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Match:  Man vs. The Wild City

RECORD:  1-1

Subject:  Parking at / around loft (not in garage)

Verdict:  Close Loss

Where do I start and how did I get into the daily chaos of sifting through dimes in my console like a crack head to get an extra 7 minutes at the meter or making sure I carry a wad of $5’s to pay the parking attendant who usually doesn’t have change, but makes sure he has a dozen of wings to go to town on.  Well see it’s a little complicated.  My loft came with with an underground parking garage.  What a great perk!  Well not with this guy and his full bed Ford F-150.  To get in that garage you have to have a ”SMART” car or at least a 2 door.  Really any size car that can fit in the bed of my truck.  So here I am parking on the street or the parking lot which severely threatens my 2 months break-in free track record.

Parking on the streets with a meter is free after 6:00 P.M. and on weekends.  This usually works out on Monday and Tuesday because it is usually quiet.  Even the active need a few days downtime.  When there isn’t a spot there is where things start to piss you off.  There is a lot full of glass (1 flat tire) in the back that is $5.00 a night and $10 on main events.  A few situations:

• Parking lot attendant doesn’t have change for a $20 (Yes he is eating chicken wings again), but then says “Do you have anything smaller.  Can you just give me $10 and come back later for change?”  He then says “you can’t park unless you make change.”  What parking attendant doesn’t have change for a $20?  After thinking more I probably am just buying his next order of wings or helping with a down payment on his next dentist appointment for his toof. 
• The parking lot attendant is not always there every night and they expect you to roll up a $5 and place in the rusted aluminum container for the spot your on.  You can then stop by St. Louis Urgent Care on your way in for a tetanus shot.  If you don’t follow these steps you will have a ticket the next morning that says “see attendant”.  Sometimes you can just leave the old ones in there and fake them if they don’t read it.  I think after 4 or 5 that say “see attendant” they pick up that I am dodging them.
• Don’t get me started on no in/out priveleges and charging $10 because of an NCAA event.  $20 for the day to park in front of my loft.

Now one can argue that I should buck up and pay $80 a month for a parking permit or follow the rules for $5 parking.  I personally don’t blame the attendants for doing their job or having public parking.  This is a valuable revenue maker and a place to park for visitors to St. Louis.  The reason that I am taking this one negative is that it still seems that the city doesn’t do anything to attract residents and provide benefits of paying a St. Louis City Tax.  They can care less if you live there and care less if you don’t have change apparently. 

Note:  This loss could change in the future when I buy a car that will fit in the underground garage.  Or maybe it will be a scooter or motorcycle.  After that I can care less about parking.