4 U.S. Cities That Are Sadistically Screwing With Residents

Some places in this country have completely lost their minds. While this is kind of funny, because it's true. It's the kind of funny where you are laughing maniacally as you beat someone to death with their own shoes.

I got this from Cracked
Enjoy:

#4 Parking tickets in your own driveway.

You see, back in the mid-20th century, a law was passed saying that all vehicles in certain areas had to be parked at least 30 feet from the road. Now, the Bureau of Building Inspection has suddenly begun issuing tickets as high as $2,400 for parking in a space that by definition is meant to park cars in. Just out of the blue, on random streets.

Link

God bless America

#3 Street chess, the gateway drug.

At least that's what the city of San Francisco is contesting: They have completely banned the activity because it's clearly linked to drugs and gambling. Or not; they don't seem completely sure. Captain Michael Redmond said, "I think maybe it's a disguise for some other things that are going on."

Link

#2 Detroit "Sends a Message" by Purposefully Shutting Off Power ... on 9/11.

If there was ever a day of the year to suddenly shut off the power to blocks of buildings in a major city for petty reasons, 9/11 has to be it. Right? It's especially perfect if you do it in the middle of a heat wave and a few days after those same blocks were the site of a tense manhunt. And why? Basically, because the city had it coming

Link

#1 Backdated water bills, because they can.

The central California town of Parlier put such a policy into practice (without the shooting) when, after only a few days of notice, they raised their water bills for every business in the area ... by 300 percent. Stores paying 90 bucks were suddenly paying $280, while businesses found themselves in debt for thousands of dollars -- but the real steamer on the chest was the fact that the city admits that this is all because they made a clerical error in 2007.

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reply to post by watchitburn

It is stuff like this that will get people out of their comfort zone and into town hall meetings to start removing official power and officials. They are demanding to be removed, we shouldn't ignore them.

The people in those places need to take a look at what else is going on because stupidity is often used to keep people occupied while the real plan is carried out.

I'm surprised that only the top three of the four came from California. Perhaps the editors at Cracked wanted to avoid piling on.

If it wasn't for the ports and Napa valley, would we really be hurting to give California to Mexico? (Of course, there are other West coast ports, and some fine wines are coming from South America. Hmmm . . . )

Another way to look at it, The Govt's, local and national, are a product of society.

All these stupid mother-truckers voting stupid mother-truckers into office, and we get stupid mother-trucking laws and policies.

Once again, the people get what they ask for.

This is why aliens won't talk to us.

Detroit is doing a lot more than just turning off the power. Some areas of the city can't even get police service. Not to mention the abandoned houses allowed to fester in the neighborhoods. You know how it must feel to look out of your living room window and see a burned down husk of a home right out front? No wonder the city's population has taken a huge dive within the last ten years. This is one social experiment that is going to turn out extremely bad for the residents of this once great city.

reply to post by greenday1978


We should just wall off Detroit and turn it into a huge prison like "Escape from New York".

I mean, it already looks like it.

reply to post by MystikMushroom


Its more like Mad Maxx than Escape from New York actually. It's almost a ghost town and packs of wild dogs roam the streets.

If we could afford the gas we'd probably have roaming gangs of cannibalistic bikers too.

Honestly it's not as bad here as it used to be. Back in the 90's I don't really remember a day without violence of some type. Now, people just seem to despondent to even try.............

But, wall us off if you want. We'll keep doing what we do until nobody is left. Seems to me the Motor City has thrown a rod........

Here in Dayton, OH its not much different. Here's just a few examples:

1. Street maintanence have removed almost every bench from the downtown area to stop drug dealers. Now, instead of sitting and being easy targets, they move around more.

2. Police have started targeting people downtown for 'roach hunting' (picking up marijuana roaches people threw down)

3. Police routinely stop people downtown for no reason, other than to run their names.

More crazy stuff is happening....its sad.

reply to post by watchitburn

Just 4 cities? More like 400.

For how long will people let this continue?

Im not saying anyone has to storm the state house, but at-least start to gather like minded voters/citizens and demand that these parasitic politicians change the laws or start looking for a new job.

Anything to take money off people, put people in debt or put them in prison - gets first attention.

Sad isnt it.

When I lived in New Haven they did all those things and more.

I was screwed by the magic disappearing street cleaning no parking sign scam several times myself.

They'd take down all the signs on a street. Sweep the street. Tow every car on the street. Then put the signs back up. AFAIK they still do that there. If you were upset by it the city called you a liar, despite video evidence of the act taking place, and your neighbors said you were evil for not wanting to just pay money to the city for all the great services.

Lost cause.

ETA: And I got the tax-bill sent to wrong address thing a couple of years in a row. That one was fun. They'd just send your bill to some random address then after you contact them and tell them you never got it and where they should send it they tow your car and charge you several compounded late fees then do it all over again the next year.

And when you bring in your receipt to contest they tell you the receipt is a forgery.

This is why I so adamantly oppose contracts between municipalities and towing companies. Nine times out of ten somebody at the towing company is related to or buddies with one or more town board members or even the mayor and it becomes a mafia relationship feeding off of the residents.

thisguyrighthere
They'd take down all the signs on a street. Sweep the street. Tow every car on the street. Then put the signs back up. AFAIK they still do that there. If you were upset by it the city called you a liar, despite video evidence of the act taking place, and your neighbors said you were evil for not wanting to just pay money to the city for all the great services.

0.o

How completely illegal is that!?!?!? I dont know if theres a crime equivalent to this, its beyond rational human thought.

Id rally other victims of this, go borrow a bunch of wheel clamps then go nuts at the local *government office*. Of course, I'd make all legal by putting flyers under the wipers that read "warning this is a instant clamp and tow zone" and see how they like it.

Biigs

How completely illegal is that!?!?!? I dont know if theres a crime equivalent to this, its beyond rational human thought.

When the state defines "legal" nothing is illegal for them.

I tried. Lord knows I tried for years.

I eventually left that city and state.

ETA: That wasnt the only CT city playing that game and I'm sure CT isnt the only state where that occurs. If there is a scam to be run somebody is running it. There's every likelihood that the people running it are the same ones responsible for overseeing and regulating it.

The central California town of Parlier put such a policy into practice (without the shooting) when, after only a few days of notice, they raised their water bills for every business in the area ... by 300 percent. Stores paying 90 bucks were suddenly paying $280, while businesses found themselves in debt for thousands of dollars -- but the real steamer on the chest was the fact that the city admits that this is all because they made a clerical error in 2007.

Comcast pulled this exact thing no more than a year ago. Suddenly my cable bill went up for no reason so I called them on it. They gave the same "clerical error" excuse that happened some years back, so they just decided to compensate by charging the whole city new permanent higher rates all of a sudden.