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Seems weird to me (from nowhere near SF) that some of the cheapest things to do are to block fire stations, fire hydrants and 'fire lanes' (I assume that's like a bus lane but for fire engines, in places that's common enough for whatever reason, like right by a fire station?) - wheelchair/disability related stuff is much more penalised, but even all sorts of other 'regular' mis-parking seems for some reason slightly more expensive than blocking fire crews. Odd isn't it? Have I misunderstood?
> 'fire lanes' (I assume that's like a bus lane but for fire engines, in places that's common enough for whatever reason, like right by a fire station?)

Fire lanes are not express lanes for fire engines. They're more like reserved parking for fire engines only. Typically the curb is painted red, and you'll see markings 'no parking - fire lane'. I think of these showing up in parking lots everywhere you're not allowed to park.

Most of the parking violations are about the same level of fine. There's tiers, really big fines are for using disabled placards inappropriately, pretty big for blocking disabled parking, then blocking busses, abandoning vehicles, defaced license plate, no registration, blocking bike, then kind of everything else.

Fire lanes fit in the everything else, but they probably get more enforcement, so the low per instance fees add up if you are highly likely to be ticketted if you park in a red zone.

> Have I misunderstood?

It doesn't count the glass shop bill when the fire fighters gleefully fuck up your car to run the hose between the side windows.

Gleefully?

because they should express remorse and handle your car with care vs you know, putting out that fire?

Brother in law is a firefighter, gleefully is exactly the correct term here. According to him getting to bust windows to run the hose is literally their favorite thing to do. To the point where even if they don't actually need to, or it would be slower, they'll still do it. It's apparently a matter of principle.
I think apsurd interpreted Lammy’s post as a complaint, like the firefighters are too gleeful.

Then apsurd is pointing out that there’s no reason to complain, and they shouldn’t waste time with remorse.

I don’t think Lammy actually meant it as a complaint, though, which ended up making apsurd’s correction confusing.

Anyway, I think everyone in the thread agreed: park in front of the fire hydrant and nobody feels bad but you as you get your window smashed. Broad anti-fire consensus.

Yes exactly. Funny to read the discussion all on account of a single word.

this is why I come to HN

Correct; not a complaint :)
My dad, former firefighter, age 83, likes to tell this story of someone parked in front of a hydrant and them running the hose through the car. He’ll be happy it’s stood the test of time.
If my bike were capable of messing up a car I 100% would ram every jerk parked in a bike lane.

So I can see where your BIL is coming from.

Oh if you haven't seen it you're gonna love this.

https://youtu.be/bzE-IMaegzQ?feature=shared

Gotta practice your jumps and hop up on top of it. It's in the lane, but you can be too...
As not a fire fighter, I agree!

I suppose I took OP to say gleefully as if it was uncalled for. But maybe it's what you said and they're just on the inside. Good to know all around.

It's San Francisco, parking legally generally requires replacing at least one window.
One of the few things that everyone in American society agrees upon is that violating disabled parking spots is egregiously wrong and should be punished fiercely
The fine is low because the "typical case" is like a long van that's hanging over the line into the hydrant zone or something but doesn't actually block access.

They'd rather have the fine be low for the people who are actually blocking the fire lanes in spirit in order to rake in the money from the people who are only doing it in technicality.

And I think if the situation is a real problem they can tow it out of the way
Actually... those fees are outdated. It jumped to me because for the first time in years I got a fine for "parking on grades" - Somehow I was distracted and turned my wheels the opposite direction.

So I found the fees for July 2025[1]. My fine was $108 and not $68

But also they made errors in publishing their fees, they claimed it didn't increase this year, but it did [2] - and asked the AI to find all the other inconsistencies.

So now I wonder if I should ask for $40 back. That's a dramatic increase, and seems like the intent was it to stay at $68

[1] https://www.sfmta.com/media/42628/download?inline [2] https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/3330732a-2bd1-497d-ab...