Donation to the City of Winnipeg

Yesterday was a difficult day.  I got a parking ticket downtown.  Of course, I was innocent.  I knew exactly how much time I had in the meter.  Unfortunately, as I was rushing to my car, I got behind two RPs (retired persons) and couldn't pass them on the sidewalk without knocking them down.  As there were other people around, I arrived just as the parking police were putting the ticket on my windshield.  I tried to flash my pretty blue eyes, and was prepared to flash more, but she wasn't buying any of it.  I guess, to protect themselves, they have gone computerized so once it has been printed, it can not be withdrawn.  I wanted to pay the ticket right away so I didn't have to prolong the unpleasantness.  I didn't realize that paying the ticket would be the unpleasantness.  

If I paid that day, my ticket would be $52 and I had 15 days to pay and then it would go progressively higher.  The ticket strongly encouraged you to pay online or pay by phone, anything but to pay in person.  I opted to pay in person.  Of course, I thought $52 was steep, especially since it wasn't my fault, but I also had to confess that I've gone over my time a few times and didn't get caught, so I was willing to pay the piper.  

The first challenge of paying in person is parking.  There is no real place to park.  There is a 15 minute loading zone for the University of Winnipeg so I put on my hazard lights because I was just going to be a minute.  

There I found out why our parking tickets are so much and why they really aren't generating any revenue for the City.  I walked through not one set of double doors, but two sets of double doors.  There I was greeted by a security guard sitting at a desk.  He had to scan my ticket to ensure that I was there on actual "parking" business and then gave me a number.  Seemed like a waste of resources, why else would I be at the "parking store" if I didn't have a reason to be there.  None the less, when he handed me the ticket he advised me to face north and not to move until he instructed to.  I have to admit, I was a little intimidated and didn't know what was next.  I was the only one in line.  I hoped I wouldn't be subjected to a full body cavity search.  

There were two women employees behind glass who were not serving customers but were obviously busy doing something.  There was also a little office which was enclosed in glass and there was a chair and the attendant was then also behind glass. I only looked at it from my peripheral vision because I was scared to move, but I guess that little "glass house" was for people who had "serious" parking business.  

Finally, one of the women behind the glass who appeared to be doing nothing pressed a buzzer which indicated that she was prepared to take an inmate, er, I mean customer.  The security guard indicated that I could walk directly to that women behind glass.  Without a word, she took my ticket and handed me the machine to pay.  As the machine was trying to decide if it was going to approve my card or not, I made a witty retort.  I said, "do I get a tax receipt for my donation to the City of Winnipeg?"  Obviously, the woman didn't hear my joke, because she not only didn't laugh, but she didn't even politely smile.  She handed me the receipt, thus ending our interaction without exchanging one word.   

I left and was relieved not to see another ticket on windshield.  

No wonder tickets cost so much.  We have lots of people patrolling the streets with their little computerized machines and they have uniforms.  That costs something.  Then, apparently, we live in a society where we require a security guard to sit at a desk for eight hours a day.  We pay his salary and I saw three employees actively working and I would assume there might be a couple more behind the scenes.  I am sure all actions are monitored by video-recorder.  All of this costs money.  I don't think they made any money off my $52 ticket.  

What is truly sad is that we need a security guard at all.  Do people really get that irate over a parking ticket?  Apparently, they do.  That is the true tragedy.  How much job satisfaction can the security guard really have?  How much job satisfaction can the women behind the glass really have?  They seem to have as little as possible or no interaction with people even though it is their job to interact with people?  Again, do people really get that irate over a parking ticket?  I mean, I wasn't thrilled to get it, but I was annoyed and not irate.  I was annoyed at myself that I cut it too close and annoyed that we didn't have free parking, but,I wasn't going to take it out on anyone.   I wanted to pay the ticket quickly so I didn't have to look at it and become more annoyed or have my feelings escalate.  

It is just sad.  I happen to know where the offices of the people who administer the Canada Student Loans program are in Winnipeg.  I can't disclose the location because it is in an unmarked building and the security is very tight.  Basically, you won't get in unless you actually work there.  No public allowed.  If you want to talk to these people, you have to call the 1-800 number and wait 30 minutes for someone to talk to you.  Again, do people get that irate over student loans?  

My health care provider is at Access Winnipeg West and I walk through Grace Hospital to get there and pass by their security office.  I observe atleast four security guards watching monitors from all over the property.  Do we really need that much security for a hospital?  I know we actually do.

That is so sad.  How can we ever reduce health care costs, or even parking costs, if we have to continue to be funding such a strong security presence.  We have come to sad point in our society.  Is it as simple as methamphetamines are to blame?  Is widespread poverty the blame?  

I guess we are all to blame.  I guess we have behaved collectively badly regarding workers to fear while they are performing normal duties of their job.  Not only that, we give them more messages that the public are not respectful.  The scanning of the ticket before even getting a number.  The encouragement not to have any contact with "customers".  I am sure it is a very stressful environment to work.  But, at this point, security presence is so "normal", I don't think we are ever going back.  

But, for the record, my comment about wanting a tax receipt for my annual contribution to the City of Winnipeg was hilarious !!!