Our family was finally going to enjoy our first family visit to a real, white sandy beach while we were in California for Christmas. We were going to frolic by the sea, collect shells, and catch a few rays.
Two cars drove to Laguna Beach and found a parking lot close to the beach. Then we began that dubious process of reading all the signs and regulations, purchasing the parking ticket, and placing it in the EXACT spot on the windshield.
Parking can be a complicated issue in a big city.
We didn’t want to make a mistake. We didn’t want a ticket.
Confident we’d been law-abiding, patriotic citizens, we spent several hours enjoying the sand and surf. It was one of those memory-making days.
We carefully watched the time. After all, we didn’t want a ticket.
Packing up earlier than necessary, we tromped all twelve people back to the parking lot where we’d parked so conscientiously.
We seriously didn’t want a ticket.
We got a ticket.
Our offense? Parking on a white line.
I know that parking your car crooked is annoying and can cause door dings, but I wasn’t aware it was against the law.
Apparently, in California it is.
Since California is still a part of America, we did our American duty, taking full advantage of due process, and protested our parking ticket on the basis of enforcing an unadvertised law.
Being a writer, I felt the urgency to wax eloquent in hopes of beating the ticket we tried so hard to avoid. Instead of a letter, I fully documented our situation with pictures and verbal evidence of our innocence, creating an attractive book that would move their hearts to erase our financial obligation.
I published my first book.
Will I get my first rejection slip?
Many years ago when I got a parking ticket and towed in New York City because the parking hours sign had been REMOVED, I challenged it in court. My Dad warned me that the "judges" who preside in parking ticket court are more like revenue agents than judges. I took pictures, I spoke respectfully, I made my case. The best he could do? He waved the ticket, but I still had to pay the impound fees. I sold my car soon after that. No need for a car in NYC.
very very very funny!!!! 🙂
They might turn around and arrest you for disrespecting authority! Or, on the other hand, you might get a phone call from Oprah! That would be a hoot. Maybe the book would be in her Oprah Book Club!
PULEEEZE!!! come to the sunny Capricorn Coast. No meters, no silly parking rules. Plenty of beaches but not white sand I'm sorry.
Hey Mindy…never heard of that before! Hope your book pays off! lol! xxx
LOVED THIS!! I do hope your book does not get rejected. Best of luck,sometimes creativity pays off…let's hope it does for you this time!! I once heard of a man who got a ticket for running a red light. The ticket was processed as the camera on that particular street light took pictures of cars going through the intersections when the light was red. So along with the mailed ticket, he got a picture of his car running the red light. He in turn, sent a PICTURE of the check covering the amount of violation. After that, he received a PICTURE of hand cuffs. This ended the picture sending cycle and the man paid the ticket. Reading about the stupid laws (especially the one about a car with no driver isn't allowed to go over 60…what the? I mean seriously!!) made me think of this. Hope you got a hoot out of it! I will be looking forward to a follow up post describing how this all ended!
It was probably a law abiding citizen with road rage, oh no, I mean lot rage, who felt it was their duty to report the criminal act. These are some actual laws of California, found at http://www.dumblaws.com. At least you didn't get a ticket for committing these crimes: 1. women can't drive in a house coat 2. no vehicle without a driver may exceed 60 miles per hour. 3. nobody is allowed to ride a bicycle in a swimming pool. 4. you are not permitted to wear cowboy boots unless you already own at least one cow.Be informed my buttercup Christian sister. The next time you go to California without me, there maybe a law for that offense. Before going to any warm state with out me, go to the website above to be informed of dumb laws.The intensity of your blog it looks like you too have a little road rage, oh no, I mean lot rage.giggle giggleYour chocolate Christian sister informer. This has been a public annoucement