A couple of weeks ago, we came home from the park to find a letter in our mailbox informing us that we had an overdue parking ticket, and that as a result, our parking fine had doubled from $100 to $200. I was shocked, not only by the exorbitant price, but because I was completely unaware that we had a parking ticket in the first place. Soon enough, though, Kay and I realized what had happened.
At the end of July, we had decided to go to the Zoo on a Monday afternoon that I had off of work. The zoo is free, but parking costs $20, so we decided to park on the street. As we finished up at the zoo, I realized that it was close to 4:00. Since many of the streets in D.C. do not allow parking during rush hour (4 – 6:30 pm), I went ahead with Oliver to make sure we made it in time. When I got close enough to see our car, I realized that a parking enforcement car had just pulled up behind it. (It was about 3 minutes after 4:00.) I sprinted with Oliver, shouting out something like, “Wait, Hold on! I’m here; I’ll move my car!” The official stopped and turned to watch me approach the car. “Is it too late?” I asked. She didn’t answer me; instead, she turned and walked away. I frantically checked my car, but there wasn’t a ticket so I decided that we must have made it just in time.
Well, that was until I received this letter. Kay and I were understandably upset, so we spent my Monday off traveling to the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles to fight the ticket. We waited in a long line, and then were sent to a room of about 8 other people as they administered the oath to us. Since Oliver was being noisy, the justice asked us if we would wait out in the lobby until it was our turn. After about half an hour, she called us into the room. She asked me if I admitted or denied the ticket; I responded that I denied. Without asking for further clarification, she proceeded to tell us that since the ticket was issued so near 4:00, she was letting us go with a warning.
This is me, in front of the DMV, with the letter nullifying our ticket.
Funny, but I thought I would feel happy not to have to pay the fine–instead, I was left feeling quite unsatisfied. I guess it wasn’t only the money that bothered me, but the unfairness of the situation–and they didn’t even give me a chance to explain that!
I just want to add that no words can describe how much we did NOT fit in at the D.C. traffic office. From how the guards looked at us, you would think that there hadn’t been a young white husband and pregnant wife with their toddler in that building for years. I went along as a witness that there was no ticket on the car. It felt like being sent to the principle’s office!
…It didn’t have all these people who interfere with the divine workings of the government!
Every time I have needed to interact with any government employee (not elected) I have always been treated as a pathetic trouble maker who had been granted an undeserved pardon from a condescending lord.
I am glad you “fought the system” and “beat the rap” and “got off scott free”!
We are in a ticket battle of our own!
If you want a good laugh, check out this
http://www.ViolationInfo.com – notice no.: 0630800288237 PIN: 9481
I say Cory is guilty, he’s denies. What do you guys think?
Congrats on the baby girl, girls are the best. I just wish you and Suzy were closer so someone could benefit from my hand-me-downs.
Best wishes,
Rachel
Once I got a $100 ticket for parking in one of the 25 unused handicapped spaces at work when I was 8 months pregnant with Tyler. It was February and the whole lot was covered in an inch of ice. To add insult to injury, the officer tacked on an additional $25 for not displaying my front license plate (which had fallen off the previous week and was sitting in the front passenger seat.) Apparently the receptionist saw the cop comming and paged me but I was in the bathroom (remember – 8 months pregnant.) I was totally in the wrong but it didn’t seem fair anyway. So Jared and I went down to the Salt Lake City courthouse to see if we could get the fee reduced, and if not then to just pay it. We walked into this super old timey bank looking office with a window that had bars on it and handed the tickets to the clerk – I had my speech all prepared. He looked at the tickets and I started to say “You know, I got this ticket…” when he looked directly at my huge stomach and said, “How about just $25 for the whole thing?” Just like you I was glad to not have to pay but I really wanted to tell my story!
No kidding!!! Try being the lowly wife of a guy in the Air Force. Everyone treats me like I’m trying to ruin their day just by breathing.