Odd Stories: A Really Small Fine

York, Nebraska - A 57-year fine for speeding is finally paid off.

With the mounted and framed ticket and payment in his possession, a man walked into the station and told police chief Don Klug he found the ticket amongst his mother's belongings and wanted to pay the fine. He said he believes his mother was visiting York on July 13^th, 1954 and lost track of the citation.

Making the story a little weirder is the wording on the ticket.  It reads "We are sorry to have to leave this tag. However, our parking space is so limited we have to divide it up. A charge of 10 cents is made for your extra time. You may enclose a dime in this envelope and deposit it in the red box located on the corner.  “We hope you understand our parking problem.  Help us solve it, won’t you? Thanks! Come again!” It was signed “York Police Department.””

The York News-Times reports Klug explained in those times parking meters were used to regulate time in the downtown stalls and on each corner was a red deposit box. Violators could simply put the fine money in the accompanying envelope and push it through the slot on the red box. Each day, an officer or parking administrator would collect the fine money with the meter change collected once a week.

Officer Klug says he doesn't know the name of the man who left the ticket.