My RUN in with the law

So, this blog doesn't actually have anything to do with running, except for the fact that I'm no longer a good citizen in the eyes of the City of Albuquerque. Awhile ago I received a parking ticket for staying too long in a 30-minute loading zone. I forgot about this $20 ticket until a warrant for my dad's arrest came in the mail on Tuesday. (My car is registered under his name...) Seeing the warrant reminds me of two other tickets I received when Kenny was in town. We went out to lunch and then to see a movie and I completely forgot about my car parked in front of the office.

It was all my fault, I should have just parked in the parking structure, but I remember being very busy and going from interview to interview that day, so I parked in the convenient location instead. That's my excuse anyway.

Ok, so apparently if you don't pay your ticket within 15 days the price triples and you get the nice warrant. Well, with three tickets, all tripled in price, the total amount I owe the lovely City of 'Burque is $180. SO STUPID. I actually went to the parking ticket office and tried to get out of paying it because i was only a day - ONE DAY - late, and they wouldn't even budge. They shooed me away and told me to go to Metropolitan Court.

I go to the court and have to circle around about three times before I realize there's no place to park. I finally find a structure and the rent-a-cop there tells me I have to pay to park there. I tell him I'm not paying anymore money for parking. He says to park down the road on a residential. Lucky for me, all the residential parking places have the "Do Not Park Between 9am-5pm" signs. I finally find a place about 3 blocks down. I rush into the building with about 15 minutes to spare before they close and I'm greeted with X-Ray machines and another rent-a-cop (he may have been a real police though because I saw a nice gun on his hip). The 'cop' looks in my purse and tells me I can't take my cell phone in. I tell him 'fine, I'll leave it up here with you.' He says 'no, you can take it back to your car.' I explain to him that my car is three blocks down and I don't have time. Then he tells me that I can leave it with the hot dog man right down the street. Umm....hmmmm... NO!!!

I got mad and stormed out of the court, getting a little bruise on my hand because of how I slammed the door. I was furious - mostly at myself for not paying the stupid tickets as soon as I got them - but also for how the system is. I'm a good citizen and now I owe the city how much money just because i parked in one spot a little longer than I should have?

My gosh! I think the police and the city need better things to do with their time than walk around putting little yellow envelopes on people's cars...how about they go and
bust more paraplegic pot smokers. Real good use of their time.

Anyway, I took my frustration to Cake Fetish and threw $20 down the drain at Sandia Casino (I was feeling lucky enough to win back my $180!!) and called it a day.

....I didn't go running today, instead I cleaned my room and put up my new bed frame. Tomorrow the running will commence.