With the California state in financial ruins, the state government has found a new way to raise money-: Rain Parking Tickets on people, a whole lot of them.
On our most recent trip to the City of San Francisco, we began the evening with the usual routine of circling city blocks to find a suitable parking spot. We even peeked into a parking garage, but the prospect of paying a flat rate of $15, seemed preposterous and we pulled back.
Then, Jackpot: We see a car pulling out from a parking space and we immediately maneuver our car in the spot. There were four of us, we stepped out of the car and carefully surveyed the parking place to make sure it was legit.
The sign on the meter “327 05070” said, 7AM-6PM Mon-Fri. it was 6:45pm on a Friday, four pair of eyes read this, nod, smile and praise the good Lord. Finally!
You would think the story ends here. No …
So the evening goes by. We finish our dinner, chat over dessert, sip good coffee, admire the bustling city life, curse the Bay Area suburbs that we live-in and yearn for a life in “the city”. Finally, we return to our car at about 11:15pm, on Broadway and Columbus. Guess what?
No CAR.
You say, “What do you mean no car? Did we come to the right street?”.
Yes, off-course, Broadway and Columbus. But the whole street was empty, all the cars were gone!
Panic stricken, we ask around, and are duly informed that a few car were towed away.
We debate, “the sign said, we could park, that is what the meter said. Isn’t it?”.
We soon realize that 4 parking spaces behind our spot, was a sign that said no parking beyond 8:00pm on Friday, else cars would be towed away.
(they fooled 4 people, shame on them)
Now, I was under the impression that such sign are always posted at the end of the parking space row.
We got towed
A cab and $15 later we arrive at the tow station, to get the reality check of the city life.
The towing fee was a cool $373.00 and we had also got a $75 parking ticket, that sums to $447 for the night.
Yes, our 4 hour parking in “the City” has just cost us $447.00.
The best part was the we couldn’t even argue with the towing company, as the City by the Bay, had out sourced the job to a 3rd party, so the tow co were just middle men, doing their job.
We swore, what a fraud the city of SFO was and drive home.
By the way, our car got towed again in San Jose downtown two week later, for $225. This time we had parked right below 4 Big signs that said don’t park for more than a hour. Parking is a Bitch.
