I parked at a meter in downtown SF on Tues. and it was $3.75 per hour and the meter took credit cards. On Wed. I had to park in a garage and it was $33 for about four hrs. I read in the Examiner the other day that they're about to make meters near the stadium $9 per hour during events. You know they're gonna have a time limit on those just short of how long an avg. game lasts.

It's a huge money maker. And running a red light is super dangerous, BUT, as long as you shut up and pay, you get no points.

That's a bunch of folklore. Maybe out in Chino along the 15, but not in L.A. County. The very fastest drive 80. No one is doing 80 and getting passed "like [they are] standing still."

That would put the speeding car at about 100 and you just don't see that anywhere. I've lived here all of my life, through the 55 MPH speed limit and since before the 405 was even constructed.

However, I do see a bike doing the HOV lane around 90 once a week or so. Perhaps that is you. You're not getting passed by anyone, that's for damn sure.

I have done this many, many times, most recently three weeks ago. I often ride between LA and Irvine on either the 5 or 405. Yes, traffic usually sucks, but when it moves, it really moves. And yes, I have been passed like I'm standing still when I'm doing 80 - regularly happens.

I'm no expert when it comes to SF but I usually park outside the city (for free) and ride the BART into town. Driving SF city is a PITA anyway. Alternately if you intend to do a cable car ride there are many $20 all day lots at the ends of each line.

In my experience, the 405 moves at 70mph or less during the daytime, except for the occasional driver.

If I only had one appt., then that's what I would have done. But it was pouring rain most of Tues. and I had to go to Sausalito after my downtown appts. with little time in between. So no BART for me. Wed. my first appt. was in the Presidio, far from any BART station. Then I had to go to Oakland and then to SJC. No BART for me. I expensed a lot of parking this week.

My no front plate ticket in texas was 180$ The trooper said he was doing me a favor and not writing me for speeding (76 in a 70). The fine for speeding was 140$. I was in the left lane when we crested a hill and the car behind me was evidently practicing his drafting technique. I was the only car pulled over, not a suprise since I was in the red Porsche. Thankfully he was not patrolling the back roads where I had it on a slow boil at about 90 mph.

As Dean already noted, this is not accurate for illegal aliens.
Quoted for hilarity. The registration sticker was stolen off my wife's car. They can check and see that the fees are paid prior to writing the ticket. Cost $20 for a new sticker, plus a $10 administrative fee.

Shaun, the grown ups are working to change things for the better, but we are swimming upstream. The insane are running the asylum though. I am fairly politically active and meet with my elected "representatives" at least every other year, usually more frequently. You can tell them straight out why something is a bad idea, will cost more money and hurt a lot of people; they do it anyway.

BTW, they are fees, not taxes in most cases. They need a 2/3 vote to pass a new tax. This may change with the left in absolute control of the state. If my grandchildren did not live here, I would be back in Texas quicker than you can say Jackie Robinson.

the signage on SF city streets telling when and where you can park..jeezus, i've stared at them and had to consult with passengers to ask "what does that even mean?" street cleaning, open lanes, etc. brutal. i have seen sign poles with three signs on them.

having said that, it has been a couple of years since i have gotten a parking ticket. i got at bruiser in oakland. $70 for letting a meter expire. i was taking a test. it went long. i didnt pass the test either..double damn!!

speeding. me in my new mazdaspeed3. some small sleepy town on HWY 1. i got on the boost, and got busted. i took traffic school. the guy sitting next to me got a ticket for passing a flashing school bus. his ticket was $1800 or so. ouch.

Tobra, you might want to compare notes with bivenator before you jump to TX. $30 for the sticker vs. his $180 for no front plate. Sounds pricey. ;)

lived in hollywood just off the downhill part of cahuengua. cops had a nice little spot to hide and wait for people going five over. sometimes they'd have two cars and nail 10 people an hour.

this is while the homeless were shooting up and ****ting on the sidewalk in front of my building.

LAPD Traffic-Ticket Quota Lawsuit Moves Forward

A lawsuit that has been tied up in court since June alleging police traffic-ticket quotas appears to be moving forward as a judge this week ruled in the favor of the plaintiffs - 10 LAPD cops.

The motorcycle officers claim they were allegedly denied overtime, were verbally harassed and interrogated, and were given bad performance reviews because they did not fill traffic ticket quotas, according to their attorneys.

“We’re pleased,” said attorney Matthew McNicholas, who’s representing the officers.”We think the case is righteous and meritorious and full steam ahead.”

A private lawyer representing the city declined to comment, referring a call to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.

A call to the City Attorney’s Office was not immediately returned.


LAPD Traffic-Ticket Quota Lawsuit Moves Forward | NBC Southern California

I drive on the 405 once in a while, (most recently yesterday), and on the 101, 110 and 170 regularly. 80 mph would be the fastest moving cars when it's wide open, median speed is probably closer to 70. Only the exceptions are doing over 80, that's just asking for a ticket.

It's complete BS that you would get passed a lot when you're doing 80 mph.

During mid day (say 1030 to 230), traffic on the 405 definitely flows faster than 70 mph, at least in the fast lanes. Anywhere between San Diego and OC, and OC through the South Bay curve. Not hugely faster, but if you're going exactly 70 in the fast lane with light traffic, you will have people passing you on the right and getting in front of you. I'd say 75-80 these days, in the fast lane. And you can easily kick it up to 85 a lot of times and not be to noticed (did it yesterday).

It does tend to slow down in the congested spots, like by LAX, by UCLA, etc.

If you are going 80, you won't generally be passed "like you are standing still." You might get passed, though!

I've noticed 405 speeds have slowed down a bit since the beginning of the year. And that enforcement has been noticeably increased. My guess is its a revenue effort.

And yeah, California ticket prices have really gotten out of control. I received a red light photo ticket for not coming to a COMPLETE stop on a RIGHT turn. Not exactly the most horrifying traffic infraction of all time. In California, if you inch through that right turn at 1 mph - $500!

That seems absurd, with no relation to the level of the infraction. Since California is apparently cash strapped, why not $1000? Make twice as much on them.

In some California counties if you don't pay the traffic fines Court collections can put a hold on your registration and license. If its big enough they'll refer it to Franchise Tax Board to intercept any tax refunds you might get.

If you are from out of state and don't pay, they turn it over to a collection agency and also try and get it on your credit report as unpaid debt.

This happened to me a while back. I refuse to pay parking tickets in DC. The one time I had to because it was a friend's car I had borrowed, I wrote some insult to Marion Barry (mayor at that time) on the memo line of the check. Many years ago while buying a house, the loan officer said I had a lot of unpaid DC parking tix on my credit report. I had ignored their amnesty offers. He said I should pay those. I asked if not doing so would affect my loan closing. He said no. I said then mind your own business. Will never write a check to the DC gov't. or their collection agencies.

That is $30 for a sticker I already paid for and was stolen.

I drove without a front plate the entire time I lived there and nobody ever said boo. Two speeding tickets during that time.

I have lived in Texas for 10 years and California for quite some time. One is well run, the other is not in a criminal fashion.

They had them 'round here, towns got caught shortening yellows to increase revenue from them. Ended up in court, Judge was savvy, and said you can have red light cameras, but the revenue goes some where else than your town treasury. Problem is, the system had the town paying for the process, so each ticket cost the town money. Those tunes about it only being for public safety went away in a hurry, as did the cameras!