Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Questionable Parking Ticketing Upon Upper And Lower Queen Anne Hill

My night driver has been harassed by a traffic division officer assigned to lower Queen Anne, singling him out for special abuse, all of this accumulating in him being ticketed in a three-minute zone when he was there for less than three minutes.  When he told her that he had the right to be there, her response was "Not you!"  Raymond, initially "madder-than-a-hatter" said he was going to court and contest the ticket. I advised him that he also needed to file an official internal investigation report, making sure the compliant goes into her personnel file but now that his initial fire has "burned itself out," it appears he is just going to pay the ticket.

This morning I asked him "What if she does this again?" which prompted a "if she dared to do  that" but of course she will, which is why I told him you need to follow through, ensuring she gets the message that she can't target cabbies. Part of the new ticketing appeal procedure is optionally writing a general letter to the SPD, which, while a nice band aid for a gaping wound, does nothing to stem the bleeding.  As I know personally, the only effective response is to follow through over all official channels, and especially now, since positive results usually occur, police now on notice nationally that obstructive behaviors are no longer tolerated. .

Recently, when SPD again closed off King Street Amtrak Station access, I drove right up to the two officers, telling them that I knew we (Yellow Cab) were allowed free access to pick up our passengers.  All they did was shake their heads but after I found another way in, I saw they had reversed themselves, removing the barriers and putting the "King Street Station Access Only" sign into place, suddenly remembering what they knew already, doing what they were supposed to do. This is what happens when you complain like I did two years ago when issued a bogus ticket: you get results, with the police now realizing someone is watching, or could be.

Maybe the cops in the most recent incident understood they might have been talking to the very same cabbie who caused the traffic division  to permanently change their policy.  Who else would boldly confront them like I did?  Not many, I can probably guess, the police making a point intimidating the public, "standing down" remaining an effective method for gaining complaisant cooperation.

It works but not with me, at least to a point it doesn't, not looking nor never seeking confrontation with anyone, especially the police.  I do respect they have a job to do but knowing  it must be done honestly and fairly, minus intimidation and provocation.  Cooperation and mutual respect is the key.  That is what works best, something we all must encourage.  Bullying should  never be considered a positive option, whether you are the police or a current presidential candidate.I stop listening when someone begins shouting, tone and approach all important.  Do I have to say the obvious, that life is not a "comic book?."  I guess I do because it seems too people many are becoming "fictional," composing a reality existent only in their minds.  Time to turn the page, making sure Donald Duck or Batman haven't become your personal adviser. I like them too but Seattle isn't Gotham City, it just isn't, despite wishful thinking and overactive imaginations, the city destined to remain mundane, never to be an illustrated comic strip in the featured Sunday funnies, Robin never having to come to his master's aid. . 



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