The zoo is great but the parking is very very mess...

The zoo is great but the parking is very very messed up.

Early morning Saturday Aug 13th, I took my three children 4, 2, and 1years old to the zoo. My sister was having some complications with her breast cancer surgery and was at the Dr that day so I also took her 3 kids ages 12, 8, and 5 years old. My wife was unavailable for personal reasons and so I decided to take all six kids to the zoo by myself. After I parked, I went to the meter and paid for a 2.5 hour stay ending 12:31pm. Unfortunately, somehow we stayed later than expected and when I got back to my car at exactly 12:48pm and realized I was cited for expiration at 12:44pm.

As a season pass/annual member to the zoo, I always pay the parking meter. Every single time before this instance I have purchased too much time usually in the form of an all-day fee (extra $1.40). The way the parking fees are setup, each person has to pay regardless of how much has been paid to that parking spot. For example, if I had spent $1.40 more, my stay would have been good for the entire day. Someone could have taken my spot at 12:50pm and paid for a full day, left two or three hours later, and a third person could pay for another full day for the exact same parking space.

I think it is unjust to collect multiple monies for the same spot and in this case I was using my past experience at the zoo which I have never been able to sustain my three kids past noon by my own. Somehow, adding my nieces and nephew for a total of 6 kids messed up my calculation of time and I was late.

Even though I was late, I don t think my 15 minutes late has wronged the city of any monies for the parking space. I paid for a few hours and my spot was immediately filled as I left my parking spot. It s likely that my parking spot received at least one or two other all day fees paid. The zoo was busy and the parking lot was full and I was late but everyone still gets their money and I have to pay more?