(click the picture above for
the high definition
video - but also click
YouTube
for me!)
9:56 PM, Friday,
August 8th, 2008:
How impressive was
the opening ceremony tonight? Truly amazing in ever
sense of the word. Might be the best one I've ever
seen. Anyway - couldn't do an entry on 08.08.08
without mentioning that...
I have
an impressive record of getting completely
screwed in the car/finances world. From
uninsured drivers hitting me, to
unbelieveably unlucky tickets to the
infamous $400 from the "Camera Cop" as you
can see in the video to the right
(starring the wondrous Shizzle from 2005).
By all means, please take a moment and
enjoy one of my favorite Journey videos of
all time. It cost me $400. :-)
So
it is with the glee of a child that I tell
you I finally beat a ticket. Granted, $40
ain't $400 but the principle is - they
tried to completely cheat me over and I
said: "No". And unbelieveably they said:
"yeah, you're right". And even more
incredible? It was easy. Almost too easy.
I never left my house. So I figured I
had to write an entry to everyone
literally telling you "How to Beat a
Ticket"... because I think your chances
are fairly good. And, uhm not that I would
ever tell you to lie, but the following
steps may be nearly fool proof. So enjoy
the
video
and read ahead...
So it really is
like I said in the video. I put a quarter in, it
stayed at 0:00. The meter didn't say "FAIL" however.
It said expired... but it clearly didn't work. I put
in another quarter, still nothing - so I left. It was
a bitch finding parking and I wasn't about to give up
that spot. Of course I promptly got a ticket. So
here's the first thing I did:
1) On the
meter, there's a number to call if there's a broken
meter. I called the number and left a message
giving them the number of the meter and explaining
what had happened. I did say that I got a ticket,
but looking back I probably should've called the
number FIRST. Either way, not that you should ever
lie if you get a ticket, but make the call no
matter what.
2) I then went
online and they explain how to contest a ticket.
You have to call a number to request an
administrative review. It sounds all formal - but
you wait on hold for a few minutes and you tell
them what happened, and they write it down and say
they'll be in contact with you.
3) A week later
I had a letter saying I my claim was valid, I
didn't have to pay. That's it.
Now I'm not saying
this is full-proof if you get a legitimate ticket, but
if you follow the above steps - I have a feeling
you can probably get away with a ticket. Leave the
message, then call after saying you put in the money
and called the number. I just honestly can't
believe any local government has the resources to
follow EVERY claim up. Not that you should ever lie of
course... but the odds are certainly in your favor.
And obviously this is in California, so laws may
vary...
And man, this
makes me feel good. As I mentioned in the last entry -
I added a boat-load of peeps to the Journey list and I
realize this is the 1st or 2nd entry they're gonna
get. At least it helps them. You know? At least I'm
giving them something they wouldn't have had
otherwise. And, a funny song. I felt kinda bad that
the first video after the big-add was my ass standing
on a patio. (sigh). How many of them just hit the
video link and went "huuuuuuuuuh?"
:-) So there's
7...88 on 08.08.08. Man if only I could've loaded
up in the early years of The Journey. I could
have totally pulled off 777 on 07.07.07 and 888 on
08.08.08. Hell I'm still trying desperately to figure
our how to pull off 1000 entries at the mark of 10
years on January 1st, 2010. I'm never gonna make it.
2002 really screwed me in the entry count. Oh well.
I'm sure something will come up...
