Month End Musings ~ April 2009

Here's My Story - Sad But True!

April 18, 2009


City Of Oakland
250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza
Oakland, CA 94612

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

I am paying this ticket under protest.

What was meant to be a nice (albeit very rainy) day to celebrate a birthday and to visit Mountain View Cemetery was marred by the receipt of a parking ticket for parking at a spot that WAS NOT CLEARLY MARKED AS NEEDING ANY TYPE OF PERMIT OR PAYMENT.

I was accompanied by two adults. We found a parking space on Piedmont Avenue. There was no meter associated with the space. The car in front of us had a meter. There was NO indication that we needed to pay. We had lunch and returned to the car to find a soaking wet, bright green envelope on the windshield. One of my companions said, “I wonder if that is a ticket,” but none of us really thought it was a ticket. I took the envelope and got into the car. Of course, since it was pouring, the envelope was soaked and part of it ripped. (Is there no one with the City of Oakland who figured out that tickets should be placed in plastic during a downpour?) I shudder to think what would happen to me if I had not retrieved the ticket before it was totally destroyed and, hence, did not know it was a ticket—not ever having received a parking ticket in the 40+ years I have been driving.

I opened the envelope and found the ticket. For about two minutes—which is a long time in some circumstances—we tried to figure out WHY I received the ticket. Then one of my companions noticed a sign at the end of the block POINTING OUT TOWARD THE STREET—NOT DOWN THE STREET FACING THE CARS WHERE IT COULD BE SEEN BY DRIVERS—and after some investigation we (all three college graduates) figured out that we were to have purchased some type of permit and this was indeed a “parking ticket.”

I repeat: I am paying this ticket under protest. I have no expectation that anyone other than the person who processes parking tickets will see this letter or that any consideration will be given to weighing the merits of the situation with the result being the return of my check.

The ticket and my check are enclosed, along with what is left of the unusable envelope. Perhaps I should ask for payment of the envelope I had to provide.

Sandra XXXXXXXX
A Native of Oakland and Upstanding Citizen!