Anyone involved in "parking enforcement" (tow druck drivers, meter maids, etc) is a scumbag, bottom feeder.

The worst "enforcement" is usually near college campuses. I once had a tow truck put my car on the rack less than a minute after my meter ran out. He had actually sat in front of the meter until it ran out of time. I had to pay that meth head arsehole $100 cash to get him to take it off the tow. What a racket.

If only the Philadelphia parking authority would do something like this. I once got a ticket while I still had time and the meter maid said "well I already typed it, you'll have to fight it". They also don't care if the meter doesn't work. Plus the tickets are like $80 if you wait more than 15 days to pay. I really dislike this system of for-profit law.

What's the racial breakdown of the meter maids? Just curious.

I hate parking in the city. Atlanta has been screwed up about parking for years. ParkAtlanta was actually sold as a solution to the crappy situation that existed before when the city managed the tickets themselves.

Adam Carolla has a great point about city government (he is talking about LA but it applies everywhere): If there is money in it, the city is on top of it. If not, they do not give a shiat no matter how little effort would be required to improve things. They can find a way to give you a ticket 30 seconds after the meter runs out because there is revenue in it. They can set up Click it or Ticket roadblocks all day long. But things like timing traffic lights, fixing pot holes or reasonable speed limits? Nope. Can't do it.

Kyro: PARKAtlanta has a really bad reputation.

That's what happens when you outsource to private companies to uphold the law. No different than redlight camera companies. (in that they and their owners should be shot out of a cannon into the sun)

We need a constitutional amendment.

"No government entity may use any funds which were not obtained through taxation of the residents in its jurisdiction to fund its operation. All fines, fees, tariffs and any other forms of non-tax revenue are to be distributed as refunds to the citizens."

Under this regime fines still function as penalties for breaking rules and fees still encourage reasonable use of government services. The difference is that there would no longer be a profit motive in law enforcement and politicians couldn't end-run the citizens by claiming they aren't raising taxes when they raise the fees and fines for everything.

Someone once had a better solution to parking meter problems...

IamPatSajak: I once got a ticket while I still had time and the meter maid said "well I already typed it, you'll have to fight it".

I hope you fought one of the two.