I parked at a meter in downtown Urbana, IL, stopped into an awesome BBQ place for lunch, then walked back out to fill the meter. The meter’s cost? 25 cents per hour. I threw in a 2nd quarter just for fun. How long can it take to have lunch?
Well, it turns out that in the time between when I parked and when I acquired quarters, I received a ticket. I didn’t realize that until I went back out to my car – eyes watering from the heat of the BBQ sauce I chose – to find a ticket under my wipers.
But, check out that photo: the ticket is for $0.00!
$0.00?
This has to be some sort of a trick.
If I don’t pay nothing now, there is no additional charge for paying nothing later. But, what if I don’t pay nothing ever? That seems like the sort of thing that could get Luke Hellier hot and bothered. He could honestly say that I didn’t pay a parking ticket while conveniently forgetting to mention that the parking ticket was for $0.00.
What are the chances that Avis will get a notice about this $0.00 ticket, decide to pay it for me, then charge me a $25 convenience fee?
I have a hunch that this won’t be the last I hear about my trip to Urbana.
Last year I got a $0.00 parking ticket Dubuque, Iowa, with the comment, “Thanks for visiting Dubuque.” One wonders if they are that forgiving to people with Iowa plates.