Don't Pay the SF Parking Meters on First Three Sundays in January 2013 - No Parking Tickets, Only Reminders

Photo: SFMTA

As you may be aware, the city will start enforcing city parking meters on Sundays from 12 Noon to 6PM starting in January.

This means for us citizens, no more scoring free parking at meters all-day on Sunday, but you still can park for free in the city before 12 noon in the city.  It's still a perfect time for me to handle my Sunday morning haircuts and morning runs to pick up cheap dim sum because I don't have to pay the meter.

But... after reading the SFMTA's press release about this matter, something seemed kinda odd.  For the first three Sundays in January, SFMTA meter maids won't be issuing parking tickets for violators not paying the meter; instead, they will be just leaving a kind reminder for people to pay.

Directly quoted from the SFMTA: "On January 6, 13 and 20, Parking Control Officers will issue reminders, not citations, on cars at expired meters."

So this basically means, I can still park for free for the first three Sundays in January, and all I might get is a kind notice saying, "please do pay."  Odd, isn't it?

Reminder: This policy about getting courtesy notices doesn't affect meters operated by the Port of San Francisco or nearby Fisherman's Wharf (meters that are enforced everyday, including holidays).  You should still pay the meter on the first three Sundays.

Here's another interesting fact about the meter policy change: City meters with a one hour maximum limit (Monday-Saturday) will be all changed to a two hour maximum.  All meters for Sunday enforcement will be a maximum of four hours.  I'm assuming "green head" meters will remain with a very short time limit of 30 minutes or less.

For more information about Sunday enforcement, click here.