Two weeks ago, I drove into downtown to pick up my girlfriend who works on 5th. She was in front of her work building, and seeing no one behind me for several blocks I briefly stopped to let her in the car- total maybe 15 seconds. A bike cop rides by and yells, "Can't you see the sign?" which is the size of a paperback book and states 'No Parking or Stopping'. Not wanting to extend my 15 seconds any further, I said sorry and sped along. Just received ticket for $245, for 15 'effin seconds, and read that you cannot even contest the ticket w/out first paying full amount. How is that 'due process'? What incentive does the city have to listen to my story and perhaps side with me if I pay them first? I understand that, strictly speaking, I violated the letter of the law- but clearly I was not in violation of the spirit of the law, which was enacted to keep people from stopping traffic on 5th.

I've picked up my girlfriend several times, and I never stop on 5th if there is traffic behind me, or even close behind me. What's worse is that if I had turned down, say, Yamhill to stop and pick up my girlfriend then I would have been a greater detriment to traffic than stopping on 5th for fifteen seconds. I've seen Mercedes, BMW's, Lexus' all the time drive down the 'bus only' lane on 5th, yet no officer gives them a ticket for being an idiot, even though I've seen police cruisers watch this behavior occur. What gives? Justice truly serves only the wealthy.