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Thanksgiving Parking: How Not to Get a Ticket

The rules for where you can park on Thanksgiving in SF without getting a ticket
By - posted 11/21/2012 No Comment

If you’ve got better things to do than be with your family on Thanksgiving Day 2012 and need a car to run those errands you’ll pretty much have free reign while parking anywhere in the city.

Although parking hazardously is always ticketable and towable – as is parking in a red or blue zone – much of the rest of the city is yours for the parking.

Here’s the Basics:

Thanksgiving Day 11/22/12
– Parking Meters not enforced (for SF Port property parking see *below)
– M-F Street Sweeping not enforced
– 7-Day Street Sweeping not enforced (except Market St.)
– Commuter Tow Away not enforced
– Green, Yellow & White zones vary – see below

Day After Thanksgiving  11/23/12
– M-F Street Sweeping not enforced
– Commuter Tow Away not enforced
– Green, Yellow & White zones vary – see below
– Sorry, parking meters and 7-day street sweeping are enforced the day after Thanksgiving 

>> Park at your own risk of getting a ticket: We’ve done our best to review all the rules and lay them out for you, but you’re on your own fo course.  If you want more clarification, contact SF parking enforcement

Thanksgiving Parking Rules Overview:
Thursday, November 22, 2012

FREE PARKING (i.e. Not Enforced) 

  • M-F Street Sweeping: Not enforced (Thu 11/22 & Fri 11/23)
    – Please note that the few streets that have nighttime 7-day street sweeping – like Market Street – may still be enforced
  • M-F Residential Permit Parking: Not enforced (Thu 11/22 & Fri 11/23)
  • Commuter Towaway: Not enforced (Thu 11/22 & Fri 11/23)
  • *Parking Meters: On Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day, parking meters are not enforced either on city property or Port of SF Property – *NEW*the fact that Port of SF meters are not enforced on these major holidays looks to be a recent change which we confirmed at sfport.com
    – Caution: Meters are free on Thursday 11/22 only. Friday 11/23 all meters are enforced

But please note….
– Hazards are always subject to tickets and towing
– Posted 1-2 hour parking time limit areas and Night-Time Seven-Day-a-Week Street Sweeping (such as Market Street) will be enforced.
– Meter customers are advised to check parking meters to verify enforcement time limits and amounts.

ENFORCED:

  • Red Zone: Enforced
  • Blue Zone: Enforced (Handicap)
  • Green Zone: Enforced (short term parking – usually 10 mins Monday-Saturday 10am to 6pm). – But… we called SFMTA and they told us Green Zone was NOT enforced on Thanksgiving, but we have not been able to confirm this 100%
  • Yellow Curbs : Commercial loading & unloading parking zones are enforced, but there’s no tow-away. (you can still get a ticket) – But… we called SFMTA and they told us Yellow Zone parking was NOT enforced on Thanksgiving, but we have not been able to confirm this 100%
  • White Zone: Passenger loading zones are enforced (5 minute limit), but only while the business (and some apartment buildings) is open – if the business that paid for the zone (usually the one right in front of the white zone) is closed, it’s free parking. (Beware… some businesses are 24 hours even though they may look closed – Our parking enforcement source recommended you find a security guard for the building and ask.)
  • Posted 1-2 hour parking limits: Enforced
  • 7 Day a Week Nighttime Street Sweeping: This everyday street sweeping such as along Market Street is still enforced even on holidays

Source: SFMTA Holiday Enforcement,  SFMTA Color Curb Program Details