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The title of this story is highly sarcastic as you’ll soon see why.
It all started with me walking to my car parked all the way on the other side of the several avenues. I had to do this because here in NYC we have alternate side street parking. In my neighborhood it’s Thursday and Friday from 9-11 a.m. What this means is that you have to move your car on those days so the street cleaning machine can clean the area. If you don’t move your car you get a ticket. Tickets in NYC are VERY EXPENSIVE and being Towed is even MORE EXPENSIVE. So today at 2:00 p.m. I walked to where my car was supposed to be and sure enough to my immediate shock I see it’s GONE ! Having lived in NYC now for so many years, and since I live in a good neighborhood, I knew it meant one thing. My car got towed. So began my joyous day. Right away the pit of my stomach turned sour because I knew I now had a big bill, and huge inconvenience ahead of me. I was walking to my car to go to the gym, so I wasn’t exactly prepared for this turn of events. So in my gym clothes I look for a cab, I can’t find a yellow cab so instead I see a private driver, I stop him and ask him if he knows how to go to the Tow Depot, he says ”well kind of – I was there a few years ago”, so I say “how much” and he replies “10 bucks”. I jump in and we’re driving and I am telling him that I don’t think he is going the right way, but he assures me he is….. well after 10 minutes he says “I think I made a mistake – listen my friend – you should get out here, I won’t charge you – I have to go pick up another customer – but I don’t think your too far away now”. So I get out – and I know that I am not in the right area. I walk a few blocks and see someone to ask if they know where the tow pound is and the guy says “yeah sure your about 3 miles away – just go straight on Greenpoint Avenue then look for Review Avenue then go about another mile”. So I start to walk and I am hoping I can find a taxi – but I am walking and no taxi, and walking more and still no taxi, finally after about 20 minutes it’s clear I’m going to have walk the whole way…….. after another 20 minutes I finally arrive. So here I am in the tow pound depot – which is directly under the Kosciuszko Bridge – in the middle of nowhere – and directly across from one of a huge cemetery. So I go inside and it’s this tiny, little, dumpy, dingy, old trailer that looks like it’s 50 years old with a beat up plastic tile floor and old paneling and flickering fluorescent lights. The line has 7 people in front of me. After 20 minutes finally the first guy finishes, at this pace I am going to have to wait for 2 and half hours. Fortunately the pace picked up a little but still I had to 1 and half hours. So now it’s my turn. The woman barks out: license, registration and insurance card. I present her everything and she finds my file – I’m miserable about the situation but at least she’s relatively quick and she gives my paperwork.
I leave to go get my car and that’s a process to, I have to walk all the way to the other end of the parking area for another officer to stamp my receipt, then I have to wait for ride to my car. So the car picks me up and about 10 minutes later I get to my car and I see writing in wax all over my window. It’s very hard to take off, but after 15 minutes I finally get it off and I can leave.
Finally I have my car back – but I didn’t tell you the best part, after walking 3 miles and waiting in line for almost 2 hours, I got the joyous pleasure of supporting NYC with a $185 tow fee and a 60 ticket ! So now I am $245 poorer.
So what was the cause of all this ? The city decided to change the rules of parking in the area I parked and they made it a sudden construction road work area. I am going to fight the ticket, and claim I am innocent. Maybe I will get lucky and they will refund my money – but my time is lost, and I’m sure I’ll lose my claim of innocence because the city really needs money and they treat these tickets as a serious business.
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