The time I got my first parking ticket || 04:29:2017

I will probably do a #ThisYankeeLife vlog about this gist, but I couldn't wait to tell it. 

So, from the last post, you know I went to the beach on Saturday right? I got to the general area around 5.15 but kept driving around trying to figure our where to park. I finally found a metered street parking spot. I was excited to be using one for the first time but I was clueless. I set up to ask my dear friend, google, how to use the meter, when a cute guy walked by and I asked him instead. Cute guy was in a rush and just said "slide in your card and select the amount of time you want. it's easy". I did just that. I slid my card and selected 1 hour and 30 mins. I stood there, waiting for a receipt to tag to show proof of my time, but instead, I saw the timer drop to 1hr29mins. I rushed off to find my concert. Time was about 5.50 and so I figured I had to be back at 7.15pm just to allow myself a few minutes to get settled and head home. 

Fast forward to 7.10pm. I was skipping back to my parking spot, gleeful and carefree, and noticed an enveloped tucked neatly, behind my whipper. The whipper on the driver's side. Almost like who ever put it wanted to ensure that I saw it. 

I was confused. 

I was sure I had done my math correctly and I had given myself extra time. I had no idea what I was to do with a parking ticket. I considered being an outright rebel and leaving my car there to go back to concert but I remembered that I was going home because I didn't want to risk driving with exhaustion. I the ticket, got in my car and called my friend in Houston to complain and lament.

I got home and decided to call the parking agency. The lady who answered was snappy and impatient until I said to her "This is the first time I used metered street parking so I have several questions to ask". I think that and the fact that my accent makes it obvious I am not from here, made her respond better. She explained that I could challenge my ticket and advised me to get a note from my bank that showed the time for the transaction. I also did some reading and found out that the charge for 1hour and 30minutes is the exact same charge for 2 hours. I wore my JJC badge on my forehead again, in my mind.

My bank has the one of the best customer service support I have ever experienced. In about 15 minutes, I had a transaction statement mailed to me and I sent my dispute email to the parking agency. The auto response I got said something about getting a court date and I just silently said a prayer. I wasn't ready to drive to Virginia Beach a number of times, just to get a court date and go to court over a parking ticket.  I made a note to call them on Monday. If push came to shove, I would just jeje pay the $20 fine because I couldn't fathom going through all that stress and burning gas, to dispute $20.

Just as I got off work, I got a mail to say the ticket had been cancelled. Whew! Boy was I glad.