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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 11/20/2011 No Comment

If you’ve got better things to do than be with your family on Thanksgiving Day 2011 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 –  almost everything else is yours for the parking

  • On Thanksgiving Day parking meters and 7-day street sweeping will not be enforced citywide (except for Port of San Francisco Property – those meters will still be enforced)
  • On Friday parking meters and 7-day street sweeping will be enforced.
  • Commuter tow away, residential parking permits and Monday-Friday street sweeping will not be enforced on either day.
  • Hazards are always subject to citation and towing.

More details and all the exceptions listed below:

Parking Enforcement Schedule & Rules
Thanksgiving Day
Thursday, November 24, 2011

The Good News

  • Street Sweeping: Not enforced for either M-F or 7-Day (M-F Street Sweeping not enforced on Friday 11/25 as well)
  • Residential Permit Parking: Not enforced (also not enforced on Friday 11/25)
  • Commuter Towaway: Not enforced (also not enforced on Friday 11/25)
  • Parking Meters: Not enforced – yea!!!! (except on Port of San Francisco Property)
  • Yellow Curbs : Commercial loading & unloading parking zones are not enforced on Thanksgiving Day

The so-so News

  • Green Zone: Enforced (short term parking – usually 10 mins Monday-Saturday 10am to 6pm) we’ve gotten conflicting information about the Green Zone – Parking Enforcement HQ said it is enforced, but our on-the-street meeter – dude said it was not enforced…
  • 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. (but 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.)

The Bad News:

  • Red Zone: Enforced
  • Blue Zone: Enforced (Handicap)

Source: SFMTA Holiday Enforcement,  SFMTA Color Curb Program Details, Finding the Sweet Spot

Photo Credit: Paul Chinn / The Chronicle