I hate philadelphia!!!

[Olevern]

Well, we got my daughter transferred to the sub-acute nursing care facility in Phila. Pa., yesterday. I drove to Phila. this morning to spend some time with her. Facility in downtown Philly, which means parking is at a premium. I fully expected to have to find a nearby parking garage and pay a big price for parking. Lo and behold, we pulled up outside the hospital and found an empty parking space. I looked at the signs posted on a post about midway adjacent to the parking space, and nothing said "handicapped" so I parked and put money into the coin parking meter. One of the signs (of the four signs on the post) did say "permitted parking only", but I took that to mean the little five or six place parking spaces right accros the sidewalk which were probably for doctors going into the hospital. the signs on the post were parallel to the street, not placed at a 90 degree angle where they would normally be placed for reading by someone coming up the street.

Put an extrodinarily large vigorish in the parking meter (two hours worth at one dollar for each 15 minutes) then went in to see if the hosptial was the right one. I wasn't sure we were in the right place, as the facility name we had been given was not the name on the outside of the hospital (recent merger). I figured I could come out after awhile and seek more long term parking. ]

Went in and visited with my daughter and about fifteen minutes before the meter would run out went to the vehicle and found a ticket on the windshield for parking in a handicapped parking space. The price (due within 15 days of todays date) was $301.00

Now, in my experience in a number of states, handicapped spaces are clearly marked as such. Most, in my experience, have the parking surface painted blue, have a universal sign posted (blue background with a depiction of a wheelchair on it) and, I have never seen a parking meter in a handicapped parking space. The parking space was not painted and there was no universal sign, only that one sign about six feet in the air above two other signs giving notice of street cleaning times, etc. And that one sign referred to permitted parking, not handicapped parking.

What a rip-off "trap".

Go back summer before last and I took my grandson to Phila. to visit a number of museums (they live about 50 miles from downtown Philly). I paid to park in three parking garages that day as the museums were not close to each other. Each parking garage cost between 12 and 15 dollars. Then I took him to the waterfront (Penn's landing, Dave and Busters) for a meal at the restaurant. Parking was on the street and was by coin parking meters. Again, paid an exorbitant rate, paid for two hours, then went inside to eat. Came out to the car and found a parking ticket, looked on my watch and the time indicated that exactly two hours and two minutes had passed. Looked around for the person who had ticketed the car and they were long gone, which indicated to me that they had stayed at that car as the minutes ticked away, then placed the ticket the minute it turned over.

I said then (two summers ago) that Philly could keep all their attractions, museums, broadway type shows, liberty bells, the whole shootin match, that I was NEVER coming back to that town. I spent over $45.00 that in parking charges that day and still had to pay a parking ticket.

And, had my daughter not been transferred to a Philly hospital I would have kept my word.

I HATE PHILLY.

Now I have a $301.00 fine to pay (within 15 days, thank you very much) on top of everything else that has gone wrong over this last four weeks.

Oh, did I mention that I HATE PHILLY?

Well, long rant, guess I'll let ya'all get back to the real purpose for this forum.

[Trey45]

I spent many, many months working in filthadelphia, if I never have to go back it will be too soon.
They are notorious for their parking tickets.

[wallenba]

They still love you though, especially your money. It's the city of 'brotherly love'. (sarcasm)
It seems anytime I enter a big city I get hyper-vigilant for these kind of traps.
I once had to go into Detroit to pick up my mother from the hospital. I just needed to go to the front desk so they could call her room to bring her down. There was no place to park, except to give my keys to a valet and pay $5 for him to park my car. By the time he would have parked it I would be done. They would not convey a message or anything for me. Vehicles could remain at the front entrance though if you were 'standing, waiting'. There were cops there too (just waiting for me or someone else to dash in for a minute). This was before cell phones. I parked out on the street 2 city blocks away, and made the round trip. I just was NOT going to feed the machine that day.

[PS Paul]

Hate Philly? Who doesn't?

[crabo]

How's your daughter doing?

[captain-03]

Hate Philly? Who doesn't?

This ^^^^^^^^^^ +1

[texassako]

Isn't Philly where they did that parking ticket show? Parking Wars I think?

[Blacksmith]

Philly the first place I ever saw people triple parked in a no parking zone. I avoid it and Baltimore and Washington DC like the plague. I drove on business to long Island, through part of New York, I refused to do it again and told work they had to fly me to Islip airport and rent me a car.

[NSP64]

Never went there and never will.

[5shotbfr]

if you do not live in pa i think i'd wipe my butt with the ticket and wait for hell to freeze over before i paid it

[Oreo]

if you do not live in pa i think i'd wipe my butt with the ticket and wait for hell to freeze over before i paid itI did that with a small town VA parking ticket about 10yrs ago. Still haven't heard anything. I figure one of these days there will be a knock on my door with warrant for arrest for failing to appear in court over that parking ticket but till then screw'em.

[Blacksmith]

It must have blown off the window or somebody stole it. They really should do something about all the crime in Philly.

[Wal']

it must have blown off the window or somebody stole it. They really should do something about all the crime in philly.

+1 ;)

[Mumblypeg]

"But your Honor, I was Handycapped. I had to come to Philly!":shock:
The parking thing is stupid. I was in Columbia, SC to see my brother who worked at the US Court House. I was a uniformed police Lt. from another town driving an unmarked government vehicle. I parked across the street and put the max amount of money in the meter then went inside. My brother and I can out about the time I knew the time would run out and were standing on the steps of the court house. Across the street was a meter maid who was standing there talking to a friend I asume for the time we were on the steps. As I started toward my vehicle, the meter maid took off toward my vehice also and we got there about the same time. As I walked up I said how are you and stated I was just leaving. In a very nasty tone she said," And you can take this with you." And wrote me a ticket for overtime parking which the meter had expired about a few mins. before. Now in my town, all government vehicles are exempt from parking fees. I guess she just resented a REAL cop. Maybe she was a want a be. She was realy nasty about the whole thing. And they wonder why people don't like them. Also in my town, when we had meters you couldn't find a place to park downtown. When they did away with the meters, there are empty spaces everywhere. Go figger. Some people just don't have a heart at all... we feel for you.

[Olevern]

How's your daughter doing?

Crabo,

She is making good progress physically, yesterday they removed the folley Catheter and now the only thing that is an irrritant to her is the trach. Mon they will do swallow test to see if they can put her on a bland diet and take out the feeding tube (PEG) they put in at the belly. She is still confused as to what happened to her and asks each time we visit. She cries and wants to come home and, at times tries to get out of bed.
There's still a lot of healing to do but we do see signs of some improvement in cognitive function; that being said, it's still going to be a long road back.

When all the physical problems that require the trach. and belly feeding tube are resolved, then we can transfer her nearer to home (South Jersey) and get her into a residential rehabilitation center.

Gonna take the 14 year old grandson (her son) to see her for the first time since her stroke today after church. Hope that seeing him will give my daughter (Michelle) more incentive to do what the staff ask of her and work at coming home.

Thanks again, all, for the prayer support.

vern

[Olevern]

if you do not live in pa i think i'd wipe my butt with the ticket and wait for hell to freeze over before i paid it

5 shot,
I do live in Pa., about 300 miles from Philly and in a different world; however, if I ignore the ticket, the amount will quickly grow with late fees and eventually they will take my drivers license, so that is not an option.

[Ajax]

I would fight it. I got a parking ticket at the court house in Virginia Beach. I was just gonna pay it but a friend of mine who was a retired jusdge say the city actually plans on that. They expect you not to show up and fight it. Long story short i went to court and explained to the judge why the meter had run out and he dismissed the ticket. He did'nt even ask one question. By the way the meter ran out while i was in court that had got held up cause the judge was running late.

Andy

[Boyscout]

My most vivid memory of Philly was the transition from Delaware to Philly. It was like exiting a scenic route and into the 'Hood. The difference was depressing. We were coming from BWI on our way to Feasterville.

[Houndog]

I know it would take a little effort on your part and be an inconvienence, but pay the ticket in person in PENNIES! Make them count it and provide a reciept. Just be SURE to be ONE penny short so they have to count it a second time. A penny IS leagal tender for ANY debt public or private, codified by US law. They CAN NOT refuse to take them and if they do the debt is paid in full. just be SURE to have at least one witness.

Been there done that for a 38 pound overweight truck ticket in Virginia!

[Olevern]

I would fight it. I got a parking ticket at the court house in Virginia Beach. I was just gonna pay it but a friend of mine who was a retired jusdge say the city actually plans on that. They expect you not to show up and fight it. Long story short i went to court and explained to the judge why the meter had run out and he dismissed the ticket. He did'nt even ask one question. By the way the meter ran out while i was in court that had got held up cause the judge was running late.

Andy

I won't fight it. I live 300 miles away and by the court date hope to be back home. I cannnot justify a 600 mile round trip, trying to find a courthouse/courtroom in downtown Philly, trying to find parking all on the hope that a judge will be sympathetic. Judges are part of the system of "revenue enhancement" so the likely outcome will be roughly doubling the cost of the ticket in travel expenses while still paying the ticket. It's all about the money or that little "parking trap" would never have existed. Go to any court without a lawyer? In my experience, that's a sure receipe for failure. Add lawyer fees? Can't justify for a 300 dollar fine.

As for that little parking trap, my guess is that it provides about ten thousand dollars a month to the city coffers. Not much chance it will go away anytime soon. I'm sure it is closely watched by a meter maid or police officer.

I hate what this country has become. Third world govt. corruption has nothing on us anymore.

[runfiverun]

call the clerk and make payment arrangements.
they'll accept them, 5 dollars a month is usually the amount i set up.
it costs them about that much to process the payment.
i'll pay but i try to make it so there is no profit in it for them.

[shooter93]

I've been trying for years to get the legislature here to annex Philly to Jersey.....just give it to them. You couldn't tell the diffrence between Philly and Camden so the people living there would never know. It's the biggest bleed on this state much like the major urban areas in any state......Oh wait....maybe we could take one state....move all the major cities to it....give it to them free......then set it on fire.....then reclaim it afterwards? We'd have a garden of eden here then.

[725]

I'm with W.C. Fields when it come to Philly. His grave marker says, "Rather here than Phillidelphia".
Glad to hear she is improving.

[gew98]

When I lived in new jerkistan...two things sucked more...going to NYC and or philthydelphia !!!!!. I used to go to soem of the "punk' music type clubs there back in the 80's ( mainly south st ) . But all things considered and knowing some cops back then in Camden ( another awesome cesspool ! ) , it was a place not for the right of mind nor faint hearted.
The more things change , the more they remain the same.

[WILCO]

Thanks again, all, for the prayer support.

vern

You got it Vern. We'll keep it coming from this end.

[OBIII]

I have the pleasure of traveling to Philadelphia once every 4 months. I have the luxury of leaving my vehicle in the Lowes Hotel loading dock, while I perform maintenance on the NWS weather transmitter on the roof. I do NOT look forward to these trips.
I'm glad that your daughter is doing better, and you have our prayers and best wishes going out to you. I hope she recovers fully.

[Mal Paso]

"I went to Philadelphia once. It was Closed." W.C. Fields (in reference to Dry Sundays)

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

at least they didn't tow it , a co worker went to Milwaukee to finalize his deceased brothers estate , the parking sign was 14 feet up on the opposite side of the post that what ever it was no parking after 2 on Fridays or something like that this was a lot the electronic meter stand took his money for the full time , but when he came out the van was gone , he and his other relation that had rode in the van to get there were starting to call it in as stolen when it was pointed out that it was towed and they were shone the parking sign that could not be seen from the parking spot , add to this that they had driven the dead brothers van , what a mess to get the van out of impound it took hours and a big cost and a bus ride half way across town

and they caught some lucky breaks if you can call it that then dead brother had his registration in the glove box where it was easily found after , signing a consent to general search , the whole process made them sick

towing has become a predatory business in these cities

[BD]

The city of "brothers" who shove.