I went to the airport a couple of weeks ago.
As I arrived at the parking garage I passed a parked airport police car.
All the parking gate arms were open with a green light.
Obviously, this was some kind of test. I stopped my car and tried to take a ticket. The machine would not give me a ticket.
It seemed absurd that the airport would be offering free parking but it’s The Covid, who knows? Then I thought the police were laughing at me because I didn’t even know about the Covid free parking.
I parked my car.
As I exited, I saw people at the parking kiosks, paying. Uh oh.
Colleague was also at airport and I asked him about it. “That’s weird. I got a ticket.”
Now I’m worried because what am I going to do when I have to leave? Is there some way to go back and get a ticket now? Are they going to send me to the basement to shovel coal until I pay off my parking?
I called the Port of Portland and they were actually helpful. There was a medical emergency and the gates were open for the emergency vehicle to get through. Just go to the cashier window and tell them when you came in and they will charge you accordingly.
I was still anxious about it and turns out they treated it as a lost ticket which apparently they do on the honor system, but also collect all your data, driver’s license, license plate, etc., which I would guess to discourage people from always losing their tickets to get out of paying for long stays.
But I was also kinda mad because I did not lose my ticket.
