Union-Bulletin

Working downtown for over three years I average one parking ticket per year with no ill feelings.

Today, I moved my car within the two-hour restriction area. The parking enforcement officer stopped me as I was leaving my car and said, "If you don't want to move your car every two hours, there is a lot available." I asked where? And she told me. I felt she was being helpful.

Then the conversation changed. The PEO went on to tell me that "I was taking parking away from someone who may be purchasing lunch" (even though I was moving my car every two hours legally). And that "the merchants probably hate me!"

I told her I hadn't thought of it like that. In a terse, motherly voice, she said, "Thank you, I would really appreciate that" (moving elsewhere).

I am within the law to move my car every two hours. I question why the PEO stopped me on the sidewalk to say she thinks I shouldn't be parking downtown.

Workers in the downtown area park in front of my place of employment. Is it her job to single out workers and business owners to impose her beliefs? I don't appreciate being talked down to by a parking enforcement officer when I am abiding the law and simply trying to walk back to work.

If the merchants downtown "hate" me, then I hope they and their employees are parking outside of the restricted area. Maybe as a community we need to work toward that. I work with a staff that moves cars every two hours. To do differently is a personal choice. The PEO had no right to impose a moral choice on me.

I have had other downtown workers tell me of her terse and demeaning diatribes. In one instance, with no altercation or ticket at hand, the PEO chose the word "girlfriend." (TV cops, hall monitor?)

I have never been stopped by an officer while doing the legal speed limit to have them say, "You were within the posted speed limit, but I personally feel that the speed limit should be lower, you should drive half of the posted speed limit, otherwise, people will hate you." Yet my experience with the PEO today feels very similar.

I admire the officers in our town. They keep us safe. But perhaps this incident is outside of the line of duty.

Tiffany Sinclair
College Place