Tuesday, July 31, 2007

can't fight city hall...

I've been wanting to post this since yesterday but have been busy lately. I've Finally got a spare moment to get a blog post in...
First a little history... I work in a small "Victorian" town. The building I work in is an old 1900 bank with limited parking in the back. Right next to my office is the local post office. For the past 6-7 years that I've worked there, I usually (unless all the spots are taken) park on the street along the curb usually in front of the post office. Mind you, this is not a busy town, there is almost ALWAYS parking there.
About 2 months ago, one of the post office guys (who I got along well with) retired. They brought in this new guy (I've only seem him twice). Well, he feels that he owns the curbside parking in front of the building. One time he was standing on the top of the steps and told me not to park there. I obliged, not even thinking about it and moved my truck a little further down. Then it hit me... wait a minute... this is a public street, there are no signs, he can't tell me where to park. So ever since then I have continued to park wherever I want.
Well, I pull up to work this Monday morning and guess what... two brand new shiny signs saying "customer parking only" that takes up MOST of the curb space. GRR! So, I look at the signs and they just say "US post office" on them. I'm thinking, 'these are not township signs... I bet he just put up his own signs!'
So now I'm pissed. At lunch time, I drove down to the town clerks office, and ask her, if the township put up those signs. She had no idea and said I should ask the police station (right next door). So I did. I walk in, and I ask about the no parking signs in front of the post office. The officer says "Those have been there for a long time now" WHAT?! (I didn't yell that out loud), I asked him to repeat that, I said "I've been parking there almost every day for the last 5-6 years and I've never seen them before" - the officer steps back behind a wall, to ask the "chief"... Yep, the chief said "Those have been there for a long time". I couldn't believe it. Here are two local police officers lying to me to my face. I proceeded to ask "what happens if I still park there, will I get a ticket or will I be towed?" He said, I'd get a parking ticket. I thanked him and left. I went back to the office, pulled up our town website, and proceeded to look at the photos online of a recent town gathering from June 2nd. Guess what... No Signs! Grrr.
So, now I'm torn as to what to do. Do I pursue it with the township? Do I show up at the local town hall meeting and raise the issue? Do I continue to park there and IF I get a ticket, do I try and fight it in court? Do I just let it rest, and find a new parking spot farther away.
I don't know. I think I'm going to let it rest for a month or so (because I'm sure now the police officer will be looking for violators), then I'll take my chances in court. I've never fought a traffic ticket before, and part of me wants to do it just for the experience - even if it costs me $80 if I loose. Part of me wants to go in every morning and buy a single stamp, get a receipt, that way I'll have "proof" that I am a customer :)
And the really nasty part of me, wants to call a local handicap group and tip them off, that the post office is not up to code because they do not have a handicap ramp.
GRR. See, this is the type of "problem with authority" that I have. I don't know why, but it just "burns me up".


2 comments:

me said...

this is funny- and i am laughing only because i know the feeling.... but i think that you should just drop it... the local cops there obviously have no qualms about siding with the a-hole.

and about the handicap thing- heck, i'd call. if anything you'd be helping someone out- and i think that's not vengeful at all.

cyen said...

yep... I decided to drop it too. I will be keeping the handicap option in the back of my mind... I'll wait until I'm not doing it out of spite, but rather doing it for good. I wonder who I could contact?

Namaste :)