Got a Tag, and Got Tagged
Yesterday's mail was a happy event. The car insurance check from my son (for his car) finally arrived after some stressing on my part. On Monday I came back from the doctor appointment (with SLA, to help me) and my mailbox was open. There was a brisk wind and the mailbox is shallow. In the past I have opened it up and had mail fly right out of it. So I was a little concerned that my son's check might have arrived then and got blown away. SLA did look for it around the yard a bit, but there is only lots of debris (I normally pick it up each week while putting out the garbage, but haven't been able to do that lately). But my fears were relieved and I'll have to call son and girlfriend to let them know that the check finally arrived. And with it, a nice note.
The second important delivery in the mail yesterday was the handicapped note from my doctor's nurse. Right after I got the mail I drove to the DMV and got a Handicapped Tag. The nurse wrote on the form I could have it for two months, but the guy at the DMV counter stamped it until October, Yippee! Parking closer to wherever I'm trying to get to will be much nicer.
After getting the Handicapped Tag, I drove to the car insurance office. I parked in the regular lot, which is a distance away but closer than any other parking available. The agent opened the doors for me and we had a nice chat while he took care of the two payments (son and mine) for car insurance. It all took about 5-8 minutes. I hopped back out to the car, had taken off my purse (bag slung around my neck to carry it), put both crutches in the front seat, and.....
There was a ticket on the windshield! I had to get the crutches back out, hop around to the other side and reach up to get it. Once I was back inside the car I looked at the ticket. It was not for the $16.00 that I expected but for $30!!!!! Apparently I was parking on private property, which after looking hard, there WAS a tiny little sign, facing the wrong way, in the corner of the lot. I had parked in the middle, where there were no signs or indications that one couldn't park there anymore to go to the insurance office. The lot is now owned by the salon and spa that is nearby and apparently they guard the lot most zealously.
So I was furiously angry at first. The time on the ticket showed that I had been parked there for 3 minutes before getting the ticket. I bet I hadn't even hopped all the way to the insurance office in that amount of time. It seemed unreasonably brutal, I even had the Handicapped Tag on the rear view mirror. I looked around afterwards and there was nowhere to park within hopping distance of the insurance office. It would have been cheaper and easier to have taken a cab to the insurance office.
I was even planning to go the next day (today) to take photos of where I parked and show that it is not properly signed. I called the phone number on the ticket where it said "how to dispute this ticket" and got cut off the first time. The second time a pleasant woman told me that I had to write a letter and then it would go to court.
At first I was totally planning to do all of it: the photo-taking, the letter writing and the going to court. But then, after seriously thinking it over, it's not worth my time and trouble. Yes, it's a lot of money but I'm just going to let it be and pay the ticket out of my next Workers Comp check due on Monday. Guess I won't be parking there again!
The second important delivery in the mail yesterday was the handicapped note from my doctor's nurse. Right after I got the mail I drove to the DMV and got a Handicapped Tag. The nurse wrote on the form I could have it for two months, but the guy at the DMV counter stamped it until October, Yippee! Parking closer to wherever I'm trying to get to will be much nicer.
After getting the Handicapped Tag, I drove to the car insurance office. I parked in the regular lot, which is a distance away but closer than any other parking available. The agent opened the doors for me and we had a nice chat while he took care of the two payments (son and mine) for car insurance. It all took about 5-8 minutes. I hopped back out to the car, had taken off my purse (bag slung around my neck to carry it), put both crutches in the front seat, and.....
There was a ticket on the windshield! I had to get the crutches back out, hop around to the other side and reach up to get it. Once I was back inside the car I looked at the ticket. It was not for the $16.00 that I expected but for $30!!!!! Apparently I was parking on private property, which after looking hard, there WAS a tiny little sign, facing the wrong way, in the corner of the lot. I had parked in the middle, where there were no signs or indications that one couldn't park there anymore to go to the insurance office. The lot is now owned by the salon and spa that is nearby and apparently they guard the lot most zealously.
So I was furiously angry at first. The time on the ticket showed that I had been parked there for 3 minutes before getting the ticket. I bet I hadn't even hopped all the way to the insurance office in that amount of time. It seemed unreasonably brutal, I even had the Handicapped Tag on the rear view mirror. I looked around afterwards and there was nowhere to park within hopping distance of the insurance office. It would have been cheaper and easier to have taken a cab to the insurance office.
I was even planning to go the next day (today) to take photos of where I parked and show that it is not properly signed. I called the phone number on the ticket where it said "how to dispute this ticket" and got cut off the first time. The second time a pleasant woman told me that I had to write a letter and then it would go to court.
At first I was totally planning to do all of it: the photo-taking, the letter writing and the going to court. But then, after seriously thinking it over, it's not worth my time and trouble. Yes, it's a lot of money but I'm just going to let it be and pay the ticket out of my next Workers Comp check due on Monday. Guess I won't be parking there again!
Labels: accessibility, financial, injury
2 Comments:
That totally sucks. I have rheumatoid arthritis and sometimes have to use my handicapped ticket. I can't imagine the gall it takes for someone to watch a person on CRUTCHES hobble around and then go on and give them a ticket.
Sadist.
Some people are heartless
btw the code for this comment is pbsthfus!!!
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