25 june 2003

LADYTRAP, INC.

cramping its wheels with style

San Diegans beware!

Last week as I was changing into my wetsuit at Scripps for an afternoon surf, I noticed a parking ticket on a newish generic-looking bubbly domestic low-cost car.  Being the recipient of more than a few recent unfair parking violations while surfing, I read the ticket to check out this poor guy's fate:

$42:  Wheels not cramped to curb.

Are you kidding me?  Sure, I know it's technically illegal and potentially dangerous, but wouldn't a warning be sufficient in this case?  Isn't $43 a bit steep anyway?  I checked the interior an indeed the parking brake was pulled far up, with the shifter securely in first.  I felt a pained wave of sympathy for this hapless yeoman.  The hill wasn't even very steep.

Thinking this must be a fluke, the brutal whim of a vengeful parking ticket agent, I passed it off, made a mental note to doublecheck that I've cramped my wheels to the curb from now on, and went surfing without an extra thought.  HOWEVER, the very next day, just around the corner from my house, I saw not one but TWO CARS IN A ROW parked on 28th between B and C, each with a ticket.  I couldn't resist, and checked them both:

$42:  Wheels not cramped to curb.

So beware, San Diegans!  This is a large-scale citywide shakedown and YOU COULD BE THE NEXT TARGET!