Excellent job by the Parking Enforcement today.....

Occurrence · October-08-11, 02:57 AM

I parked on the side of the Greektown hotel/parking garage today, popped two quarters into the meter, walked around the corner and into the lobby. The folks I was meeting happened to be ready in the lobby as I walked in. We then walked back to my car to find a parking ticket on my window with 28 minutes left on the meter.

So what the hell am I supposed to do now? I assume I have to come back downtown on my own time to fight a stupid $20 ticket? Nice scam they have going on here.

detroitjim · October-08-11, 05:23 AM

Unless you already have four unpaid parking tickets from the city ,just ignore it. They aren't going keep you from renewing your drivers license until you have at least that many. Booting anyone's ride only happens to the scofflaws that owe hundreds of dollars. Of course, if you are really that paranoid about it,hurry up pay the 10 bucks .You have a few days until the fine goes to $20.

**Downriviera** · October-08-11, 06:01 AM

Same thing happened to me once. I ran down the meter hawk and was told there was no parking on that street for that day. They had a temporary sign at the corner which I didn't see. Of course they didn't put a cover over the meters.

**milesdriven** · October-08-11, 08:01 AM

Originally Posted by detroitjim

Unless you already have four unpaid parking tickets from the city ,just ignore it. .

This is great advice, unless you care about your credit rating. They will send it to a collection agency eventually.

**stasu1213** · October-08-11, 08:02 AM

The meters could be set up to give an 20 minutes to 1/2 per quarter after 6pm such as it is in Grosse Pointe, Royal Oak, and Birmingham. People are forced to park in the parking lots and structures who's owners are probably lineing council's or the mayor's pocket to have the meters running until 10pm to force those going to an event to dine downtown to park in those locations. The money the city get from the meters after 6pm is only a drop in the bucket. City leaders are very shortsighted and shoot themselves in their feet

**kraig** · October-08-11, 08:37 AM

The City has a lot of meters that are in areas where parking is prohibited for certain hours of the day. That may have been it. If not, I hope you know the meter number. It's possible to request a read out for that particular meter during that time of day or you can find out if the meter has been malfunctioning. More than likely, Municipal Parking will rather forget the whole thing than provide information on a defective meter or bad employee.

**Lowell** · October-08-11, 10:41 AM

I had a similar incident about 15 years ago while parked on Warren between Cass and Woodward. Not only did I have time but he had slapped me with a handicap parking violation. Luckily I arrive just as he pulled away and was working the other side of Warren. I cut across the street and confronted him after which he sheepishly tore up the ticket.

Does anyone know about quotas or other pressures or incentives that these agents may have? They seem to have a zeal that other governmental employees lack.

I have long asserted that to make Detroit and other government entities work, just have them model their other departments after their parking enforcement.

Occurrence · October-08-11, 11:28 AM

The ticket just says expired meter. I'm going to be calling up Monday to waste the time complaining to somebody. It's probably going to be easier to just pay the stupid thing, but now it's just a matter of principal. If my meter had expired or I didn't put any coins in it, than I wouldn't be complaining because it would be my fault.

I had my SLR camera with me and I took photos. I don't know if that really proves anything, I guess they could just say I put in coins and then took the photos. I haven't looked at them yet, maybe I will post a couple when it get to it later.

**preserve** · October-08-11, 01:14 PM

Lowell, I agree with you 100%. I find it hard to believe that there's a fortune made by the City with the current parking enforcement. Most of the people I know of that have been
ticketed, do not pay - or wait until there's a moratorium and pay 1/2. I got a ticket recently, just like the one described, and rather than go through all the hassle of going back down town and recording the meter number, I just deducted the amount put into the meter and sent a note. I noted the meter was malfunctioning after I put in 4 quarters. There's nothing that is more discouraging than parking meters and over zealous parking enforcement. I will not eat or shop anywhere that requires me to finish in the allotted time on a parking meter.

**softailrider** · October-08-11, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

I had a similar incident about 15 years ago while parked on Warren between Cass and Woodward. Not only did I have time but he had slapped me with a handicap parking violation. Luckily I arrive just as he pulled away and was working the other side of Warren. I cut across the street and confronted him after which he sheepishly tore up the ticket.

Does anyone know about quotas or other pressures or incentives that these agents may have? They seem to have a zeal that other governmental employees lack.

I have long asserted that to make Detroit and other government entities work, just have them model their other departments after their parking enforcement.

Absolutely agree about that zeal comment. Those Metermaids must get a percentage of what they write, nobody works that hard.

**DetroitPlanner** · October-08-11, 10:13 PM

I would have used the cell phone camera and take a pic of the tiicket next to the meter and send it to the ombudsman, the department head, everyone on city council, and the mayor. I would attach a note saying you will get Rob Wolcheck to look into this if you don't get action in 14 days. Make sure you make a copy of the note and are willing to give it to Rob.

**JBMcB** · October-08-11, 10:19 PM

The solution is simple - the police and parking enforcement departments don't get to keep the money they collect. The money goes to funding homeless shelters or drug rehab programs or something like that. When parking fees get entered in as sources of revenue in the city's budget, you run into crap like this happening.

**daddeeo** · October-08-11, 11:02 PM

There is something called "good will" that gets lost with every bad ticket written.

Occurrence · October-08-11, 11:27 PM

I will post the photos when I get them into the computer.

On my ticket it marks the expired meter as #2767, but I'm clearly parked in front of meter 2766. I also have a photo of the meter reading 27 minutes left, then one of my license plate. I hope the photos have the time embedded in the file.

The only explanation I can think of is I parked in the wrong spot too far up or back, but I parked in front of the meter like I always have, so it doesn't really make any sense. Plus there are no lines painted in the road indicating exactly where each official spot begins or ends. Common sense says park in front of the meter you intend to feed.

I really wish I would have caught the person writing that ticket so I could ask what the hell they are doing. Oh well.

**TheEnergizer** · October-09-11, 12:06 AM

They do seem to have a zeal that most others don't have...I don't get it. I did love seeing Detroit featured on Parking Wars though haha.

**kraig** · October-09-11, 12:18 AM

Originally Posted by Occurrence

I will post the photos when I get them into the computer.

On my ticket it marks the expired meter as #2767, but I'm clearly parked in front of meter 2766. I also have a photo of the meter reading 27 minutes left, then one of my license plate. I hope the photos have the time embedded in the file.

The only explanation I can think of is I parked in the wrong spot too far up or back, but I parked in front of the meter like I always have, so it doesn't really make any sense. Plus there are no lines painted in the road indicating exactly where each official spot begins or ends. Common sense says park in front of the meter you intend to feed.

I really wish I would have caught the person writing that ticket so I could ask what the hell they are doing. Oh well.

Now this changes the entire conversation. You're supposed to park behind the meter. If you parked in front and put money into the meter behind your car, it was not your meter. The best thing that you can do is pay the fine while there is still time to get half off.

Occurrence · October-09-11, 12:38 AM

I wasn't really in front of the meter, more like in the middle right where I park, I didn't really have much of a choice because there was another car I parked behind.. I fed the meter that was right next to my car like I'm supposed too. If they are going to be that stingy then they need to paint lines and numbers exactly where you're suppose to park. They shouldn't base their ticket on imaginary arbitrary lines. Let people know exactly where each parking spot begins and ends, and which meter corresponds too.

Anyways when I get home tomorrow I'll put the photo up and we will take a look.

**Zacha341** · October-09-11, 07:49 AM

Booting happens with five or more tickets. Ignore too many and your at the magic number. I just pay within the 10 days and you get the discount as you mention. Go too long and the ticket goes up and up. But they never go away rather you live in the city of not... LOL!

Originally Posted by detroitjim

Unless you already have four unpaid parking tickets from the city ,just ignore it. They aren't going keep you from renewing your drivers license until you have at least that many. Booting anyone's ride only happens to the scofflaws that owe hundreds of dollars. Of course, if you are really that paranoid about it,hurry up pay the 10 bucks .You have a few days until the fine goes to $20.

**softailrider** · October-09-11, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by Occurrence

I wasn't really in front of the meter, more like in the middle right where I park, I didn't really have much of a choice because there was another car I parked behind.. I fed the meter that was right next to my car like I'm supposed too. If they are going to be that stingy then they need to paint lines and numbers exactly where you're suppose to park. They shouldn't base their ticket on imaginary arbitrary lines. Let people know exactly where each parking spot begins and ends, and which meter corresponds too.

Anyways when I get home tomorrow I'll put the photo up and we will take a look.

Ummmmmmm, you got to park behind the meter. Not in front of the meter or with the meter in the middle of your car. It doesn't matter if the car in front of you is taking up two spaces, I would find a different space where the meter is just ahead of your front bumper.

**downtownguy** · October-09-11, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by Occurrence

I wasn't really in front of the meter, more like in the middle right where I park, I didn't really have much of a choice because there was another car I parked behind.. I fed the meter that was right next to my car like I'm supposed too. If they are going to be that stingy then they need to paint lines and numbers exactly where you're suppose to park. They shouldn't base their ticket on imaginary arbitrary lines. Let people know exactly where each parking spot begins and ends, and which meter corresponds too.

Give it up Occurrence. First you said you parked in front of the meter, and now you say you were beside it? Either way, that's not how you park at a meter. Even if they painted lines, that wouldn't have helped you know to park behind the meter. Sounds like you need arrows, too. Or, you could have looked for the no standing signs that likely framed the metered area, and the meters and the corresponding parking spaces would have been apparent. Chalk it up to an expensive lesson and next time you'll know better. Don't they teach this stuff in driver's ed? It's been so long, I can't remember.

Occurrence · October-09-11, 09:27 PM

In front of it is also beside it when walking towards the side of the car from the sidewalk. I don't understand what you mean.

**MikeM** · October-09-11, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by Occurrence

In front of it is also beside it when walking towards the side of the car from the sidewalk. I don't understand what you mean.

It's not that hard:

http://www.theaterhopper.com/2009/02/10/how-to-park/

Occurrence · October-09-11, 10:50 PM

Exhibit B would be closer to how I was parked.

If I parked wrong, then my ticket should have been for improper parking, not for an expired meter. My meter wasn't expired. If they are going to start writing these kinds of tickets, then they should put lines on the pavement indicated exactly where to park.

Ravine · October-10-11, 01:54 AM

You should just stay at home, where your lack of familiarity with these excruciatingly complex procedures will not put you at hazard.

Occurrence · October-10-11, 10:05 AM

Actually I was considering going to Parking Violations school, or whatever it's called.

I want to make a difference in the community and add true meaning to my life. I feel that becoming a parking enforcement officer will win me the respect of my peers.