Rules Do Not Apply to Me

Exempt: Freed from a rule, obligation, etc. which binds others.

On Monday night I went to an AA meeting. I got there a little later than normal and, unbeknown to me, parked firmly in the middle of a bus stop, which apparently does not fall into the category of permissible legal behavior. The City of Cincinnati, which permits drivers to move up and down my busy street at speeds far exceeding the posted limit all day long and with no threat of repercussions, graced my windshield with a parking ticket. A $50 parking ticket.

My initial inclination was to call the mayor and raise Cain. My arguments were sound. It was raining. It was darkish. Do buses even run that late at night? It's a fancy schmancy part of town and I've never seen anyone, ever catch a bus at that location, unless it was some rich person's maid. I was going to an AA meeting, for god's sake, to seek a cure for a deadly disease. I MADE A MISTAKE!

Luckily for me, I ran through an exercise that I subject lesser mortals to when they are bitching about something they can't change. Was I in a bus stop? Yes. Is it legal to park in a bus stop? No.

Closed case. Pay the ticket. You are not special. The bureaucracy isn't cutting you any slack because you're a good guy. You have to obey the rules just like everyone else.

Several years ago I was in my college town and parked on a street that had in the ensuing years changed to permit only parking. I practically ran over the No Parking sign but still didn't see it. I walked around for 20 minutes to look at all the bushes that I used to throw up in and returned to my car, which had been ticketed. The traffic guy got me not five minutes after I parked. This was obviously a money making exercise for them.

I paid the ticket. I also have refused to buy anything in that large town that I visit for business since. No gas, no meals or hotels, not a fucking cup of coffee.

Does that sound like a resentment? I'm really not angry about it. I thought their rules were unfair. I didn't try to change their rules or ignore their intent. They got $50 from me for a mistake. I'm sure I would have paid twice that in taxes over the years.

I'm a man of principles. Twisted, sick principles but I'm honorable about them.