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car however, the owner of the vehicle can question either the date of the tick- et or deny driving the car that day. Con- sidering that some parking tickets are issued to cars parked at a pedestrian crossing which didn’t exist at 8 am when the car was originally parked but was painted at 2 PM, the driver usually carries his camera phone and takes a snapshot to verify his innocence. The average parking ticket is about $60. Our next stop is the NewTown of


Warsaw. Shops, offices, cafes, hotels and residential buildings pepper the area. July 1st brought on an installa- tion of hundreds of pay stations. The leadingWarsaw Newspaper reported that residents of the area can purchase monthly permit cards at under $10, 30 zl a month. Nevertheless, the article was on a back page and went unno- ticed. Also, there was a waiting period of 7 days and a need for the proofs of residency, registration and ownership of the car. Subsequently, most people ignore the need for those parking per- mits and chance not getting a ticket or throwing it away. I questioned my cousin about the


ethics of Polish people. She said that most believe that since the govern- ment is still corrupted and basically thieving, that allows the people to practice dishonesty. I can see that after decades of Russian occupation, folks see the government as nothing but a bunch of crooks. There is a deep dis- trust of any government officials and police. The later being the unequivo- cal enemy. The end of our day brought me


into the picturesque Old Town War- saw. My cousin informs me we must drive first to the Theater Square. I am excited because I spent many evenings in Warsaw’s National The- ater as a child. That is where I fell in love with Chekhov. She explains that our trip to the square isn’t for sight- seeing but to park. TheTheater Square lot has a large


underground parking that is safe and not too expensive, at 75 cents an hour. From therewe can hop on a trolley and be in the OldTown in no time. Parking in OldTown is non existent. I ask my cousin where the shop- keepers and the residents park. She


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shrugs her shoulders and says that they don’t. I mention that in NewYork park- ing is tough also. She says,Warsaw isn’t New York; it is the city filled with ghosts of UncleVanya but all the Cherry Trees are gone. And not because they “paved paradise and put up a parking lot.” They simply never grasped that for this new economy and this young car culture to thrive, there has to be some parking infrastructure. Upon returning home with wonder- ful Polish memories, I realize that the


parking meter has just celebrated its 75th birthday. I used to think the meter was one ugly dude. After my Warsaw trip and after realizing how precious, elegant and easy it is, I am ready to give it a cake and celebrate its anniversary by feeding it some quarters. Free at last to park as I please.


Astrid Ambroziak writes periodically for Parking World. She can be reached at Astrid@parkingworld.com.


PT


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