Laguna Beach
Meter readers represent city
In response to your column on giving vehicle owners a “grace period” when parking in Laguna Beach (“Parking meter grace period mulled,” Coastline Pilot, April 3), I felt compelled to share a story. A few years back, on a beautiful sunny day, I went to have lunch at Hotel Laguna. I parked in a designated spot and put enough money to give me an hour, and at the same time I set my “stop-watch” before I walked the short distance to the hotel.
With time on the parking meter coming to an end, I took a break from my meal at Hotel Laguna and headed over to put more quarters in the meter. As I walked toward my vehicle, I noticed one of the parking enforcement officers standing behind my car, with her ticket machine in hand. By now we were down to only a few seconds left on the parking meter and I advised her it was my car, and that I intended to put more money in the meter.
With approximately 30 feet to go, the time on the meter expired ... it went “click”... and like a choreographed dance, the parking enforcement officer pressed the button on her ticket machine. Without any sense of empathy or consideration she handed me the ticket. I questioned her as to what her rationale was to “stalk” my vehicle, and even after learning I was the owner, approaching to put more money in the meter, why she would be so disrespectful and abusive?
