[rant of useless pre-information] I’m so angry! I moved into a neighborhood I really can’t afford (for the schools, of course, which turned out to be pretty bad anyway) and about 6 months later, construction started outside my bedroom window. And it’s going on three years now. The noise, the dust, the parking nightmares! [/rant]
So there’s a particular strip of parking area which is being particularly affected by this construction. At the moment, they’re tearing up the closest intersection to put in a new water main or something. For months, there have been temporary “No Parking” signs going up and coming down faster than a virgin at a strip club. There was a row of them last week along my favorite parking spot (attached to wooden traffic horses) which said “No Parking” and handwritten in “starting [sic] 8/30”
So, I get home the night of 8/30 (around midnight leading into 8/31) and there’s no signs. Wooden horses are there, but no signs. (The signs have come and gone several time over the last week.) Moreover, there are a dozen or more cars parked along the block. And no signs. Did I mention that part? So I decide that perhaps they’re behind schedule once again, or perhaps the “starting 8/30” meant simply “8/30” and they’re done now, or perhaps a dozen other things that went through my head, all ending with: “But there’s no signs now. And the next closest parking is three blocks away.” So I parked.
The next morning at 8:55, I get a call from the city’s office. It’s a pretty nice gentleman, who informed me that my car was parked in a no parking zone and could I move it, please? “Sure, no problem,” I said, glad that they called, rather than tow me once they decided that they needed that area after all. I immediately put my shoes on and walk out.
To find the entire row of cars still there, with shiny yellow citation envelopes on them.
And the “No Parking: Starting 8/30” signs were back taped on the wooden horses.
Grrrrr…
So, is there any way I can contest this successfully? Of course, the city wants proof, like digital photos, which I don’t have. (“Sorry, yerhoner, it didn’t occur to me to photograph signs that weren’t there!”) I can find no information on how long a No Parking sign has to be placed before it goes into effect, nor can I think of a way to prove that there were no signs there at midnight, but they were put up sometime that morning. It just seems like less than 9 hours notice is unjust, but perhaps it’s not illegal.
I know it’s only $30, but it’s $30 we really don’t have to spare, plus I feel just a smidgen indignant here. Any advice would be very appreciated. (I live in Evanston, IL, just in case my Mayor is reading this and wants to make a phone call for me!) 