not working! I then looked and saw no such indicator at the spot in which I was sitting. I then walked to the next spot, and that meter actually looked to be working. So, I tentatively inserted a coin, and was elated to see time register. I pulled my car into that spot, and filled the meter mostly with nickels and dimes, since I had run out of quarters from sprinkling your other meters with them.
I went into the restaurant, had dinner, and walked back to my car. It is then when I saw the ticket on my windshield. We took a number of pictures of this meter, wondering why I had received a citation, since there were 21 minutes left, before later realizing that it was from my initial parking mishap.
Because I was away from my car for less than 5 minutes when it was parked on Norfolk, I am surprised that a ticket was written so promptly. That the ticket notes my car as white (it is not; it’s gold/green) suggests that the issuer was hastily filling out the form. It also strikes me as extremely unfortunate and unfair that 5 out of the 6 meters I checked were not functioning. That I moved my car multiple times and inserted coins into a number of meters is indicative that I had zero intent of cheating, or committing any violation. That I was away on business and that I live 300 miles away means I have little recourse here but to pay the $45 fine. Fine. However, I would really like to know how many summonses were issued on 11/9 (and surrounding dates) on Norfolk Ave and in the two spots to the right of mine in the parking garage (I was at spot 7 in there). Or, I would like to know why so many meters are broken and if they are fixed. But, I suspect you’ll simply cash my check without any response.
I’m copying the Chamber of Commerce of your county and town on this letter, as I would be interested to understand if they really want visitors to your town feeling as resentful and unwelcome as the above series of events made me feel.
Sincerely,
HKHWR
Dear Sir or Madame:
While on a week-long business trip, I made plans to meet a friend of mine in Bethesda on Tuesday November 9. I arrived at just about 6:00pm, and found parking on Norfolk Avenue. I noticed the spot I pulled into had a non-operating meter. I then saw that the spot to the left of that had a note affixed to its meter stating that it was broken and that two quarters had been inserted. Since the spot to the right of me was vacant, I pulled back. I didn’t notice anything wrong and inserted two quarters. No time registered. Not sure what to do, I looked around, saw nobody to ask, and so wrote a similar note and inserted it into the coin slot. I walked the very short distance to the restaurant on Del Ray and told the host what I had done. He explained that the town is known for issuing summonses and suggested that I move the car to be safe. So I walked back to the car, and pulled into the metered garage on Del Ray.
In the garage, I encountered three more consecutive empty spots. I got out of my car, inserted another quarter into the meter, and nothing registered. By this point, I was not happy. I looked at the first empty spot next to me and saw a small indicator that that meter was also not working! I then looked and saw no such indicator at the spot in which I was sitting. I then walked to the next spot, and that meter actually looked to be working. So, I tentatively inserted a coin, and was elated to see time register. I pulled my car into that spot, and filled the meter mostly with nickels and dimes, since I had run out of quarters from sprinkling your other meters with them.
I went into the restaurant, had dinner, and walked back to my car. It is then when I saw the ticket on my windshield. We took a number of pictures of this meter, wondering why I had received a citation, since there were 21 minutes left, before later realizing that it was from my initial parking mishap.
Because I was away from my car for less than 5 minutes when it was parked on Norfolk, I am surprised that a ticket was written so promptly. That the ticket notes my car as white (it is not; it’s gold/green) suggests that the issuer was hastily filling out the form. It also strikes me as extremely unfortunate and unfair that 5 out of the 6 meters I checked were not functioning. That I moved my car multiple times and inserted coins into a number of meters is indicative that I had zero intent of cheating, or committing any violation. That I was away on business and that I live 300 miles away means I have little recourse here but to pay the $45 fine. Fine. However, I would really like to know how many summonses were issued on 11/9 (and surrounding dates) on Norfolk Ave and in the two spots to the right of mine in the parking garage (I was at spot 7 in there). Or, I would like to know why so many meters are broken and if they are fixed. But, I suspect you’ll simply cash my check without any response.
I’m copying the Chamber of Commerce of your county and town on this letter, as I would be interested to understand if they really want visitors to your town feeling as resentful and unwelcome as the above series of events made me feel.
Sincerely,
HKHWR
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