Parking Punks!
I had just finished one meeting.  I had another one an hour later.  I knew it would be a waste of time to drive back to the East end just to leave and back Downtown.  So I said I would support the local economy and go browse some shops on Bardstown Rd.

It was right around 5pm so most of the street parking no longer existed (no parking 4-6 during rush hours).  For some reason, I wanted to check out the store Pitaya but it seemed the most difficult feat to find parking close to the store.  After driving around the same block several times, I found a meter on Highland Ave at those meters where everyone parks diagonally.

I put my little quarter in the meter and knew I wouldn’t be gone for more than 20 minutes.  I heard it travel in the machine (clunk, clunk), but then noticed my meter still read ‘zero’ minutes.  WTF! I looked around at the other cars by me.  Some of their meters also said that they didn’t have any time.  So, I just assumed that all the meters there were broken.  The meters were free after six so I just knew they wouldn’t waste their time coming around again to check.

I went in the store, browsed around to waste time and left.  As I walked around the corner to my car I noticed the bright neon green envelope on my window.  I had hoped there would be this torrential rain all of a sudden or a burst of strong wind would sweep it away, but it was actually beautiful weather.

The little parking suckers tagged me about ten minutes earlier.  And I was mad!  I looked around at the other cars and realized that I was the only one with a ticket.  I saw the car next to me with an expired meter, but that car had nothing.  So the crazy thoughts started running through my head – 1. It’s racially motivated.  Why is it that only the black car with the black female in a black suit received a ticket?  Something doesn’t seem right.  2. There must be a hidden camera around somewhere.  I thought it had to be a trick meter and the meter cop was sitting in a restaurant across the street watching for the next dummy to use that broken meter and walk away.

After being pissed at the $15 I was giving my city (for a trip where I end up empty handed), I went on and paid the ticket.  I heard the city was putting boots on cars that had more than 2 unpaid parking tickets, and that DEFINITELY is not an article I wish to experience!

M.Y.  November 2009