Comments on: Parking in Salem

By: Beverly Resident

Beverly Resident — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 02:06:01 +0000

> the meter maids are a bunch of finely trained ninjas

I’m not sure I’d go that far. My family ate at Tavern In The Square and parked across the street (2hr metered spot). We fed 2hrs worth of quarters in the meter, and then had a 1hr 6min lunch. When we got back to the car, there was a ticket on the windshield – with 54min left on the meter!!!

I was with my kids, so I didn’t express my feelings. My wife and I took pictures of the meter with the ticket + meter + car in the background, as there was no way I was going to let that fly. I scanned the ticket and the car description matched mine, but the parking spot # matched the car next to ours, whose meter had actually expired!!!

So, we got the ticket for the guy next to us! I hope we can fight this one…

Ugh!

By: MLA

MLA — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:46:46 +0000

Since moving to Salem 4 years ago I have paid my fair share of parking tickets. I have never argued one, as I am aware that the meters were expired. However, and with that said, a visitor to my home was given a ticket before the meter expired. The Parking officer, didn’t think that he would make it out of the building and across the street in 2 minutes to refill the meter, and she couldn’t be bothered to come back in a few minutes when the meter was actually expired. This time she was caught. But History is replete with examples of anecdotes of traffic control officers who will never ever admit to being wrong. My guest was then informed that he was ticketed not because the meter was expired but because you can’t park in the same spot for longer than 2 hours. 4 years and I have only ever seen people refill meters not move their car to another spot and feed that meter. Add that into the notion that I paid a good amount for my home, and pay the mandatory yearly parking pass fee for the garages, and Residents are not guaranteed parking in the town. Many have been forced to park in neighboring towns and take the Commuter Rail back to their home because of this. I suggest that anyone thinking about visiting this town, as a tourist, try a place that actually is welcoming of visitors, residents and commuters. We are only here to pay the moronic salary of our overpriced Mayor. And if you don’t know, the Salem mayor makes more in a year than the mayor of Miami FL.

By: tayso

tayso — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:33:12 +0000

Can anyone tell me if Salem offers a “portable” permit pass so one’s vistors can safely park where resident permit are required? This is what is done in Cambridge (applies only to your immediate neighborhood), another town where it is a nigthmare to park! It sounds as if Salem has a visitor pass for October, but I’m also interested in a year-round neighborhood one…

By: Appehensive New Resident

Appehensive New Resident — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:27:23 +0000

Gotta love parking in Salem…the meter maids are a bunch of finely trained ninjas. I’ve gotten into a routine of leaving my office, throwing in 2 quarters every 2 hours, and moving my truck once or twice a day (to avoid “meter-feeding” fines). The other day I Moved my truck as I usually do at about lunch time (12:30 for me)and continued to feed my new meter for the rest of the day. Lo and behold at the end of the day there is a “meter-feeding” ticket on my truck that says it was issued at 12:00… Now tell me how its possible that if I moved my truck at 12:30 to avoid meter-feeding and found no ticket there, magically at the end of the day I had a meter feeding ticket that was issued at 12:00? Absolute bullsh*t.

By: Lucas

Lucas — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:40:58 +0000

I’ve had my share of parking trouble in the 5 years I’ve lived here.
most recently my girlfriend who is a student and has out of state car documentation was refused any kind of protection from tickets despite living in Salem. I was at city hall, the parking garage and the police station
pleading her case and all of them just threw up their hands.
TOUGH LUCK. I am strongly considering scanning someone else’s orange
paper permit into my computer and just printing my own. Would any one like
to lend me theirs for about five minutes?

By: Halloween Season begins in Salem Massachusetts | The Salem Insider

Halloween Season begins in Salem Massachusetts | The Salem Insider — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:53:29 +0000

[...] at the meters and resident parking stickers reqired on most streets. You can head over to our parking primer for more details. Social Bookmark this [...]

By: Cuddy

Cuddy — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 21:57:24 +0000

And I got a ticket – in front of my apartment.!!

Even though I live on on the corner of Bridge and North – moving soon, thank God! – I can’t park on North, as I am not a ‘resident’ of North Street. Puhleeze. So I go to contest this and there is some guy who works, like two hours a week, listens to complaints / grievances and says ‘ No.’ to all of them. He’s got a real nice hack job, though… sitting there for 8 hours a month… waving some power around, makin gpeople pay ridiculous money… are they hiring?!

By: Cuddy

Cuddy — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 21:52:11 +0000

City Hall was up to Shenanigans – getting 4 mil in debt – an dnow we all have to pay… h, well..

By: Glen Hughes

Glen Hughes — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 10:33:35 +0000

Bewitched,

I’m sure the Chamber of Commerce is about as happy as you are regarding the parking situation in town. Recently due to a few massive money mismanagement debacles the parking stormtroopers are more vigilant than ever.

The other day I saw one of the meter maids waiting to write a ticket on some guys car. I walked over there and put a quarter in his meter just to piss her off. I then emptied my pockets of the remaining change I had whenever I saw an expired meter. It was a great way to spend $1.25

By: Bewitched

Bewitched — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:12:13 +0000

I travel to Salem to enjoy some fine dining at Rockafella’s restaurant. I put 2 quarters in the meter, but low & behold, it only counted one; a 1 hour limit (didn’t return the 2nd quarter either). Of course when I came out an hour and 1/2 later, there was a ticket on my windshield. Looking on the web, I see that Salem is renouned for having meter maids that pounce as soon as the meter expires. As a result of this and the fact that it is impossible to eat at a good restaurant in less than 1 hour (I rushed as it was, knowing that the meter would be expired), I will never go to Salem to dine again. Nor will I visit this city for any other reason/event that will take more than an hour.
Nice going Salem. Does the Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Dept. enjoy chasing people away from this town.

By: admin

admin — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:58:00 +0000

Sure do. In the good weather you can always hail a pedicab to take you around Salem, the drivers are usually knowledgeable and friendly because tip money is their lifeblood.

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:16:20 +0000

Don’t they have those rickshaws/pedicabs to ride on as well?

By: admin

admin — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 22:48:49 +0000

MajorD,

Great deal. Oh and for people interested in the October only pass you do need the same “proof of residence” but instead of a window sticker you get a paper placard you put on your dash board for the month.

By: MajorD

MajorD — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 22:17:59 +0000

Ah, parking. Here’s the sum total of my additional knowledge on the subject. I got my resident permit in City Hall in Room 5, so I guess Liberty Street isn’t the only option. I had to bring my license, registration, and proof of address (I brought a utility bill). I got charged the ginormous sum of ONE dollar for my permit — which is good for four years (!) or until I ditch the car or — as the nice lady said — get a new windshield. And talk about one-stop shopping, she even registered me to vote while I was there.