rather than ticket someone illegally parked!
During the 2010 municipal election parking enforcement was an issue and a frequent topic of discussion. At least one Toronto Ward 29 candidate and Rocco Rossi suggested that parking enforcement was too aggressive and that people should get a “5 minute” grace period. Although, I personally think this is ridiculous (why not a 10 minute grace period), it is clear that the behaviour of the parking enforcement people is extremely antagonistic. That said, they (as they frequently repeat) are “just doing their job”.
What is the job description of of a Toronto parking ticket officer? Well, I assume their job is to ticket cars that are illegally parked But, it presumably means more than just ticketing cars. Surely, it means that they are required to look for cars that are illegally parked. Is there a difference between “actively seeking cars that are illegally parked” and sitting around waiting for cars to park illegally?
On Sunday January 30, 2011 I was lawfully parked on a Toronto St. Parking is allowed on this particular street on Sundays until 6:00 p.m. I left a coffee shop at 5:55 p.m. to ensure that I had my car moved by 6:00 p.m. As I walked down the street at 5:58 p.m. I observed a parking enforcement officer in her car parked beside my car, doing nothing but waiting until the clock struck 6:00 p.m. As I approached my car, she exited her car and approached my car to write an expensive ticket. I reached the car before she did, and told her that it was not 6:00 p.m. She quickly retreated. As she was retreating the clock struck 6:00 p.m.
It is obvious that this parking officer was:
– not doing what she was paid to do prior to 6:00 p.m. (she was sitting doing nothing, waiting for 6:00 p.m. to arriave, so that she could give give me a ticket, when she should have been out writing tickets for cars that were actually illegally parked);
– approaching my car to write a ticket prior to 6:00 p.m.
Looks like at least some Toronto parking ticket officers are simply waiting for someone to park illegally, rather than ticket those who are illegally parked.
Hard to respect parking ticket officers if that is how they behave.
Ten minutes later I drove down the same street and saw that Toronto Parking Enforcement officer illegally parked on the side of the road, being paid and doing nothing.
I guess this is just one more example of the “Gravy Train!”
Let’s compare the violations in Toronto to the St. Louis Parking Violations.
When it comes to |Toronto parking officers, sometimes they are:
– waiting to be found; and
– nowhere to be found – Toronto parking police park illegally.
(By the way, here is how to complain about your parking tickets.)
Vote John Richardson - Independent Judgment For Toronto Danforth - Ward 29! 