LA parking meters: Weekends too? (Westwood: live, ordinance, cars)

[Cubancoffee]

Still trying to figure out parking regulations in LA. Sometimes we'll go somewhere on a Saturday or Sunday that has metered parking and don't know whether we're supposed to pay or not. We usually do, after checking out other cars' meters to see if they've been fed. Is there a blanket ordinance that says all meters are in effect 24/7, or are some areas different from others, or is it just that the ENFORCEMENT in some areas is different from others?

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by Cubancoffee

Still trying to figure out parking regulations in LA. Sometimes we'll go somewhere on a Saturday or Sunday that has metered parking and don't know whether we're supposed to pay or not. We usually do, after checking out other cars' meters to see if they've been fed. Is there a blanket ordinance that says all meters are in effect 24/7, or are some areas different from others, or is it just that the ENFORCEMENT in some areas is different from others?

Every single parking space in LA is different and you have to scientifically study ALL the signs on your side of the street, notice whether the curb has red or yellow or green or no paint, and read the front AND the back of the meter (which is annoyingly often hard to read since a thick layer of dirt covers the back plastic). And the times of enforcement on the meter do not necessarily coincide with the times the street signs say you are allowed to park there.

The parking restriction signs seem to be one or more of the following types:
No parking ever.
No parking unless if you have a resident's sticker.
No parking unless if you have a resident's sticker, except for a few hours during the weekdays.
No parking during anti-gridlock, rush hour times.
" "-- except Sat & Sun
" "-- except Sun
" "-- except Sun & Holidays
Limitations of how long you can be parked.
No parking during sweet sweeping.
TEMPORARY signs that say NO PARKING AT ANY TIME (which confuses me because I've seen these signs by USC and still will see 15 cars parked on the side of the street).
No overnight parking (unless if you have a sticker).
Wheels required to be cramped to curb (which I rarely see followed).
Valet parking zones.
No parking if the meter is broken (or has a bag over it) during enforcement times.

I noticed that just a few months ago many of the meters have changed with increased hours of enforcement and increased coinage required. I've seen on Ventura Blvd and around Westwood Village even on Sundays the meters are enforced up to 8:00 pm and even longer on some! It can change block to block, street to street, even space to space. If you are out of the enforcement times as indicated on the back of the meter, then parking is free (assuming you are even allowed to park there at that time). Still, sometimes I've seen people put money into meters by mistake when parking was free.

It's one of the reasons why I think this city is becoming increasingly unliveable.