Readers React: Discussion on parking tickets gets heated

Perhaps because we’ve all had experience paying tickets that we (of course) didn’t deserve, the opinions expressed on parking rules tend to be spirited. That was certainly true of the reaction we received to Monday’s editorial, “What should a parking ticket in L.A. cost?”

While many of the letters were what you’d expect on parking tickets -- the fines are too high, the city is stealing from us and so on -- a few readers directed their ire at fellow drivers. Some relayed their own tales of trying to talk their way out of a ticket. What they all had in common was a tone of exasperation -- at the city, those who complain about getting tickets or some other target.

Here are some of their letters.

Bakersfield resident Andy Honig lets off some steam about a meter maid encounter:

I grew up in Los Angeles but moved to Bakersfield in 1969. Still my wife and I always felt Los Angeles was special.

Ten years ago during a visit we parked on Wilshire, and I had put two hours’ worth of quarters in the meter. At around 3:55 p.m. I looked outside and noticed a meter attendant down the street. Then I saw a “No Parking After 4 P.M.” sign, and my car was being ticketed.

The parking meter showed 20 minutes remaining. My wife’s cellphone displayed 3:59 p.m., but no amount of pleading helped. The attendant’s clock showed 4:03. The fine: $75. There was no offer of a refund for my remaining meter time.

I did file an appeal by mail, but justice had been served. I had grown up in Los Angeles, but after all these years I was a Bakersfield hick buffeted about by the big, uncaring city.

Bob Burket of Santa Monica has little sympathy of parking scofflaws:

I never fail to be amazed at all the wailing about parking tickets.

Here is a violation that is totally avoidable. Yes, some signs may be complicated enough that it takes fully 10 seconds to comprehend what the rules are.

Yes, I’ve gotten parking tickets, but I never held the silly view that it was the city’s fault. I just blew it, and so I paid up. I think it’s a legitimate source of revenue. I suggest the complainers put all the energy they put into protesting into simply reading the signs and doing what is required.

Michael Ossorio of L.A. says it’s absurd to blame drivers for ‘flouting’ parking rules:

Most drivers do not intentionally flout parking rules. Why would someone do something that is most likely going to cost them money?

In my neighborhood, parking during post street-sweeping times will cost you $71. No one intentionally parks during this time, but occasionally we forget.

The fine is unreasonable, amounting to half of a daily wage for some. “No parking” is even enforced on holidays, when there is not street sweeping.

It’s all about money. The Times acknowledges that city officials expect $161 million in revenue this year. I fully support efforts to reform parking enforcement in L.A.