Parking in Waterloo Region

[ookpik]

Well, that's pretty misleading.  Especially if you're visiting...

Ignorantia juris non excusat and all that  Whether you're a long time resident, a n00b resident or a visitor is irrelevant.

Moreover because these parking regulations are set by each municipality, they can vary even between Kitchener and Waterloo. If you park near the border it also behooves you to know which set of regulations apply.

I have no problem paying the $20 (slap my wrist, I'm in the wrong, apparently), but I have issue with things not being posted properly and me getting the fine when I'm the "new guy" on the street (only lived here for 3 years) and everyone else is still doing it.

1. You got off cheap. I got fined $40 about a year ago in Waterloo for parking too close to a driveway. Apparently the regulation is, "Parking within... 1½ metres (five feet) of a driveway is prohibited." My "crime" was parking more than 4' but less than 5' from a driveway. (Yes, I measured.) I wasn't blocking anyone, either physically nor visually. Apparently the meter nazis carry tape measures along with chalk and watches.

2. I once parked my car in a marked, metered parking spot in Toronto. As I got out to read the  half dozen parking/stopping/standing, etc. signs on a utility pole [similar but even more confusing than the one below], a cop comes up to my car and starts to write a ticket. I got to him just in time to explain that I was trying to make sense of all the signs to determine if parking was allowed. His TL;DR for those of us without law degrees, "No." Thankfully he let me leave without a souvenir.



P.S. Any guerilla graphic artists in the audience?
Parking Sign Redesign
To park or not to park: a guerrilla parking sign redesign project