danielbaylis.ca

You may recall my previous attempt to appeal to the Montréal parking authorities’ ticketing rationale by penning them a letter, explaining my choice in my scooter storage. I had received numerous tickets for locking my scooter to a lamppost, and simply wanted them to have a deeper understanding of my actions.

They responded by issuing me another ticket.

Ouch.

I’d like to know your stance on this. Do I continue to argue my case? Or should I simply surrender to the heavy bureaucratic hand of the law?

Read my letter and let me know what you think.

Dear Montréal Parking Authorities,

My name is Daniel Baylis. I am a proud citizen of Montréal and a happy scooter driver. But my joy in my scooter has recently been tainted by the acquirement of supposed parking violations. Allow me to explain my situation.

I live at the corner of St. Laurent Boulevard and  ________. The area is famous for many wonderful things, such as great rotisserie chicken and Leonard Cohen sightings. However, it’s also known for late-night parties and the occasional drunken hooligan.

Last year, I had my scooter stolen. I found my two-wheeled warrior lying on its side in Parc du Portugal, with the front panel ripped off. It made me sad. From that day onwards, I always pulled my scooter onto the sidewalk and locked it to the lamppost outside of my apartment. I attached it to that lamppost each evening throughout the summer of 2009. I received protest from nobody.

Since bringing my scooter out of storage for the 2010 season, things have changed. I have received several violation tickets for my choice of parking, the very same spot that I parked all summer last year. This has led me to a certain amount of confusion.

I feel like I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. Either I lock my scooter to a lamppost or street sign, and receive further parking violations. Or I continually face the risk that my scooter be stolen and/or vandalized. I feel like I am being penalized, when, in fact, the true offenders are those who steal and vandalize.

I would imagine that the city values scooters as an advantageous mode of transportation over larger vehicle options. They consume smaller amounts of fuel, demand less parking space and lead to a decrease in traffic congestion. My scooter takes the same space as a bicycle. Being locked to a lamppost or street sign poses no threat to citizen safety.

At this point, I simply seek clarity. Am I able to obtain some sort of parking permit? Please help me understand what are my options for safely parking my scooter.

I am also stating a plea of “not guilty.”

A proud, but disheartened citizen,

Daniel Baylis

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