Anchorage Enforces Parking Meters

We had no idea that Anchorage, Alaska has become so crowded downtown that it has parking meters and a new dedicated parking watchdog to ticket cars when the meters expire. In addition, it is illegal for a passerby to feed a meter when expired.

The Anchorage Daily News reports:

We strolled Sixth Avenue. I noticed a lot of tickets under wipers along the side streets. Before Thursday, a couple of Anchorage police officers handled downtown parking enforcement on top of other duties. Avoiding a ticket is about to get harder.

We stopped in front of an expired red Mini Cooper. Haske pecked at her hand-held ticket machine. A bearded guy in a Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops sauntered up. It wasn’t his car, but he wanted to be a parking hero.

“Can I put money in the meter?” he asked. “You cannot,” she said. Firm and polite. “It’s a misdemeanor.” 

“Like I’d go to jail?” the guy said. He snorted. “OK. I’m going back to Homer now.”