The Case against Plain Rudeness

Being rude or blatantly aggressive is a big no-no. You make us want to get to get rid of you as soon as possible. On the other hand, a nice personality, a strong (yet polite) case against a parking ticket is impressive, and we would be more willing to help you out.


Comment heard from a disgruntled customer: "I think it's ridiculous that students get more parking places compared to employees." Completely untrue, by the way.

Comment made by an employee once customer is out of earshot. "It's because of the students you have a job here."

We would love to make some clever and bitingly witty remark too. But why bother? The less conversation, the sooner you leave.


In conclusion, here's Meter Maid's take on personalities. Give them a parking ticket and see how they react.

Patience is Always Appreciated

Repeatedly banging on the counter top, ringing the bell, and calling out is just plain rude.

Tsk, tsk...Forged permit

Student approaches the counter. She is holding a five day permit card, and, gesturing to the second line, she says. "I forgot today was the 21st of September, I thought it was the 20th, so I corrected it out."

"Well, you're not really supposed to correct a line on it if you make a mistake. You need to cross it off. If not, the officers will think you're reusing that line."

(The matter is explained in an in depth manner)

"Well, I think (amount) is a little ridiculous for a student."

Officer and Manager are walking by the counter and hear the sentence.

"We think it's a pretty reasonable amount for stealing."

Student's mouth drops open.

"You were reusing the permit. When I gave the ticket, only the first line was filled out, and it had been reused three time. We have a photo of it. Do you want to see the photo?" questions Officer.

"No," student quickly walks off.

The photo is uploaded. The second line is blank, and the first line is rewritten in pencil, pink, and finally black.

Favorites Sentences from Today

"Well, I think it's unfair commuters have to pay for parking. Residents live on campus and can just walk to their classes."

"I paid (amount) for this permit, and I could not find any parking. This was the only parking spot that I found, and I'm not paying this ticket!"

"So this is a list of all the tickets I owe? Can't you give me a better notice? I mean how do I know if these tickets are mine or not? You could be giving a list of any old ticket with an outstanding payment."

If I just ignore them, then maybe my tickets will go away.

What a neat idea! Maybe that's what the guy - the guy who hasn't paid for a permit and has five outstanding tickets - is thinking.


A call received from a student who was issued a ticket for parking in a closed, commuter lot after midnight.

"I had some stuff to drop off at my room. I didn't want to move my car because it was late, and I felt unsafe. But I didn't want to use the campus safe walk program either."

And, therefore, you got a ticket.

The Issue of Free Parking and Internships

An unpaid intern who accepted a position with a department realizes he needs to pay for parking.
"Well, we won't be able to offer you free parking. We realize you are an unpaid intern, but, in our eyes, all customers are equal. If I were you, I would talk to the department that hired you and see if they'll be willing to pay for your parking permit."

Intern goes over to department and raises the question. Department refuses to pay. (Aren't they stingy?)

Intern comes back to Parking Services and demands free parking. I'm sorry, but that is not an option.

Intern is not happy.

But think about it. If the department refuses to pay for your parking permit, then why should we?

Update on the Stolen Permit

Trots down to the office.

No questions, no comments, willingly agrees to pay the fees.

Manager asks: "So, we need to know the name of the friend who sold you this permit?"

"Uummm...nobody really sold it to me. I found it...on the ground."

The above sentence is presented to you without any further comments. The validity of the statement will be left to the reader's judgement.

"But when you called you said that a friend sold it to you..."

"Yeah...well...he did, and then he left school....arroiidll aidsdldiod adioidfklsdfo...."

"Oh, I'm sorry. This parking spot's taken."

Today's memorable moments:

First up, the guy who had his car towed.

"Oh, that permit. Well, a friend sold it to me for $50."

Manager: "Well, we'll be interested to know who your friend is."

....No comment.

"How much do I owe?"

Manager names amount.

"Oh, God."


Next up. The guy who blocked a lady from parking in a spot by standing in the middle of it and saying he was saving it for his friend. Welcome to the dog-eat-dog world of parking.


Last. A permit holder who decides he's going to compensate for his parking ticket by stealing $11 worth of cakes from the kitchens. Good luck to you mate.

Why do you want to scare the freshies?

To the belligerent, in-your-face person who repeatedly scared a new freshman into thinking that they'll get a parking ticket with every turn of the wheel:

You are not cool.



While explaining where a new freshman should park with a commuter student permit. "Don't park in reserved, restricted, or handicapped spaces."

Looks at me as if I'm demented.

"Well, isn't that obvious?"

I'm glad you think so. Unfortunately, you aren't a part of the majority.



"I'd like to leave my car parked in a commuter lot for the night. I'll be getting transport to a (event), and the shuttle will pick (the riders) from there."

"Well, unfortunately, that lot closes at midnight. But you can certainly leave your car in the parking ramp, and it's only a short distance away."

"No, no. That's not going to work. I want to leave my car in this parking lot."

Transfers call to to Manager. Same conversation is repeated. An unhappy person demands to go higher up on the hierarchy.

"You mean you can't relax the rules for one night? I mean it's only one night! It's not like I want to park there every night!"

Who. Are. You. And why should we bend the rules for you?

Other notable events

A phone call that lasted around five, six minutes, give or take a few seconds.

"I keep telling you that there was a sign that said 'free parking' when we pulled into the parking lot."

Manager: "There's no free parking on this campus, and we certainly don't have signs like that up in our parking lots.

"It said 'free parking.'" Refuses to change position, refuses to budge, is adament for the remainder of the time.

"In fact, I'll ask my husband about it. (name), what did the sign say?"

"It said 'visitor parking.'"

Manager: "Well, that's true. The sign does say 'visitor parking' but it doesn't say 'free parking.'"

Lady on other line finally understands that visitor does not mean free. "I apologize for the confusion." And hangs up.


Lifted from an appeal:

"...if you don't do a better job at doing what you're supposed to do, I plan on making a complaint to the Chancellor and maybe to some local news channels."

You do that. Yawn.


Phone call Number Two

"My son used my car the other day, and he got a ticket on the car. My son has a permit, and he needed to use my car for a few days. I think it's completely ridiculous that you gave my car a ticket - when he had a permit - and I refuse to pay it."

This was said in a complete rush.

"Okay," says Meter maid as she attempts to figure out the situation. "So your son has a permit?"

"Yes, but it's stuck on his window. He took his car in for repairs and used mine. I think it's completely ridiculous that you gave my car a ticket. I mean don't other people find themselves in this situation where they need to use a different car for some time?"

"Yes, but in that case they need to either get a temporary permit from us or call us and have the vehicle cleared for the day. If an officer sees a vehicle without a permit on campus, they need to cite it."

"But my son has a permit."

I know that. You've been repeating that for the past minute.

"But the problem is that the permit was not displayed. If a permit is not displayed on a vehicle, we need to ticket it. And that's why you got the ticket."

"Well, I think it's completely ridiculous."

Yeah, I know that too. You've said that same sentence for the past two minutes.

"Well, what the ticket was for? What was the violation on it?"

"Violation? What's that?"

"Does the ticket say permit not displayed?"

"Yeah."

"Alright then. And can I have the citation number at the top?"

"You won't me to read the whole thing?"

Well, if that doesn't work for you, just send it over to me telepathetically.

"Yes."

...

"Well, the good news is that we give one free-b 'permit not displayed' citation each year. Your son's permit information has not been updated in our computers, but, if he gives us a call back with the permit number and the citation, we'll void that ticket for him."

"Well, my son's in class, so when's he supposed to call you?"

Is that actually a question? So he never leaves class? He stays cocooned up in the academic buildings like some butterfly waiting to emerge with a BS in hand?

Stolen Permit!

Now that the permits are on the outside of the window, they are more susceptible to being stolen and placed on the thief's car.

It's only been the first week, and we already have two stolen permits.

And we nabbed the first guy today!

Since it's friday, it's likely he won't go to his car until late in the afternoon.

Will keep you updated on any new developments.

You made me miss my cousin's wedding!

So customer comes along one day.

"I got a notice from the DMV saying that I have an unpaid citation and that my plates were suspended."

Meter maid looks up the license plate and agrees with the statement.

"So...I guess you don't have free parking here."

Well, since you got a ticket - apparently not.

"You don't have any one time leniences?"

"Once the ticket has been suspended, no."

"So, how much do I owe you?"

Names amount under customer name.

"Yeah but on this form, it says that I owe a lot less than that." Points to notice letter.

"Well, if you have more than one outstanding citation, the deparment will only suspend one out of courtesy. For every citation that is suspended, we add another ten dollars."

"Out of courtesy? Ha, ha, ha," snorts. "Out of courtesy. HA HA HA HA HA!"

Your barely veiled sarcasm is not lost on us.

"Well, I'm not paying the tickets."

Goes away.

Fine, then don't. Once you're pulled over by a cop...


Two days later...

He comes back and explains the history behind the citations. He had forgotten about them and had been pulled over on the way to his cousin's wedding. And all because of some stupid parking tickets, the best man was late to the wedding.

I sympathize with the situation. And I sympathize with the bride. But let me get this straight. Basically, you're blaming us for missing your cousin's wedding? It's our fault that you parked illegally on campus? And it's our fault that you decided not to pay the tickets? And it's our fault that you got pulled over for not paying them? And it's our fault that you were late?

The dog ate my homework.

Back from the Summer for a whole new school year

An update on the permits:

While nothing has really changed in terms of where people can park, the office decided that this year - at least - the permits would be on the outside of the car window. The action prompted several customers to voice their opinon:

The most common comment: "Why?"
"It makes it easier for the officers to see the permit. We've had a lot of trouble with tinted windows in the past."

"What if someone steals it?"
"Then we'll replace it."
Customer departs with a skeptical glance. After all, how can you really trust a profit-making department to keep their word?

"So I can just put it over my old permit."
"You betcha," says Mama Grizzly.

Comment heard by a departing customer: "Oh, someone must have ordered the permits wrong this year. That's why they have to go on the outside."
You've got to be kidding me. You think that we'll make a mistake on the order of several thousand permits?

Now, even if we have a nice diagram on the back of the permit telling the person exactly where and how the permit should be applied, there's always someone who...wait for it...wait for it.. goes and puts it on the back windshied. That's right - even if there's a picture on the BACK OF THE PERMIT!

Free parking does not mean that you can leave your vehicle in a handicapped spot!

It's so strange to realize how many people leave their car for FIVE minutes - just five - no less, no more - and come back to their car to find a ticket on it.

"I was only gone for five minutes!" says the complainer. "You and a lot of other people," thinks the listener.