Parking Meter Out of Service? You'll Still Get a Ticket, but...
Thursday, June 2, 2011 at 2:00AM;)
Scenario: You find an open parking spot and absentmindedly start feeding quarters into the meter, only to discover the meter is out of service. Do you:
A) Curse, kick the meter, and then drive off in search of another parking spot.
B) Park there anyway, with the assumption that if the meter is broken, you won't get a ticket (and besides, you already put money in, so you're entitled, right?).
If you've been in this situation and chose "B", chances are you're $42 poorer thanks to Minneapolis' extremely diligent parking enforcement.
You can dispute this type of ticket by contacting the City of Minneapolis Parking Services to report the issue. During business hours (8A-4P, Monday-Friday), call 612-348-2040, Option 4 for Defective Meters, and follow the directions. Make sure you have the Parking Meter ID (which should also be listed on the citation).
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