More tickets witnessed

[TML]

Went for an early morning ride at Lebanon on sunday and got there before the cable gate to the parking lot was opened. I turned around and pulled into the lot for the neighborhood park just to the north of Lebanon, then rode over.

After finishing one lap, I came through the parking lot and there were two cars parked there but the cable had still not been opened.

Two laps down. As I roll through the lot, the park ranger had just opened the gate and is now writing citations and leaving them on the car windsheilds.

If you're gonna ride during off hours, at least park somewhere else. Dont go squeezing your car under the cable or jumping the curb to blatantly park in a closed lot.

--TML

[Don Youngdahl]

Before anybody gets bent out of shape about this Dakota County enforcement action, consider what happened to some friends at a Three Rivers park that was closed for the season. They parked in the lot, which was not gated or cabled closed, and went for a hike. When they returned, their cars were tagged!

[TrailPatrol]

In Three Rivers Park District (as well as some Anoka, Washington and Carver County parks, and all state parks.) you have to pay either a day use fee or have an annual sticker permanently displayed on your windshield. This is basically a parking fee. You can ride a bike or walk into the park and not have to pay it, but to drive a motor vehicle into the park, or park in one of their trailhead parking lots (regardless of your activity) you have to have a window sticker. 3RPD is actually very generous. Monday through Thursday you can drive/park in their parks for free. They give special permits for park volunteers and they give volunteers a annual permit after 30 hours of volunteer time. My guess is that your friends did not have stickers, and were there on the weekend, or it was before Jan. 1st when they started the Monday-Thursday policy. Right?

I have seen state conservation officers ticketing cars in the lot at the west end of Fort Snelling because they didn't have state park stickers on their cars. I keep saying this, and I will continue to do so, don't expect 3RPD (or any other park agency) to operate the same way as the one where you live. Policies are written by the local park board/commission, or the DNR for state parks. They are not uniform across the board, nor will they ever be. The local priorities of those who make the rules will be very different in 3RPD than those of Anoka, Ramsey or Dakota County Parks. In a perfect world you could buy one park pass and gain entry to every local, state and federal park in the USA. It will never happen.:( At least Anoka, Carver and Washington Counties still accept each other's passes.

Ride safe,
Hans

[gopherhockey]

Originally posted by Don Youngdahl
Before anybody gets bent out of shape about this Dakota County enforcement action, consider what happened to some friends at a Three Rivers park that was closed for the season. They parked in the lot, which was not gated or cabled closed, and went for a hike. When they returned, their cars were tagged!

I have never seen the lot open when the park is closed for the season. When I have been there, it has appeared locked up and obvious with all the signs that it was closed (you just can't miss it, and if you do you deserve a ticket IMHO). I parked on the road just outside the lot, but even the road has no parking signs. I figured if I got a ticket there, I deserved it.