Driving around the country is a favorite American pastime, and I’ve certainly done my share. When I arrive in a city in which I’ve never been before, I like to ditch the car for a while and walk around. But that can be risky if you don’t know the parking rules that apply there. And given the traffic flow modifications that many cities have recently adopted, the rules (some of them, anyway) seem to be changing faster than drivers can keep up.
Where can you park and where can’t you? If parking is legal, how long can you stay without getting towed, and how much will it cost if you get towed? But really, there’s no mystery, according to auto insurance specialist Melanie Musson. “ Knowing where you can and cannot park is pretty easy if you pay attention.” All you have to do, she says, is follow the signs.
Assuming there are any.
Where You Can and Can’t Park
You can always park in a municipal parking lot or parking garage, as long as there’s room and you pay the fee. It’s usually also OK to park on the street, especially if other cars are there, but if the space you choose has a meter, it’s important to feed it. Fines in congested urban areas can be expensive. The cost of a meter violation rose by 40 percent in San Francisco since the pandemic and can set you back more than $100, according to the San Francisco Standard…