Today’s newsletter is presented by Evinco.
Hello, Navajo and College Area!
Within one minute and 14 seconds, a San Diego parking enforcement officer issued two expired meter tickets for the same car, which happened to be my car.
I saw a single parking ticket on my windshield after exiting The Balboa, a little less than 15 minutes after my allotted two-hour time limit expired.
Sure, seeing the ticket was a bummer. No one is glad to see the tab for a burger and a beer increase by $53.50. However, it’s not like I didn’t deserve it.
A week later, I logged onto the city’s website and paid the ticket. After all, what’s $53.50 when you’re a big-time journalist whose second hobby is rolling in all the extra cash me and my family have?
But the ticket was paid, and I went about my day.
A week or so later, I opened up a piece of mail from the city of San Diego. It was a delinquent notice for a parking ticket — it’s important to keep in mind that I haven’t had a parking ticket in more than a decade, so it’s safe to say I knew which parking infraction the delinquent notice was for.
‘That’s odd. I paid this,” I said to myself before wondering when exactly it was that I started to talk to myself out loud.
I assumed that there was a simple explanation, that maybe the delinquent notice was sent before I paid the ticket.
“No biggie. I’ll just open the computer and let the city…” I said, stopping mid-sentence, after confirming that I am talking to myself out loud now frequently.
I closed my mouth, opened my laptop, and typed in my license plate number.
Up popped two tickets, same day, same expired meter infraction, just one minute and 14 seconds apart.
“I’ll be damned…” I said to myself, now comfortable with the fact that I am talking to myself, oddly happy, like I met a new and trusted confidante.
I sent the city an email. I’m sure it was a mistake, and the city employee will see this and wipe it off. No harm no foul.
That wasn’t the case.
The city asked me to file a formal appeal.
“This is outlandish,” I told my new best friend, me, realizing I had adopted a new quasi-English accent.
I filed a formal appeal, with photos of the tickets, which show the same infraction, the same parking spot, just 74 seconds apart.
“No worries, appeal shall be granted, ol’ chap,” I said to myself.
Two days ago, I opened a letter in the mail from the city. Here’s the payoff, a formal apology, I thought…I couldn’t talk to myself because my wife was in the room.
“ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW DECISION – LIABLE,” the notice read – emphasis theirs.
While I couldn’t wait to tell myself about this preposterous notice when I was alone, I immediately logged on to my laptop and requested an administrative hearing.
So, Navajo friends, now I await the date. I invite you, my neighbors, on my journey to the City of San Diego’s Parking Administrative Hearing.
I see this administrative hearing as a sequel to “A Few Good Men,” where I will give my best Jack Nicholson. I can’t wait to tell me, and you of course, all about it.
Dorian Hargrove
Mission Times newsletter host
Navajo, College Area story spotlight
San Diego State University’s Theatre Program is 100 and hot as ever
By Joshua Scott • Special to Times of San Diego
SDSU’s School of Theatre, Television, and Film announces its 100th Season with a wide range of productions.
Mission Times Courier thanks our corporate sponsors. Find out more about sponsorships and advertising opportunities here.
More Navajo, College Area news
Mission Times Courier thanks our corporate sponsors. Find out more about sponsorships and advertising opportunities here.