Project 365 - January 10th

Look what I got in the mail today?Okay, let me back up a few days, because there's a story to go along with the "Courtesy Bail Notice".

On Christmas night we had a pretty decent snow storm. It came down so hard and fast that Sprouts boyfriend ended up spending the night. Sprouts car was parked on the street in front of the house. By 10am on the 26th we had almost 12 inches of snow. We shoveled off the driveway and sidewalk and didn't worry about Sprouts car. A neighbor came by with his snow blower to clean out the end of the driveway that the snowplow blocked. We had friends come in and hang with us and had a great time. Since Sprout didn't really need her car we left it buried.

Apparently, on Saturday the 27th a Salt Lake County Sheriff came by to enforce a new "no overnight parking on the street if there's at least 1 of snow present" ordinance. The "warning" was skewered to the antenna stating that we had 24 hours to move the car or it would be towed or a citation issued. When we noticed it several hours later we diligently dug the car out. I had to teach Sprout the appropriate "rocking" technique for getting a car out in slick conditions as I pushed on the front end. Mission accomplished. Disaster averted because the car was moved into the driveway before the 24 hour period passed.

Fast forward to January 10th.

I get the mail and notice an envelope from the Salt Lake County Courts. Hmmm, what can that be? A Courtesy Bail Notice? What? I swear it was a warning. This then caused me to go out to the recycle bin and pull the most recent bag of recycling back out. I gingerly dug through the bag transferring the contents into a new bag. Low and behold I located this.



See, I told you it was a warning. And take a look at the back.



Does that not clearly state that the car will be towed or cited if not moved within 24 hours? Am I just dreaming?

I of course get on the phone. The gal was very nice but said that a citation was issued on the 27th. Um, but it said a warning. She said she didn't know why they used the warning "tag" but that it was a full blown citation. I said there were five other cars parked overnight on my street. Her response? Do you know how many hundreds of tickets were issued that day? Personally, I think this is how the county is planning on covering their budget shortfall due to the economy.

Thankfully the fine is only $25. The moral of this story? If you live in Salt Lake County, and there's 1" or more of snow on the ground, don't park your car overnight in front of your house. Oh, there's also a lesson to learn. If you buy a car for your teenager and register it in your name, you're the one that gets the parking citations.

Lesson learned.