malloryk said:
I don't know if there's some kind of target on my car or maybe I just have incredibly bad parking karma. When I left, I drove past 8 other Leafs parked along Montana (I did notice that one of them also had a ticket on their windshield).
The cited revenue for parking tickets in Santa Monica is 12.5 million dollars. The whole shenanigan has been co-opted by a private company that has captured the legal power of municipal status, and they act with impunity.
Warning: RANT!
I have two separate issues with this non responsive headless creature: 1) failure to credit a timely payment despite about an hour on the phone with my bank and their rep, and a mailing of the canceled check, and 2) a no front plate ticket where no one noticed the CHP authorization of correction, and the reduction of fine.
They really suck, and there is a class action lawsuit that now has the city attention.
There is no respect for anyone's time, and they seem to just send out form letters by a clerk who punches a button. For all I know, they scan the paperwork and it is done in a 3rd world country sweatshop.
Santa Monica has darksides, the massive noise and pollution of jets at the airport, and the out of control parking fine operations. My native city is rather two faced. Or how about the outdoor ice rink sanctioned by the city that runs on 24/7 CO2 spewing generator power to keep water frozen to skate on... Oh, they buy offsets, and have a couple of solar panels for the lights. What a load of bull!
The poor signage in Santa Monic Place EV parking often keeps the spaces clogged with ICE cars, and thats easy hunting grounds too for the not too observant, which many of us are...
Just look at the street on sweeper days... The often old and beat cars getting tickets are clearly not wealthy. A fine of $64 is a big hit for them. Plus they have traps. Street sweeping in commercial zones at night, every day of the week, or if it's a wed, the sign notes Thu, but of course, at midnight roll over, here comes your ticket. Metered spaces where you put in coins and don't realize a ticket will come as it's a sweeping day in the afternoon.
The parking enforcement is an example when a private company captures the government and abuses the power and acts with impunity. Brings out my right wing side for sure... An oppressive and crony government is abhorrent.
