I could relate to the parking ticket dilemma described in the Feb. 17 letter, "City gets carried away with ticket on Sunday."
On a Sunday in December I went out for the day and returned home a bit later than expected. I went outside at 9:40 p.m. to move the car, as I have done for 20 years, and I found I had been given a ticket at 9:30 p.m.
The next day I filled out a ticket dispute form and waited two weeks for an answer, which was a denial. I went in to pay and was told I owed $45 for being past the deadline. Luckily, I got that knocked back to the original $21, but not before being told "what a deal" I was getting and "just this once." I was made to feel I was getting off for murder.
I'm really condensing the whole debacle for space limits, but to me it seems like extortion. If I had moved the car too early -- ticket! If I had gotten home too late -- ticket! There is a four-hour window to move the car. Seems to me we're just soft targets.
Bill Sandwick
ADVERTISEMENT
Duluth
