In my previous spending report post, I alluded to a situation with the Boston Transportation Department.  BTD, you are the bane of my driving existence right now.  Given that I have only driven to/from the airport twice in the past 2 months and have not driven a single other time, it’s still a bit of a shock to tell this story:

On Wednesday night I was driving over to my friend’s house after work. It was nighttime, dark, and a bit hard to see.  About a mile from her house, I hit the mother of all potholes.  I mean, this thing made it sound like my car had broken in two!

After recovering from the initial shock, I continued through a large intersection when it sounded like something fell off of my car.  I made it to my friend’s house, and I thoroughly checked the front passenger end of my car as that’s where the impact had been the hardest.  Not seeing anything, I figured I would check again in the AM when it was light out (please note that this is a very busy road and there’s absolutely no safe place to pull over but I should have done so anyway!).

Fast-forward to the morning when we’re rushing out to head to work.  I come around the corner to the street where my car is parked, and I freeze in my tracks.  My car has no license plate on it.  No holder, no plate, nothing.  WTF?!  I quickly realized that the impact of the pothole caused my license plate holder to crack on contact and that is what fell off of my car the night before.

I instantly took off down the sidewalk, friend in tow, to the large intersection from the night before.  We’re running around, looking for my plate.  We check the sidewalks, the bushes, the bike path–nothing.  I see a street cleaning crew and I chase down the officer leading the pack–nothing.  The pit in my stomach has now grown to grapefruit-sized proportions.

We walk back to his place as I call my office to say I’d be in late.  I begin calling the local police along with my uncle who’s a state cop in another state and I eventually get routed to the state police (apparently big road = state po-po issue).  I learn that I have to file a missing/stolen license plate report, in-person, at the local barracks, I need to find a notary to notarize my request for a replacement plate, and I need to figure out a way to expedite both processes.

I take care of the report, the notary, the paperwork, etc.  I think I’m in the clear because the Troopers told me that while I may be pulled over repeatedly and hassled until I get my new plate, I was legal to drive because I own the car outright, it’s registered, and it’s inspected.  Cue big sigh of relief…  maybe?

I go out of town for the weekend, and I plan on driving my car into the office upon my return this morning (hello, red-eye flight!).  I again walk around the corner to the street where my car is parked, and I again have a near aneurism as I see a slew of tickets and a big, bright green sticker on my windshield.  $160 in tickets for “no valid registration plate” and “no valid inspection report.”  ARRRRGHHHH…

My stickers for said inspection are right there on my windshield!  They clearly say, “11/11,” which in my world indicates a valid inspection until November of 2011.  And the copy of the police report is on my dashboard, as well as a temporary tag in my rear windshield.  Best of all?  That bright green sticker is an “Abandoned Vehicle” notice.

After 35,000 phone calls and re-routes, I learn that if I park my car on any Boston street from now until receiving my replacement plate, it will immediately be towed and impounded.  To add insult to injury, if they find the car, I was told there’s a chance I could face jail time for utilizing city property to store an illegal vehicle.

Say what??? I OWN my car.  It IS inspected, I HAVE insurance, and it IS registered–to me!  It’s not abandoned, stolen, etc.  I may not drive it much, but IT’S MY CAR!!!!!

Now I’m on the epic search for a private driveway to leave my car in for the next 2-3 weeks.  I’ve never been more upset with a city department, nor have I ever felt so grateful for my new bike.  Unfortunately, I don’t think this battle is over as I now have to appeal the tickets/abandoned car order.  Oy….what a Monday, indeed.