Short Meters for Quick Confessions?

I bet the Catholics asked for them years ago so peeps could do a quick confession and get back to work. The city works slowly, so …

Yeah, I’m just kidding.

No, those parking meters are new … installed around fall of 2004 after Caltrans was built.

Remember, in Downtown, parking meters are only for normal folks like you and me. LAPD, FedEx, and UPS are all exempt. (You’d think so anyway, the way they park.)

Speaking of parking in Downtown, it really sucks for people trying to pick something up in the evening. It’s all designed around commuters, to get them out of Downtown as quickly as possible. No consideration for the local businesses who would benefit from more people being around in the evenings.

I’ve come Downtown on several occasions to pick something up, for instance, a book from Metropolis. (I’m trying to support Downtown businesses.) They close at 6pm. I’ll give you one guess when street parking on Main Street is allowed. Yep, after 6pm. No coordination whatsoever.

There are actually some of these green meters in front of the new Starbucks at 11th & Grand.

I’ve used those parking sports for pizza pick up or a book drop off. Most likely they were placed in just before or after the uproar about the trees behind Caltrans slated to be taken out to accomodate street expansion . If I remember the the DLANC’s Planning & Land Use committee meeting (you were gone that week, Eric) this strip was a topic back in late July. Keeping the meters short time gives the lane a chance to fullfill a turning pocket.

Whatever the case, if in some sort of urban civic logic these meters are just holding court.

JoelC: I’ve asked UPS, FED EX and US Postal drivers/delivery peeps - and no one is supposed to get a free ride. Well, DOT has empathy for the Post Office, but UPS and Fed EX get tickets (most of the time) since they can swallow the cost (by passing it on).

DOT knows the US Post Office is not goverment, but regulated and cant pass on the cost of tickets so they look the other way. Unless it’s really abused.

UPS and FedEX will display their tickets on the windshield - to ward off more tickets.

What I meant was that the meters took years to get installed, long after the Cathedral had moved.

Those green meters are installed also on Grand and 11th. They are paid for by the stores (like Starbucks on Grand) who want their customers to have parking for quick pickups. So they don’t come at the dime (or logic) of the city but at the expense of store owners.

Eric,

Your photos are getting a lot better. Makes me want to get the same kind of camera. MIght do just that.

It must have been a busy day yesterday. I was stuck inside all day. Great pictures. I walked by that sight on Los Angeles but didn’t have my camera with me.

It was what came from serving of the DLANC/LAPD with a side of Brady. The meters would be taken out to allow maximum space. It may all have changed since then.

Did I really steal my joke from your headline? I gotta get a new hat.

e@v: “JoelC: I’ve asked UPS, FED EX and US Postal drivers/delivery peeps - and no one is supposed to get a free ride. Well, DOT has empathy for the Post Office, but UPS and Fed EX get tickets (most of the time) since they can swallow the cost (by passing it on).”

Last week, as I circled the 400 block of Main for fifteen minutes (waiting for 6pm so I could park), a UPS truck sat parked in the parking space right in front of Cafe Banquette. Lots of angry drivers let loose on the horn. But as far as I could see, no ticket.

And don’t forget the apparent LAPD parking zone (red curb) in front of Cliftons every morning. Apparently there is lots of police business there on a daily basis. Right around breakfast time.

this is related to street parking – are there actually any places in the downtown historic core where you can park (sans the lots that charge) overnight without having to move your car at 7am for the “tow away” rush?