PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot
The gavel rapped sharply.
“This meeting will come to order. First on the agenda: parking signs on Desolation Row. We all know parking fine income has dropped to nil. We need to get creative.”
“Mayor, the municipal conference in Vegas I just went to had a parking sign vendor there. I was impressed by how confusing they were. I’m sure a couple dozen on The Row would soon have us getting a lucrative cut of ticket, towing, and arrest fees for those who choose to do it the hard way.”
“All in favor, say aye.”
“Aye!”
[100 words]
I couldn’t help but write to the details on the sign that I was able to read when I zoomed in:
Ø Parking Monday Wednesday Friday Midnight – 3 AM
2 Hour Metered Parking 9AM – 7PM except Sunday
I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of power-crazed municipality board is behind it. Even sadder, this is EXACTLY how local governments squeeze people. (Gotta pay for those municipal conferences in Vegas, ya know.)
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields is the effervescent host of Friday Fictioneers. Thank you for what you do.
Tao Talk 
Haha, this is so good Li. And probably true too
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Oh, it is. Thanks, Sadje!
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You’re welcome
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I didn’t take in that sign. Well spotted
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Neil, I couldn’t read it so had to zoom in to see what it said. Once I read it I knew my story would be about it. Thank you.
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Hahaha! I loved this! So funny and I bet a grain of truth within…
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Thanks, Ain! Of course those municipal types would never admit it on paper, but…
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Never noticed the small print. It is confusing. And that IS someone’s job. By the time you understand it you probably will get a ticket.
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Uh huh :) Thanks for reading and your comment, Danny.
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Ha! In NYC, either you have a lotta money to shell out to a parking garage (think, another rent), or you have to babysit your car on random days to move it for street-cleaning and move it again and move it for movie trucks and move it again and … ;) Yep. Taking the subway. ;)
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Yipes! I think people with cars are pretty much cash cows for everybody! If I had well-designed public transport available I would choose it also.
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We have pretty decent public transportation in NYC. Especially in Manhattan.
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Reminds me of visiting my friend in Rye. His adult children parked their cars at his house and rode the train out (from NYC) on weekends to use them.
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Yep. That’s a thing.
Or, one can rent a car when one needs it, and it still is a lot cheaper than owning one in the City, unless your building comes with a parking garage perk, in which case, you are probably well off enough to afford a car anyway … ;)
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Yep. :-)
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Great poem. I have no doubt certain parking signs are designed for confusion to maximize revenue from tickets!
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Thank you, Christian :)
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Great story, and right on the mark, I think. I could see this exact conversation playing out, considering some of the signs I’ve seen. There are parking signs downtown where I live that have times of day, days of the week and months of the year all crammed together. I just follow the other cars and hope for the best. :)
-David
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Thanks much, David, I think those mangy signs are everywhere :(
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Yes, NYC is parking hell. It’s too late for any practical solution. (K)
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What would you think of having it go car-less and convert all of the streets to bike traffic? Maybe between certain hours every day truckers could come in with goods, but that’s it.
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They’ve been trying to pass a law limiting midtown traffic for years. It’s absurd for anyone to commute into midtown in a car. Actually, I think it’s crazy to have a car in the city at all. And now the freelance delivery cars for Amazon, etc, make it even worse.
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I always suspected that the biggest crooks were advising the Mayor.
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:)
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Haha! Great take on the prompt, and nicely written, too.
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Thanks much, Penny :)
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Ah yes, Lisa. The curse of our horseless carriages. I noticed the sign too, but I was confused rather than inspired. Well done.
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Bill, after having worked for the government for 25 years, it was all too familiar to me. Thanks much.
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I know what you mean, Lisa.
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Brilliant, Lisa! So often I look at signs placed one above the other, contradictory, unclear and just begging for you to park anyway so they can ticket you! I swear they hide around the corner in anticipation…
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Dale, you got it! Thanks and glad you enjoyed the story.
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I did :)
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Great use of the prompt Lisa. My town has similarly confusing, and lucrative signs – thank goodness I have a resident’s parking permit!
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Aha! You’re truly blessed, Keith :) Thank you for reading and your lovely comment.
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i didn’t notice the sign. i must have been distracted by the shoes hanging above. :)
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This truly is a great pic with so many things to choose from to write to in it.
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How very underhanded :-) I like the image of the chap at the conference selling deliberately confusing signs!
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Thank you, Ali. Glad you enjoyed the story. When I was a juvenile probation officer and we were sent to our fancy schmancy locations for our conferences, there was always an designated area where the vendors — in this case, mostly residential treatment facilities — set up. Their tables are always full of not only pamphlets but bowls of candy, pens, phone chargers, pads of paper, duffel bags, etc. with their facilities names stamped on them. Only occasionally did I see companies promoting trying to keep children in their homes.
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Loved this story a lot. Very subtle, very understated the sarcasm!
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Neel, thanks much, glad you enjoyed the story :)
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This feels far too realistic. I noticed the sign, too. Make sure you have your clock and calendar with you when parking there. I bet people got a lot of tickets there before smartphones.
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Some will park there anyway, and those are the ones who learn the hard way.
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This is a true story right? lol…it probably is.
I once got a ticket in the 80s in a speed trap…they would change the speed limit signs every couple of days. I paid the ticket in a drive through window.
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It’s reasonably true in some form or another, which is a way to squeeze money from the citizens. LMAO on drive through window to pay tickets. They had the process streamlined, didn’t they! This reminds me of an old surreal comedy/cult classic/horror movie called, “Nothing But Trouble” with John Candy and Dan Aykroyd, about a little speed trap town.
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Yes…a drive through window…I couldn’t believe the nerve of them.
I just watched the trailer to that movie…that looks great! I love John Candy…he was great.
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Yes he was! I loved that old crew that made movies together, those two, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis. So many laughs!
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Candy was in some bad movies but HE was always great to watch. Ramis and Murray were great…
I think I want to make a John Candy movie marathon soon when I have time.
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Good catch, Li! I zoomed in, but didn’t really look at that sign. Corru[tion starts small, doesn’t it?
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Thanks, Linda! Yes, like pirahnas in the river take just tiny bites…
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Shudder!
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LOL, I love this, it’s so true. We have places like this as well.
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Thanks, Gabi!
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Omg those signs are the worst!
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Yes! They spoil every landscape.
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Love the deliberately confusing parking signs – what a crazy idea, very funny. I suspect it’s not too far away from the truth however.
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Glad you enjoyed the story, Margaret, thank you :)
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