We have learned a very important lesson - you don't mess around with the parking police!
On our first visit to Edinburgh, on our way to stay with Rick's cousin in Angus, we stopped in to meet Kate and to drop off most of our stuff, as there was no reason to carry it all the way up to Angus. One of the things that Dougal needed was a folding travel crate rather than the far too large shipping crate, so we drove over to a local pet store that we had been in contact with, to see if they had any. We found a parking space, paid at the pay station, and went into the store. Five minutes later and without success on the crate front, we had a parking ticket. The explanation on the ticket was that we weren't the right kind of car, which seemed a but fussy. There was not sign of the parking police, so we just drove off, grumbling all the way. We were going to question it, but decided that, with everything there was to do, we would just pay it and call it a lesson learned - well, misunderstood, but kind of learned. What we have subsequently learned is that we were in the one spot on the block that is reserved for "club cars," which is Edinburgh's versions of those ride/share co-op type things that are in Vancouver. Sigh.
Cut to the day we moved into our flat. Parking is at a premium in our area, but we are allowed to have an area pass to park anywhere in the Z4 area (obviously not in club car spots!), although when I say "have" I actually mean purchase. It is needed between 8:30 am and 5 pm, Monday to Friday. If you don't have a pass, you can purchase temporary passes, each of which is good for a short period of time, and displayed on the dashboard. If you are longer than one pass, you must put another on the dash, and so on and so on. Rick and Kate headed off on foot to purchase us a Z4 pass, and we had our first temporary pass on the dash. As the end time for pass #1 was approaching, Bob headed down to put pass #2 on the dash, as there was no sign of Rick and Kate returning, only to discover that Rick had taken the car keys with him, so there wasn't access to the dash. Bob went back into the flat to try to phone Rick, but to no luck, so off he went to at least maybe put it under the windscreen wipers, where it might help before it was stolen by someone passing by. Too late. Tucked under the wiper was a ticket. The pass expired at 11:30, and the ticket was issued 11:31, so the parking police had been and gone, as there was no sign of anyone. This one was paid as well, for the same reason above. At least if you pay quickly the amount is cut in half. Still, double sigh.
In a subsequent conversation with an Edinburgh native, the parking police have been described as ninja-like, which we are coming to believe, although having spotted some of them recently, they are rather old and chubby to be ninjas. Still, they can be remarkably stealthy.
Lessons have been learned, and we are pleased to report that we have been ticket free for a couple of weeks now and hope to stay that way. Wish us luck. Oh, and Edinburgh council - use our contributions productively. Thanks.
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