Parking Wars

[wolverine]

I love this show. Who knew what could be thought of as a boring job could be so interesting. We've all been there, but it's funny to see people's reactions to getting a ticket, especially when it's for something as measly as a $20 fine. It's best when people come running out of their houses or businesses to stop them from ticketing or booting.

It also shows how complex things can get too.

I sympathize. Completely aware of Chicago Bears only parking days, I parked in a non gameday parking space on a side street many blocks away from the stadium. It took a ton of convincing to prove to the city that I was in fact legally parked. It took some patience, but it worked and my $50 fine was tossed out.

[dxartist]

I myself never thought a mundane job like that can make for an interesting show. Watching the person who got ticketed flip out can be hilarious at times. Luckily for me in Charlotte, I don't have a problem with the parking meter people downtown.

[FromCityToRural]

I couldn't watch that show...it'd work me up waaaaay too much

[monsoon]

This reminds me of the the British show called "The Clampers" which is a show about people getting their cars booted (called clamping in the UK) for parking illegally.

[wolverine]

^ Very similar premise

[Raintree21]

I could see it being a hit. I would have a blast writing tickets for all of the idiots in our city that feel like they are entitled to park illegally and as said above, watching people flip out would be quite entertaining but I bet they have to go through quite a bit of film to get their A-roll.

[zman9810]

Parking is a sore subject with me. In my town you only have to plug the meters between 8AM and 5PM. I pull up to one at 2:50PM and put in 2 hours worth, come back and sure enough I've got a ticket. I go by the office to pay it the next day and park in a metered spot but I'm just going to run right in and pay it - shouldn't take 5 minutes. Ends up taking about 10 minutes and again, of course, I have a ticket on my windshield.

I've read the parking revenue report for the city and they make a lot more money off tickets than they do paid parking. Maybe I'll get a hybrid- they are talking about letting them park for free.

[wolverine]

I just got a parking ticket the other day from a fresh campus police officer. Apparently we aren't supposed to park in permitted lots beyond 6 unless we have a night pass (never heard of those). I did this all the time in undergrad. Turns out it's a rule not usually enforced. Still payed it though. It was only $20. Just thinking of the show and all those people who throw a stormy fit over a $24 ticket....or not pay it and get their car booted lol.

Ann Arbor is opposite with making money off tickets. Many of them are off of expired meters. There is a huge incentive not to pay meters because the fines are only $6 if payed within the next day. Assuming you park all day like some students do, your parking runs about $6-12/day. With a couple clicks of a mouse, this ticket can be payed over the internet or the money dumped in a drop box near city hall and it's all taken care of. In this case, you paid less taking the fine.

A lot of people here are willing to accept parking tickets on a regular basis because of this, and as long as they are paid, there's no higher penalty.

[FromCityToRural]

It makes me think about all the wasted talent and doggedness writing parking tickets and moving violations...don't these cities have real criminals to catch?