Wild Card/Monday — 1/8/07

I had a close encounter with a downtown Spokane parking machine this weekend. It cost me $20 for 3 1/2 hours of parking — and counting. Seems I didn’t follow protocol when I put a $20 in the orange box to cover the $10 charge for parking in front of the Opera House for the traveling Broadway production of “Hairspray.” Seems you’re suppose to get a ticket from a nearby machine and put it on your dash. I tried to figure out the machine and almost lost a credit card and then a debit card while clogging up a line of equally confused patrons trying to use the machine — a machine that didn’t provide change. So, I figured I’d drop a $20 in the slot for my parking space in the conventional box and call it good. I was rewarded with a parking ticket for $25. I’m not even mad about it. I figured it was worth it because I can write a column about the high cost of parking when you patronize downtown Spokane businesses. Then, I’m not sure Coeur d’Alene should have paid parking either. Now, for your Wild Card …

Update: I explained my situation to a Diamond Parking customer service clerk via telephone today — and she voided the ticket. There goes a good column.