And You Thought You Hated Parking Tickets

Church Street Bug plastered with $3,000 in tickets

So you grouse and grump every time you get one parking ticket. One.

What about the poor owner of a 2001 Volkswagen Beetle that until today was parked in the 1500 block of Church Street just a few feet from 16th? The bright yellow Beetle had amassed a stack of fading pink parking tickets that totaled $3,295, as reported on Prince of Petworth, and that's before any of the fines were doubled for nonpayment.

News4 went down to take a look, and sure enough, the car was parked on the south side of Church Street. Folks coming and going were amazed by the sight of so many tickets and were awfully glad it wasn't their car.

"Why hasn't it been towed or booted?" was a common remark.

A good question. In the District, your vehicle is subject to towing or the boot if you have two or more outstanding tickets, not dozens. 

The D.C. Department of Public Works didn't explain the situation (at least not by the time of this writing) but it did send a tow truck that swiftly and efficiently hauled away the vehicle, freeing up a much sought-after parking space.

We're not sure who owns the car. The District license plate number CK 6737. It has a Holy Cross parking sticker, but the hospital said the sticker expired last February.

In addtion to the pink slips stacked on the windshield, there were tickets crumpled inside the car, along with a few medical books, some clothing and one coat hanger.

We'll update our story if and when we find out just who the owner is and why he or she got into such a terrible parking ticket hell.

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