On the bright side, I don’t think I ever visited the Elkhart Police Department before, and I do like seeing new places.
It’s kind of cute, in a concrete sort of way.
“That will be $10,” the young lady in the tie dye tank top and fuzzy sweater said to me through the glass.
She was pleasant, almost apologetic, as she took my money, as if she was accustomed to irritated customers.
It’s like this. I’ve lived on Brady Street for over five years. I have always parked wherever I felt like parking.
I think Marnell asked me about the parking signs when we first started dating. I’m sure I dismissed his concerns with some lofty and confident reply such as, “Oh, no we can park wherever we want to.”
Nope.
The other day, I went out to my car and found a yellow ticket under my wiper. Astonished, I snatched it up.
A parking ticket? But this is….
I looked at the card.
ELKHART POLICE DEPARTMENT PARKING ENFORCEMENT DIVISION. You are charged with the violation circled below. Nothing was circled but beside the word “Other”, the enforcer had scrawled, No parking 7-12.
What?!?
How can I not park on our own street from 7-12?
I squinted at the street sign which I could not read from my car. But when I got closer, I saw it: No parking from 7-12am from March to October on the first Thursday of every month.
Oooooh!
So, it turns out that the parking signs actually do apply to the people who live on the street, too.
As I exited the police department, I passed another unfortunate member of the city, walking toward the door with a rectangular yellow paper in his hand. We exchanged sympathetic glances.
I think I need someone to text me on the first Wednesday of every month from now through October. It was maybe worth ten dollars to expand my horizons by taking a field trip to the police department. And I got to meet the pleasant girl with the colorful shirt.
But it won’t be worth $70 to go there seven more times! Not to mention the dire warning on the yellow card that “THE FINE MAY INCREASE TO $50 FOR REPEAT VIOLATIONS.”
What not to do? Ignore your own street signs.
Happy Wednesday!
14 thoughts on “What-Not-To-Do-Wednesday: My Trip to The Elkhart Police Department”
My sympathies. I have been there and done that in Lancaster. But when I watched the street cleaner sweeping the street and having to dodge the parked cars, I also felt some sympathy for him and understood the parking violation a bit better!
Yes I’m sure there’s some good reason!
Aw, Katrina! You are a good sport!
Good grief! How bizarre, one day a month for five hours?! If you ask me it’s a good way for the Police Department to make a little bit of extra money. They could, of course, have made it even more tricky by making it for the third Thursday of the month. It’s pretty easy to figure out if it’s the first one but the third?
You should call them and ask what the purpose of it is. What could it hurt? Those Sunshine Laws you know.
That’s true! I wish I would have asked the tie dye girl just out of curiosity.
What Kelsie “said”. Sorry but I just can’t help but chuckle at the fact that you made a field trip out of an annoying trip to the police station!! 😜
I would suggest a reminder on your phone the day before. That is the ONLY way I trust myself to remember anything these days!!! 🤦🏽♀️
Ah yes! I should do that!
And the first Wednesday of the month won’t even be safe every time. Some months (like August) begin on Thursday!
Oh dear. Thanks for the warning!!
So, I’m just curious what event takes place during that time frame to call for the restriction? Do you know?
Well, not for sure… possibly large trash pickup? Street sweeping? I should find out.
The time frame for parking restrictions cracks me up! Ha! So sorry about your enforced ‘field trip’ though. 😳
Thanks for your sympathy!!
😂