Charles Mysak, a bookseller in New York City, found a great parking spot. That was eleven years ago. He's kept the spot and his '94 Civic there ever since by feeding it $36 in quarters every day:
Earning roughly $100 a day after paying the meter, it's worth it, he said. "I've been here for 11 years," he said. "Barnes & Noble is now closed. I'm the last resource for books. I'm here from 7 to 7 every day." His wife drives him to the Upper West Side each morning a 7:00 am from their Wayne, NJ, home. They arrive just in time to temporarily move the parked car -- the only time it's moved at all -- to make way for the street sweeper.
Link -via Marginal Revolution | Photo: Michael Farrington [removed per photographer request]
Something VERY wrong here.
By feeding the meter all day, he knows he's violating section 4-08(h) of the traffic rules, but says those laws are an "infringement of his freedom" and that the city's enforcement is "Draconian."
Really?!?!? So basically he is saying "fuck you" to anyone who really needed to park at that spot for 15 to 30 minutes to do take care of business. Just so he can have his "Freedom".
If I see this guy. I'm in NYC, I going to set it on fire, because he is infringing on my Freedom.
"Formerly a lawyer, the Shakespeare-quoting, stogey-smoking vendor began selling used books on his folding table at the corner after getting convicted of stealing from his clients and disbarred."
He probably feels that paying taxses on a storefront is an infringement of his freedom as well.