I Don't Have to Pay it!
By Morley Hunt
@Morleyhunt (21741)
Canada
August 25, 2017 6:04pm CST
My day did not go as planned.
This discussion was supposed to tell about the lengths I go to to take photographs of my quilts. It wasn't meant to be.
Visiting my father in hospital this morning was a bit stressful.
The parking meter did not want to recognize the coins I inserted. Eventually I had dropped $3.00 and was out of coins. This should have paid for well over the maximum of $2.50 for two hours. It registered 30 minutes.
The visit went well, until it was time to leave. Then something happened that delayed our departure from the hospital.
I was still well within the 2 hours ....but the meter had expired.
Arriving at the car I spotted the yellow parking ticket immediately. Now I'm not just stressed out....I am annoyed. These meters have been overcharging us almost every day.
A quick trip to city hall only made matters worse. They took the information and suggested the free parking.....almost a kilometre from the hospital.
Later this afternoon a phone call from city hall assured me that they were withdrawing my ticket. The meter was malfunctioning.
Now I don't need to find an extra $14 to pay my ticket....I just need to find another toonie for my next visit....
9 people like this
9 responses
@Juliaacv (56317)
• Canada
26 Aug 17
That was good of them to own up to the fact that the meter wasn't working properly and advise you to discard and ignore the ticket. The cities really do have a way of making us dig deep for parking within a walking distance of a hospital don't they? Last week I sat on the street with my turning signal on as I spied a couple walking to their car. The lady was driving and the man got their parking pass and brought it over to me. I thanked him, although it was only good for another 30 minutes. When I left I had 90 minutes on a card in my window, so I saw someone pull up a couple of cars away, and I quickly walked over and handed it to him. He thanked me kindly and I just told him to pay it forward. I think that if more of us did that the cities might get our idea. I mean its pretty bad when these pay stations take credit cards isn't it?
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (56317)
• Canada
26 Aug 17
@Morleyhunt It really adds up. Last week I had to get myself into the hospital, and I thought okay, a couple of hours should do it. When you start pumping money into the system 2 or 3 dollars at a time it is never ending, I should have gone to the big parking garage and parked there. Although if I did, I am pretty sure that they would have admitted me, it was nice having an excuse to get things rolling and me out of there.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
26 Aug 17
@Juliaacv the hospital parking is $8 per 12 hours or $16 for a day with in and out privileges. The first day I paid the $16....they transferred him two hours later to a different hospital....grrrr.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
26 Aug 17
In the last month I have used at least $30 in loonies and toonie so to feed meters near the hospital. Another $32 was provided to the parking lots on hospital property. Weekends and evenings are free on street parking, but I usually visit for about and hour every second morning.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (54715)
• United States
27 Aug 17
Thank goodness you won't have to pay the ticket 
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
27 Aug 17
I think paying it would have pushed me over the edge....into a full melt down.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
26 Aug 17
Originally it looked like they were going to make me pay the ticket. I was beside myself. Circumstances have been stressful enough without the added inconvenience of a parking ticket.
1 person likes this
@dodo19 (48167)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
26 Aug 17
@Morleyhunt It wasn't something that you needed. I'm glad that they changed their minds and you don't have to pay it.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
26 Aug 17
@dodo19 no...my stress levels have definitely been high.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
26 Aug 17
I think they just like to empty our pockets. There have been very few cars parked on the street where I've parked for the last month. The maximum you can put into the meter is 2 hours. Twice I was parked and had to go back to the meter to add coins. (I have a ziplock bag with $1 and $2 coins in my purse for parking). This can be quite a hike. By the time I've walked back and forth to the car I've walked at least 1/2 a kilometre,
1 person likes this
@velvet53 (24417)
• Palisade, Colorado
26 Aug 17
@Morleyhunt That is so wrong. Why can't they just offer free hospital parking instead of getting rich with their faulty meters.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
26 Aug 17
@velvet53 fifteen years ago I had an issue when I took my mother inlaw to a nearby hospital. I put over $20 in the meter over a four hour stretch...I could only pay for an hour at a time and need to park close to the entrance as she could not walk far. The hospital would. To provide change so I had to find a local bank....I complained....they told me to use public transit.
Now I was really upset......I told them when they provided public transit to rural residents I would be only too happy to use it....
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382240)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Aug 17
I'm glad they let you off the fine. It would be very unfair otherwise.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
26 Aug 17
I was certainly feeling abused by the system. Thank goodness it was reversed.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382240)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Aug 17
@Morleyhunt I hate getting ripped off by machines. It's really annoying.
1 person likes this
@Morethanamom (1948)
• Canada
26 Aug 17
Glad you don't have to pay it. Parking around hospitals should be more reasonable. It's not like people want to be there.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
26 Aug 17
Not only that, but so many people come from out of town. They don't have the option of using public transit. It would take me two and a half hours of walking to get to the hospital.
1 person likes this
@Morethanamom (1948)
• Canada
26 Aug 17
@Morleyhunt and it's not going to be much easier once they go to the two hospitals. But they seem to be dragging their heals with that.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
27 Aug 17
@Morethanamom do you really believe that second hospital will be built? I have some awesome oceanfront property I'd love to sell you.....its in Arizona....I can give you a great deal.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
26 Aug 17
I was relieved. I feel I personally am funding the potholed streets I'm driving almost daily. And that's without having to pay a parking ticket.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
26 Aug 17
They told me that the meter was fixed. I guess I'll find out the next time I'm at the hospital.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
26 Aug 17
toonie? I am glad that you did not have to pay. How is your father doing?
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
26 Aug 17
Canada has a $1.000 coin called a loonie....it features a loon (bird) on one side. The $2 coin is referred to as a toonie.
