FYI Free Parking at L.A. Meters still in effect

Hi All,

I was cruising the net tonight and decided to check and see where things were with the free parking meter benefit at Los Angeles meters. When I last dealt with this issue (in mid 2005) the benefit was about to expire and with the new mayor coming into town it was anyones guess what he do.

Well, it seems that the program has been extended for an additional 8-month pilot trial which is due to expire at midnight on June 30, 2006. A modification to the original offering is that in order to qualify, the vehicle has to display the same DMV Clean Air decals that allow us in the carpool lanes.

Now that I am aware of the fact that this benefit is still available, I plan to do the following: 1) Print out a copy of the offering and its rules to keep in my car and place visibly on my dash whenever I use this benefit. 2) Print out another map of the city of Los Angeles to ensure that I am actually within city limits when I do use the benefit. 3) Lobby for this benefit to be adopted permanently by contacting the appropriate parties. And finally 4) Use it as often as I can "just because".

I have copied the text and the link to the site at LADOT where the information can be found below.

Enjoy!

Tisza

http://www.lacity.org/ladot/freepark.htm

FREE PARKING INFO

FREE PARKING FOR ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES (ZEVS), SUPER ULTRA LOW EMISSION VEHICLES (SULEVs) AND CERTAIN HYBRID VEHICLES - PILOT PROGRAM

:lol: If you own a Zero Emission Vehicle or Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle as defined by the California Air Resources Board, you may purchase a California Clean Air Vehicle Decal from the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Once you have purchased and affixed the decal to your vehicle per DMV instructions, you can park without depositing coins at on- and off-street metered parking spaces throughout the City of Los Angeles (however, you remain subject to the posted time limit restrictions and other higher order parking restrictions like Tow Away and Street Cleaning.)

On October 1, 2004, participation in this free metered parking program was extended to four hybrid vehicle models: the Honda Insight, Honda Civic Hybrid, Toyota Prius, and the Ford Escape Hybrid. The eight-month pilot program for hybrid vehicles is due to expire at midnight on June 30, 2006.

To find out if your vehicle qualifies, click here: www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/carpool/carpool.htm

To find out how to obtain a California Clean Air Vehicle Decal, click here: www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/decal.htm

 

Hi All,

Tochatiu, long time not talk and yes, they are referring to our yellow $8.00 DMV carpool access stickers. Also, I agree that our cars are plenty distinctive in design, however last year when I took advantage of this benefit for the very first time I did indeed receive a parking ticket that took time, energy and cost lots of aggrevation to get cle.ared up.

Things may indeed be different now as these cars are a lot more prevelant now than they were, but I don't want to take any chances. Whether you are right or not, having to fight the city is not as much fun as you think it might be. Also, if you drive a classic, they do bear a striking resembelance to an echo to the uninitiated. And meter maids (I don't care what the pc term is, I actually used to refer to the one that haunted my neighborhood in L.A. as the "Parking Nazi") are still expected to write a certain amount of tickets per day. I just don't want to help them fill their books.

Take care all and don't forget to contact the powers that be to thank them for extending this benifit and to lobby for the continuation of the offering past the June 30, 2006 deadline.

Take care all and have a super day!

Tisza