Chalking tires is vandalism? These people need to get a life. We all know that tickets are a source of revenue. Does it suck? Yes. But that is why I make a point to not park illegally and to feed a meter when required. Has there ever been a time that I was late? Yes. But unfortunately a ticket is the consequence and we have the implied understanding that it is possible when we park.

As far as not wanting anyone to touch your car for any reason.....good luck with that. Keep it in your garage or under a cover. Better yet, build a big frame around it and stare at it.

Of all the silly things to fight, this may be the silliest. It's a ticket.

Has there ever been a time that I was late? Yes. But unfortunately a ticket is the consequence and we have the implied understanding that it is possible when we park. -- Kristen at February 17, 2012 5:17 AM

The issue isn't that the meter is expired. I could come out at 1:45 and add another 2 hours to the meter and still get a ticket.

You can be paid up on your meter, but if you've overstayed your two-hour welcome, you're going to be funding all those programs they couldn't pay for but voted in anyway.

Ahem. Take a train.

Oh, wait...

... get a stick of sidewalk chalk and mark everything, including official vehicles. Then you'll see if it's vandalism.

Chalking tires isn't vandalism.

So far as I know, it's also not illegal to remove the chalk from your tires...

Chalking tires seems potentially less problematic than the idea of using a digital camera whose timestamp can be manipulated.

The tire chalk is evidence that you and parking enforcement can both see, which is helpful given that they cannot be trusted (at least her in SF, which is adopting a similar approach of using parking enforcement as a way to pay city employee unions' egregious benefits without raising taxes).

My wife recently got a "meter out" ticket, on an unexpired and functioning meter (was flashing green when she left, and green when she returned). At $55, the cost of the ticket wasn't worth the time to fight it, but now we use our phone cameras to document things when we park at a meter. The city has eyes on putting meters in our mostly residential neighborhood which has, for the city, quite easy parking. Residents and businesses complained, and they've tabled the plans, for now. But I expect they'll come back again.

While I don't like the idea of anyone putting chalk (or flyers, or ANYthing) on my car, a chalk mark is a lot easier to spot and wipe off than a picture on someone else's digital camera.

I didn't realize it was not okay to refill a meter and keep the spot for as long as you are willing to pay for it? Is this the case everywhere, or is there some kind of signage that explains you are only allowed the two hours in Santa Monica?

I didn't realize it was not okay to refill a meter and keep the spot for as long as you are willing to pay for it? Is this the case everywhere, or is there some kind of signage that explains you are only allowed the two hours in Santa Monica?

Not been to Santa Monica myself lately, but usually the time limit is marked on the meter. It varies from place to place.

Yes, refilling the meter has been a violation anywhere I know of.

Yes, removing the chalk mark without moving the car is a violation also (every where I know of).

If they are putting the mark on the tread that touches the ground, I am not so sure. If the mark is on the sidewall I think they might have a case.

Well this isn't going to make life any easier. . .One solution I've used before is to move your car forward and back in the same space before feeding the meter a second time. This changes the location of the chalk marks and allows you to claim -- truthfully -- that you moved your car. A pain but at $55 a shot, worth it.

"Does anybody really get to put a mark on your vehicle?"

Chalk on a tire? Graffiti? It is something that leaves no permanent mark and does no damage. If people want to fight the meters or the rules behind the meters that's one thing. But calling a chalk mark graffiti is ridiculous.

"Yes, removing the chalk mark without moving the car is a violation also (every where I know of)."

I don't actually do this.

I don't park in two-hour (or whatever time limit) parking unless I know I will be back to my car within the limit.

I just never knew you weren't supposed to refill a parking meter. Good to know though. I rarely, if ever, have to use metered parking, but I will certainly be paying more attention if I do need to in the future.

"Chalk on a tire? Graffiti? It is something that leaves no permanent mark and does no damage. If people want to fight the meters or the rules behind the meters that's one thing. But calling a chalk mark graffiti is ridiculous."

So, get out the chalk and start marking, and tell me what happens.

California is broke. You can help by paying the fine you incur for that.

I'd like to see what the cops would do if you came by and chalked their tires, especially if they were in it?

This is also why fines should not be used as revenue streams. It creates a whole new agenda for the authorities.

I have read that California actually counts income from fines in their budget, so that's the end of reason there.

The contextual clue to the graffittiness of chalk on tires is the display of the cans of expensive tire care products.

You have just spent good money paying someone to detail the wheels and tires, springing for the $25/pint product that promises claims of protection of the rubber from UV and ozone damage, and then someone comes along and abrades it so that they can rub stone-dust onto the sidewall of your tire?

I don't myself "get" this obsession that some have with black tires, clean wheels, and other detailing of car finishes. It seems a simple solution for parking enforcement would be to chalk on the tread rather than on the sidewall, as the tread will no longer be dressed by the time it arrives at an area with parking enforcement.