I stopped by the Clarendon Farmers Market yesterday. Turns out it wasn’t much of a farmers market unless that coffee guy has some interesting grow lamps and heat/moisture control in his basement. Anyway, I popped a quarter in the meter and the thing said something along the lines of “Meter Failed.” I can’t remember exactly what it said. I figured I had enough time to walk around for a few minutes but when I got back to my car I found that the meter said, “Expired.”

I don’t mind paying a quarter to park for a few minutes but I sure don’t like the idea of paying and risking a $25 ticket. Has anyone else encountered “bad” meters? I have had a number of them in the Clarendon area eat my change without giving me any time. Is there recourse for this? What about the one that I parked at the other day that said I had two hours but after an hour and a half had run out, leaving me with a ticket?

Are we just screwed when it comes to this sort of thing? Does anyone ever calibrate or fix the meters? Any place to report it to?

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Carl Weaver

Carl Weaver is a writer and brewer for RealHomebrew.com and has been making beer and wine for more than 20 years. He is also an avid photographer and writer and just finished his first book, about a trip he took to Thailand to live in Buddhist monasteries. He considers himself the last of the Renaissance men and the luckiest darned guy in the world. Follow him on Twitter.