If you've ever gotten a parking ticket in Philly-- and who hasn't??-- this story is for you. Every driver has a good reason why they don't deserve a parking ticket, which of course can cause friction with the person who is writing that ticket. The Philadelphia Parking Authority wants to make sure those encounters are polite, at least on their part. So those ticket writers you love to hate are going to get lessons on how to be friendlier and more helpful. "We would like everyone always to be a little nicer," explained Vince Fenerty, the executive director of the PPA. "Everybody, including myself, could always be a little nicer."
So come this fall, the PPA's 255 parking enforcement officers will be taking online courses on how to be nicer, so people won't get the wrong impression about the City of Brotherly Love. "These are things, they're basics," Danielle Cohn of the PA Convention & Visitors Bureau told Fox 29. "But sometimes all of us need a reminder of general friendliness and welcoming people to the city."
Health care worker Bonnie Smith is not at all convinced it'll work. Smith cares for Sylvia Leach, a woman disabled by severe arthritis. "Whatever she needs done, I have to do it for her," Smith said. Smith spends long days in Leach's home in South Philly, where two-hour visitor parking is strictly enforced. We asked Smith, if she's a minute late, do they cut her some slack? "No! I just paid a ticket," Smith told Fox 29. "I said I was coming right out. The lady said well you're just a minute too late."
Daily News columnist Ronnie Polaneczky, a frequent critic of the PPA, is skeptical the charm offensive will make any difference. "If a person gets an unfair ticket but it was written by a very cheerful person, I don't think that that's going to make any difference to anybody," Polaneczky insisted. "It's still going to feel like they re-arranged the deck chairs on the Titanic. This is still a bad ship, you know?"
The charm offensive is the brainchild of the PA Convention and Visitors Bureau, and won't be just for parking enforcement officers. The online course will open up to hotel workers, taxi drivers, retailers-- anyone who has daily contact with the public in Philadelphia.
Friday, May 17 2013 6:08 PM EDT2013-05-17 22:08:49 GMT
A man in Montgomery County is determined to shock and disgust unsuspecting women, even if they're with their young children.If you were lucky enough to get outside Friday, to a place like the Perkiomen
A man in Montgomery County is determined to shock and disgust unsuspecting women, even if they're with their young children.
Tuesday, May 14 2013 5:49 PM EDT2013-05-14 21:49:13 GMT
A Hollywood A-lister takes the world by surprise by opening up about a very private matter. Angelina Jolie revealed Tuesday she chose to have a double mastectomy to lower her risk of getting cancer.
A Hollywood A-lister takes the world by surprise by opening up about a very private matter. Angelina Jolie revealed Tuesday she chose to have a double mastectomy to lower her risk of getting cancer. Jolie's not the first woman to do it, but she may be the most high profile. Her decision is touching off a serious conversation about the preventive measure.
Friday, May 24 2013 10:26 PM EDT2013-05-25 02:26:18 GMT
Philadelphia Police are looking for a man that sexually assaulted a teenage girl in Germantown.Police say the incident happened just before 11P.M. on May 19th on the 6000 block of Wister Street.The suspect
Philadelphia Police are looking for a man that sexually assaulted a teenage girl in Germantown.
Friday, May 24 2013 10:01 PM EDT2013-05-25 02:01:49 GMT
Kasey's bark may be worse than her bite. But Hamilton Township Police say the crook who tried to rob Draper Ellis late Thursday afternoon at his "May's Landing Auto Parts Store" didn't stick around
A South New Jersey business owner comes face to face with a suspected robber threatening him with a knife. Thanks to his 7-year-old family pet, the crook ran off.
Friday, May 24 2013 7:08 PM EDT2013-05-24 23:08:04 GMT
Busy planning your cook-out or trip down the shore this Memorial Day Weekend? Don't forget about the men and women for whom the holiday is observed.
Busy planning your cook-out or trip down the shore this Memorial Day Weekend? Don't forget about the men and women for whom the holiday is observed. FOX 29's Bruce Gordon spent a day with folks preparing a veterans' cemetery for its day in the spotlight.
Friday, May 24 2013 5:48 PM EDT2013-05-24 21:48:26 GMT
Surveillance video you'll see only on FOX shows chaos just after a police officer opened fire on a man who witnesses say had his hands up to surrender. Police deny that claim.
Surveillance video you'll see only on FOX shows chaos just after a police officer opened fire on a man who witnesses say had his hands up to surrender. Police deny that claim.
Friday, May 24 2013 5:30 PM EDT2013-05-24 21:30:28 GMT
Ocean City is a fabulous family-friendly, shore town that is ready for a fabulous Summer season. From the relaxing beaches to the famous boardwalk, Ocean City is safe, clean and has some of the best food
Ocean City is a fabulous family-friendly, shore town that is ready for a spectacular Summer season.
Friday, May 24 2013 4:40 PM EDT2013-05-24 20:40:06 GMT
Not the prettiest Friday, but we're ready for a great weekend. Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms throughout the day. After an early high in the upper sixties, temperatures fall & winds pick up out of the chillier northwest. Right now the Memorial Day Weekend looks sunny and cool with highs in the low to mid 60s on Saturday, in the 70s Sunday & Monday. Cooler temps at the shore.
