Parking program irritates visitors

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A program intended to catch D.C. residents who have not registered their cars also is netting motorists coming to the city to see friends or patronize clubs or restaurants.

"I thought this was an April Fools' joke," said Thomas Kollins, a 64-year-old Springfield resident who left a lounge in the city last month to find a warning notice on the windshield of his 2003 Toyota Camry. "I really did — because it's so absurd."

The Registration of Out of State Automobiles (ROSA) program looks for those who have not registered their cars with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) within the required 30-day period after moving into the city.

Sixteen parking enforcement officers patrol neighborhoods at night to find vehicles with out-of-state tags. When one is spotted, the officer enters the plate number into a mobile computer and revisits the site within 30 days.

If the vehicle is spotted a second time, the officer can issue a warning that states the vehicle is eligible for a ticket or impoundment unless the owner registers the vehicle or applies for an exemption. A third offense in the same area within 30 days can result in a $100 ticket or the vehicle being towed.

"When you move in you are required to have your car registered," said Linda Grant, spokeswoman for the Department of Public Works, which administers the program. "It's nothing more than that."

Miss Grant said the program focuses only on residential streets to find nonregistered vehicles.

In most D.C. neighborhoods, residential permits allow parking during daytime hours for an unlimited amount of time. Visitors without permits are prohibited from staying in the same spot more than two hours during the day.

Mr. Kollins — who comes into the city at night for tango sessions on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays — said he was ticketed in the 1200 block of 18th Street Northwest, a short distance from his destination, the 18th Street Lounge.

Mr. Kollins said he plans to apply for an exemption with the city, which is good for 180 days.