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So, we were dinking around Whidbey Island the other day, doing hiking and kite flying in a couple state parks. Important info: you need a Discover Pass in WA State to park in the state parks and on DNR land, which is $10 for the day or $30 for the year (I had to pick up a new annual one, since I double-checked mine right before we left and discovered it expired that very day). If you don't pay, it's a $99 fine. There are some exceptions; your camping pass will cover your parking without needing to buy a Discover pass, for example.
One exception is that if you have a hunting or fishing license, you can use the vehicle pass to park at Dept of Fish and Wildlife lands and some DNR sites for free, but not recreational DNR sites (trailheads, etc), and not state parks.
(Note: I know at least locally, the requirement of the Discover Pass can cause some controversy. Whether or not you agree with it should be taken to Fratching. For the purposes of this thread, it's the law, we have to follow it, and debate about changing said law should go elsewhere.)
So, we were at Fort Casey (where the ranger station office is so close to the parking, they can practically lean out their window and see if you have your permit hanging in the car or not), and when we stopped by the car after a while, we saw several cars in the lot that had been hit with slips of paper under their wipers. I saw one guy holding one of these papers, and was signaling a passing park ranger over.
Now, we were a ways away, but I was able to get the gist of it, because this guy was screaming so loud at the park ranger I could make out his half of the conversation.
Guy: "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!?!" *really, dude? There's a literal bus-load of schoolchildren here*
Park Ranger: *inaudible*
Guy: "BUT I HAVE A FISHING LICENSE RIGHT HERE!!" *face grows redder*
Park Ranger: *inaudible*
Guy: "BUT I HAVE A FISHING LICENSE! THIS IS RIDICULOUS! I DON'T NEED A PASS WITH A FISHING LICENSE!!!" *tomato face, and not from sunburn*
Park Ranger: *inaudible, but clearly getting more frustrated*
Lather, rinse, and repeat that for about five more minutes. This guy was pissed off, and the park ranger just stood there calmly and took it the whole time. I'm pretty sure you could have heard this guy from all the way over at the fort itself! (which is across a good-sized field from the parking.) Unfortunately, I did not think to pull my video camera on this show.
Eventually, the park ranger got in his vehicle and left, and the guy stormed over to his wife and ranted some more (though more quietly). At that point, we left to go dink around the fort some more, so I didn't see anything else. When we came back again, his car was gone.
I did, though, look at the paper that the car next to us got. It looked more like it was a "pay the $10 for vehicle with plate XXX-XXX, or you'll be hit for $99" sort of thing, so it was just a warning citation. I know they tend to be lenient on visitors, so either this guy was getting that bent out of shape over $10, or he was a repeat offender that got an actual ticket. Either way, after the attitude he pulled on that ranger, he deserves to get hit with a $99 fine.
One exception is that if you have a hunting or fishing license, you can use the vehicle pass to park at Dept of Fish and Wildlife lands and some DNR sites for free, but not recreational DNR sites (trailheads, etc), and not state parks.
(Note: I know at least locally, the requirement of the Discover Pass can cause some controversy. Whether or not you agree with it should be taken to Fratching. For the purposes of this thread, it's the law, we have to follow it, and debate about changing said law should go elsewhere.)
So, we were at Fort Casey (where the ranger station office is so close to the parking, they can practically lean out their window and see if you have your permit hanging in the car or not), and when we stopped by the car after a while, we saw several cars in the lot that had been hit with slips of paper under their wipers. I saw one guy holding one of these papers, and was signaling a passing park ranger over.
Now, we were a ways away, but I was able to get the gist of it, because this guy was screaming so loud at the park ranger I could make out his half of the conversation.
Guy: "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!?!" *really, dude? There's a literal bus-load of schoolchildren here*
Park Ranger: *inaudible*
Guy: "BUT I HAVE A FISHING LICENSE RIGHT HERE!!" *face grows redder*
Park Ranger: *inaudible*
Guy: "BUT I HAVE A FISHING LICENSE! THIS IS RIDICULOUS! I DON'T NEED A PASS WITH A FISHING LICENSE!!!" *tomato face, and not from sunburn*
Park Ranger: *inaudible, but clearly getting more frustrated*
Lather, rinse, and repeat that for about five more minutes. This guy was pissed off, and the park ranger just stood there calmly and took it the whole time. I'm pretty sure you could have heard this guy from all the way over at the fort itself! (which is across a good-sized field from the parking.) Unfortunately, I did not think to pull my video camera on this show.
Eventually, the park ranger got in his vehicle and left, and the guy stormed over to his wife and ranted some more (though more quietly). At that point, we left to go dink around the fort some more, so I didn't see anything else. When we came back again, his car was gone.
I did, though, look at the paper that the car next to us got. It looked more like it was a "pay the $10 for vehicle with plate XXX-XXX, or you'll be hit for $99" sort of thing, so it was just a warning citation. I know they tend to be lenient on visitors, so either this guy was getting that bent out of shape over $10, or he was a repeat offender that got an actual ticket. Either way, after the attitude he pulled on that ranger, he deserves to get hit with a $99 fine.
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