Yesterday, the premiere of Ugly Betty gave me the perfect excuse to throw the first gathering of the fall at my place, I live in a basement apartment, that can get hot in the summer and spring, so usually if I have any social events they have to happen in the fall or winter. Taking the lead from TV, I realized that some pizza and red wine would be perfect to celebrate the return of Betty. I invited the closest and dearest and at 4 I left the office to go buy some wine and get home with enough time, to clean, put stuff away and order the pizzas.
I got to Dupont Circle at 4:50 or so and was looking for parking near Best Cellars, and I looked and looked, and looked and found nothing. I had a mess back home, so I did not have a lot of time. I saw a spot on R St, half legal, half illegal, but I figured , I am always a goodie two shoes, I will risk it how long will it take me to get 6 bottles of wine. I run to the store and choose my bottles and out of the corner of my eye I see one of the parking enforcement people walking up Connecticut Avenue, I told the clerk to hold my order, while I went and parked legally. I ran, I literally ran to my car and drove off to see if I could find a legal spot somewhere near the store, and as I am turning on S St, I see that I had already been ticketed. Insert a cry of frustration and pain, brought mostly by myself here. Aghhh, I was pissed, but I figured if they are around, and I park on my illegal spot as before they will give me another ticket. I did the rounds for 5 or 10 minutes and found a spot, went to the store and bought the wine, walked to the car and went home.
My only question is how can the same city that takes 6 months to fix Rock Creek Parkway, and where there are pools like Marie Reed that need fixin’ and never get can give anyone a ticket after being parked somewhat, ok, not somewhat, just plain illegally a ticket in less than 5 minutes?
Check is in the mail Mr. Mayor.
2 comments:
Yep, while the D.C. government has improved tremendously over the past decade, some things never change -- the parking enforcement division still sets a standard of efficiency that no others can match. I sympathize and empathize. . .
It's worth knowing that, in certain highest-demand areas, such as the primest retail areas of Dupont and Georgetown, a single meter maid ("Parking Enforcement Officer) is assigned a one-block "beat". He/she circles that block repeatedly. Evidently there are so many parking violations that it's worthwhile.
It sounds like you got caught in one of those situations.
The lesson: if parking illegally, it makes a big difference to be a block or two back from the prime retail strip! Enforcement in those areas is much more like the efficiency of the rest of the DC government.
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