Subscribe

qrcode

Latest Tweets

Now Reading

  • Churchill

    Churchill by Paul Johnson

  • Passing Strange: A Gilded Age Tale of Love and Deception Across the Color Line

    Passing Strange: A Gilded Age Tale of Love and Deception Across the Color Line by Martha A. Sandweiss

Recently Read

  • The Faithful Spy (A John Wells Novel)

    The Faithful Spy (A John Wells Novel) by Alex Berenson

  • Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance – Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem!

    Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance – Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem! by Jane Austen, Seth Grahame-Smith

  • The Wrecker (Isaac Bell)

    The Wrecker (Isaac Bell) by Clive Cussler, Justin Scott

  • The Fourth Star: Four Generals and the Epic Struggle for the Future of the United States Army

    The Fourth Star: Four Generals and the Epic Struggle for the Future of the United States Army by Greg Jaffe, David Cloud

  • When March Went Mad: The Game That Transformed Basketball

    When March Went Mad: The Game That Transformed Basketball by Seth Davis

See Full Library
«  
Home
  »

Wrong Direction Parking

May 6th, 2009 | Comments |

Parking Ticket_Page_2

So, I was in Cambridge, MA last week and parked in a public lot while attending the TechStars Boston Mentor Dinner (really great group, BTW).  I searched the 10,000 little signs around the lot to find out if I needed to fill a meter somewhere and felt fairly secure that I didn’t when I found an obscured sign that stated that sacrifices to the parking lot gods were not required after 6pm – it was 5:58.

Imagine my dismay then, when I came back to my car later that evening to find this parking ticket on the car.  Not because I neglected to fill a meter, but because I backed into a parking space (see arrows).  I suppose I can dream of reasons why this is a rule, most of them having to do with bad drivers, but I can’t think of any logical reason why this should be a problem (Massachusetts requires front license plates, so that’s not it).

I had to hunt around the parking lot to find the small sign that told parkers that they had to park “head on” only.  It was there, but it wasn’t obvious.  It was posted and I was, therefore, wrong.  I just think it’s absurd – both the rule and the poor posting of it.

Anyone know why this type of parking restriction is mandated?

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Related posts:

  1. LS460 Auto-Parking. Or Not.
  2. FCC Drops Morse Code Requirement for Amateur Radio License
  3. Massachusetts? The Safest Place to Drive in the US?

May 6th, 2009 | Category: Misc Thoughts, Stuff with a Motor | Comments |
  • Seriously, I have no problem with that level of supervision going on. It doesn't bother me one bit and I'm sure adds layers of protection. Especially at an airport. In Central Square, though, I dunno :-)
  • Hmmm. Interesting. I had no idea that kinda thing was happening. I'm so naive. Glad I'm paying someone to invade my privacy look after me.
  • I just ransomed my from Logan Airport's parking where the securinazis also insist on head-on parking. The parking receipt had my car's location printed on it. Note that the car is registered in my wife's name, which is different from my credit card.

    I'm guessing that they photo my license when I take my parking ticket, and scan the parked cars (semi-automatically??) to know where they are, and how long they've been there. It seems a logical post-911 security thing: car thieves have used parking lots to let "hot" cars (and no, I don't mean Hyundai-s) cool down until they can be moved.
  • john bower
    Will,
    You needed to have that car that Philip Garner built, I think he took a 59 Impala or perhaps a big Chrysler and turned the body around on its frame (back when cars had a separate body and frame). He then proceded to drive it around all over the place. To the casual observer it looked like a guy was driving a car in reverse while sitting in the back seat. Anyway, this would be a good way to test the laws in this parking lot. He (Garner)has a couple of books out, probably all out of print, "Better Living Catalog" and "Utopia or Bust", circa early 80's. There are a couple of fun car projects he did, one was the insperation for the knotty pine contact paper covered 67 cougar project my college buddy and I did back in 84.

    If one had the time, a car like this would be the way to test the limits of the stupid law. Park one way one day and get a ticket, park the other way in and get a ticket and then take both tickets to court and state they can't have it both ways, of course this would take time and all one would probably achieve is getting a thrid ticket for driving a vehicle that breaks the Mass Motor Vehicle code....
  • Jason,

    Interesting thought about the slip on the dash as proof of payment. That makes loads of sense. I'm sure you're right, there is something here about revenue generation that I'm missing. That *has* to be it.

    Someone else pointed out that I got this ticket after 6pm - when I didn't even have to pay for the space any more. So, they cruise the lots to find other offenses, even when the meters are no longer operational. I think this backs up your revenue generating response.
  • CBB,

    *Require* that you back in. That's scary. I know many people who, if forced to back in, would surely damage any and all other vehicles around them.
  • Ron,

    Yeah, about 4% of all vehicles have the old, green, rear-only plates. It could be a legacy thing. If that's the case, though, it's about time to adjust, don't you think?
  • Nick,

    Perfect! I think that's the answer :-)
  • CBB
    If memory serves, it was largely because most cars had rear-wheel drive, and therefore a car that had backed into a perpendicular parking space couldn't be towed easily. Never mind that times have changed, but the laws haven't.

    Oddly enough, the spaces around Lafayette Square near the White House in Washington require that you back in. It may be to facilitate getting out in the snarl of DC traffic.
  • Ron
    Not all cars have front and back plates. If you have an older green lettering license plate you don't need a front plate as well.
  • NickN
    I'm going to go with "Just because..."
blog comments powered by Disqus