Letter: Angry about parking ticket

Publisher’s note: This letter was sent to South Lake Tahoe officials and then the author asked for it to be published on Lake Tahoe News.

The City Officials of South Lake Tahoe,

I am a new resident of Nevada. I reside in (Southern) Nevada. I recently visited Lake Tahoe for the first time ever on July 7, 2013, and received a very unwelcoming welcome to your city, in the form of a parking ticket.

Minutes after arriving in town, my boyfriend and I went down to the beach to see the sunset and to grab a bite to eat at the Beachhouse Restaurant.

We parked along the fence next to the restaurant. There were no signs indicating that this was a paid parking area. I took pictures that show very clearly that there were no visible signs to pay for parking, in front of my car, nor were there signs to the left or right of my car, nor were there any signs in front of the car parked to my right. Nothing.

Shame on you South Lake Tahoe for purposely creating a parking ticket trap for tourists. I did some simple math, using conservative figures, based on my ticket fine of $55. I figured that you are probably making over $100,000 in revenue per year, for the city, from parking ticket fine … just in that one location.

I appealed my ticket online based on the fact that: The city is negligent in their lack of sign postings. How can you expect folks to see the signs that are so far and few between, with SUVS, vans, and vehicles parked along the fence, blocking the signs from view?

The appeal process online only allowed me to upload one photo. I had three photos which clearly showed no visible signs that could be seen from my SUV in any direction.

As I had said in my appeal, I am not a chancer or a cheater, nor am I a wealthy person. If I had seen a sign that required me to pay for parking, I would have and I should have been able to upload more than one photo in my defense online. The appeals board upheld their decision, and I must pay $55. I never even had a chance.

Shame on you South Lake Tahoe for purposely creating a money-making trap, penalizing hard working people out of their hard earned money, that they had intended to spend on their vacation in your city.

The city should post signs in front of every parking space clearly indicating that this is a paid parking space.

Stop cheating tourists out of their money by issuing bogus parking tickets.

Do the right thing. Make signs visible and put them in front of every parking space.

Sharon Resnick, Southern Nevada