Jul 4, 2015 2 min read

On June 24, I had an appointment in Washington and parked at 95 W. Beau St. I put a quarter in the meter, which did not register. I put a second quarter in, which also did not register. Being persistent, I added a third quarter. I smacked the meter and the red “expired” notice continued to flash.

Running a little late, I put two neon green sticky notes on the meter, one reading “not working” and the other reading “put three quarters.” Thirty-five minutes later, I returned to find the sticky notes removed and a ticket for $10. I went to the police station to explain that the meter was not functioning and was “helped” by a very unsympathetic and disinterested employee whose response, several times, was “nobody else has complained about it” and someone will “look at it” tomorrow.

Wow, how helpful.

I obeyed the rules and am out an additional $10. I’ve read similar complaints in the Observer-Reporter, but have never been a victim until now. It’s not the $10 that was basically stolen from me, but the fact that I did the right thing by feeding the meter and was punished. I also lost 30 minutes of my valuable time to deal with it, only to speak with someone who could not have cared less.

Rest assured that the next time I am forced to park at a meter in Washington, I fully intend to pull out my phone and video my fingers entering quarters and then video the location and time, just in case it is a meter that works some of the time or that “nobody else complained about.”

Deb Babirad

Bentleyville