The Myth of the 2-Hour Parking Meter
July 1st, 2009In the past 3 years, I’ve written numerous posts about parking in Boston. In this one, I reminisced about the sweatshirt my mom once gave me that had a huge orange ticket across it with the line: “Boston: a great place to visit… but I wouldn’t want to park there.” Having lived within the city limits for 10 years, I have to say that our fair city does, in fact, live up to its sweatshirt slogans.
Yesterday, I parked on Hereford St at a 2-hour meter–not a new multi-space meter, mind you, but the old-fashioned “feed the meter” meter.

I filled the meter to the brim and headed down the street to my destination. With ten minutes to spare, I returned to my car to move it to a different space. Because it was later in the afternoon, there were plenty of spaces, both on the same street and adjacent streets. I moved it to a space further down the street. After such a collosal effort, I was shocked to find that an hour and a half later, I received a ticket for “over the meter limit” anyway.
I quickly found a BTD employee and asked why I received a ticket. I was told that it is not enough to move to a different meter; you are actually prohibited from parking on THAT BLOCK! All I could think of what that scene in Animal House in which Dean Wormer says, “There is a little-known codicil in the Faber constitution….” I know that “ignorance to the law is no excuse” but I can’t even find where it says that. I did look through some relevant parts of Boston Traffic Rules and Regulations, but I still can’t find where it says, “move to another block.”
In addition, the modern day meter attendant is armed with technology that allows them to note that my car is on a particular street. Can’t they also note at which meter I’m parked?
So, here we go again. Another ticket appeal. More frustration. Another stamp. More wasted time on everyone’s part. The way things are going, I wouldn’t be surprised if I had to pay the ticket. I’ll keep you posted. Wish me luck!














