cars in parking lot
Sean Cate
Sean Cate
February 24, 2024 ·  4 min read

Woman Gets Parking Ticket Despite Paying for Her Spot. Fights Back Using Same Bizarre Logic

Parking can sometimes feel like a battle of wits, where drivers navigate the concrete jungle in pursuit of that elusive parking spot. Yet, even when you play by the rules, you might find yourself facing the dreaded parking ticket. In this article, we explore a fascinating tale of a parking ticket gone wrong and how one individual turned the tables, cleverly using a dose of malicious compliance to get her revenge.

The Unfair Parking Ticket Saga

Reddit user Sufficient-Forever11 embarked on a day of adventure in the city of Indianapolis.1 She paid for parking in various garages throughout the day, exploring museums and attractions.2 As her day of exploration drew to a close, she parked in a designated spot near a concert venue and paid for her parking.

However, when she returned to her vehicle, she was met with an unwelcome surprise—a parking ticket. Frustrated and perplexed, she examined the ticket closely. It turned out that the ticket was for a different parking spot, not the one she had paid for, and her receipt clearly showed that she had valid parking at the time of the ticket.

Read: Fire Department Shares What Happens When You Park Your Car in Front of a Fire Hydrant

An Unappealing Response

Despite the seemingly obvious error, u/Sufficient-Forever11’s appeal was denied. The parking authorities insisted that her ticket was valid because she had paid for a different spot, even though her photograph showed her car was in the correct spot. When she called the office to discuss the matter, the response she received was far from satisfactory.

The parking office suggested that she could have moved her car to the spot for which she had paid. This argument was implausible, considering that both adjacent spots were occupied, and the street was filled with concertgoers’ vehicles. It appeared that the parking authorities had not even bothered to examine the photographic evidence she had provided.

Frustrated and fueled by a sense of injustice over a $25 parking ticket, u/Sufficient-Forever11 decided to take matters into her own hands. She devised a clever plan to get her money back and teach the parking vendor a lesson in fairness.

Parking Ticket Malicious Compliance

Recognizing that she had paid for a service that she did not receive, u/Sufficient-Forever11 contacted Visa, the payment service she had used for parking. She submitted all the evidence and documentation to Visa, including her parking receipt and transaction number. What followed was a brilliant stroke of malicious compliance.

Visa agreed with u/Sufficient-Forever11’s perspective. They concluded that if her parking receipt and transaction number did not serve as proof that she had paid for parking, it was only logical to assume that she had paid for a service she did not receive. Visa not only canceled the initial transaction but also extended the refund to cover all the parking spots she had paid for through the system that day, totaling more than the cost of the parking ticket.

The support from Visa took the parking vendor by surprise. It wasn’t just the parking ticket that was canceled; it was all the parking payments for that day, and Visa even went the extra mile by filing a formal complaint on u/Sufficient-Forever11’s behalf, explaining why they were refunding her.

The Reddit Community Reacts

The story of u/Sufficient-Forever11’s parking ticket saga and her brilliant act of malicious compliance resonated with many Reddit users. The post received nearly 12,000 upvotes and a 97% upvote rating. Some commenters added an extra layer of malice to the tale, pointing out that Visa charges a $40 administration fee for each refund, implying that the parking vendor had to pay several $40 fees for u/Sufficient-Forever11’s parking services. This added twist further fueled the satisfaction of turning the tables on the parking authorities.

Lessons in Parking Ticket Etiquette and Justice

In the world of parking, the rules can sometimes feel arbitrary, and the consequences for minor infractions can be disproportionately harsh. This tale of a parking ticket gone wrong serves as a reminder that it’s essential to know your rights and stand up against unjust treatment. In this case, a clever act of malicious compliance not only got u/Sufficient-Forever11 her money back but also exposed the flawed logic of the parking authorities.

To maximize your chances of avoiding parking fines or confrontations, remember some essential parking etiquette: park between the lines, use only one spot, don’t block other cars, and obey the rules of the parking lot you’re in. While the world of parking can sometimes feel chaotic, a little knowledge and adherence to the rules can go a long way in ensuring a smoother parking experience for everyone involved.

Keep Reading: Man poses as fake parking attendant and scams people out of $2,000

Sources

  1. Woman Gets Parking Ticket Despite Paying For Spot, Uses The Same Backward Logic To Fight It.” Bored Panda. Robertas Lisickis. September 21, 2023.
  2. Give me a parking ticket for a spot I paid for, I dare you.” Reddit.
    u/Sufficient-Forever11. September 2023.