I Parked In Providence. Can You?

“If you have any change, I’ll give you a tip,” said the homeless man in downtown Providence, as I emerged from my freshly parked car.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Well — even though the sign says 9, they won’t give you a parking ticket after 6,” he offered, clearly hoping to catch me before I fed the meter.

As a Providence resident, I sort of knew that – and sort of still don’t. Either way, I gave my change to the entrepreneurial resident of the streets, not the meter.

The reason I only “sort of” knew that is because our capital city is in a state of transition where parking is concerned. To the rest of the world, not a big deal. To parking-obsessed Rhode Islanders, however, this is a pretty big deal.

Parking has always been a struggle. The city wants revenue. Local merchant associations don’t want possible customers to be scared off by the specter of tickets. Drivers will circle a block a half dozen times to score a free spot. Providence has just enough parking that visitors aren’t accustomed to using lots, but not enough that spots are easy to find. It’s halfway between Boston and Burrillville.

So when the city messes with this delicate ecosystem, it causes all sorts of ripple effects.

The city built those extra three hours into this year’s budget, and they’re anticipating an additional $1.7 million to come in through those meters this year. And that’s not counting any added tickets.

Merchant associations throughout the city are definitively opposed. Federal Hill, South Main Street and Thayer Street all have various efforts underway to oppose meters. Does the prospect of paying a few dollars to park really deter shoppers from visiting a neighborhood? It’s the hassle factor more than the expense. And then the worry about when you need to leave or feed the meter. It makes the neighborhood experience a lot less pleasant.

Richard Dulgarian, owner of the esteemed Avon Cinema on Thayer St., has started a petition. When I asked him whether customers would suck it up and grumble or genuinely take their business elsewhere, he had no doubt that both happen – and of course, it’s the second group of customers that cost local businesses. You can see (and join the 3,125 signers, as of this writing) the petition at avoncinema.com. If you read to the bottom, you will see annoyed parkers attest, “I no longer will go to Thayer street for movies, entertainment, shopping. The parking meters don’t work and I would rather go elsewhere where it’s not a hassle.” — Wendy Macgaw and “The meters don’t work for movie goers — can’t park, see the movie and get back to car in 2 hrs. I love the Avon but I think twice now about going there to see movies because of the meters.” — Terry Hahn

This writer would love to see meters where you enter a credit card when you park, then swipe it again when you leave and get charged for the time you were there. No tickets. But that may just be me – the ticket potential stresses me out, largely because I’m always late for everything (as my editor for this article will attest). In any event, that technology doesn’t seem to exist, so I’ll stop dreaming. What city would buy that, knowing it would just cost them ticket money?

Back in the real world, the big question for most visitors has become: Is the 6 – 9pm ticket a real thing? Most rumors around town are that it’s just a boogeyman, intended to scare non-locals into supporting the city while locals who know better stay calm and carry on with pockets full of quarters.

We asked the department of parking enforcement, who purportedly told some neighborhood associations that the after-6pm violations would not receive tickets. When we called for confirmation, we were told they weren’t supposed to talk to the press. He deferred to city spokesperson Evan England (the municipal equivalent of pleading the fifth), who told us that people should pay the meters up until the posted times.

Motif: But will they get tickets if they don’t pay a meter after 6pm?

Evan England: People should pay the meters for whatever time is posted.

Motif: OK. But are there patrols after 6?

EE: People should really pay for whatever times are posted on the signs.

So that’s the official word.

And it makes sense, since if enforcement kicks in it will vary by neighborhood and probably change over time. How can you change from “ignore the signs” to “obey the signs” without more signs that say that?

Well, actually there are a few meters around whose digital displays sometimes say, “Not enforced after 6pm,” even when the sign says differently. And they’ll happily down your quarters either way. Sometimes those ticker-tape messages also announce free parking days or periods, when the mayor’s celebrating an event or a good cause – or maybe is just in an especially good mood. Remember to always read what the specific meter is saying before feeding it.

If there’s no message, is it smart to game the meters after 6? The man on the street says yes. The city says no. We asked a parking enforcement officer:

“All I know is my shift ends at 6. Can’t tell you more than that.”