Parking Officer Takes Pity On Driver After Reading Handwritten Note On Windshield

 

A parking control officer was about to write a ticket for an expired meter while making the rounds in downtown Wausau, Wisconsin, Thursday morning when he spotted a handwritten note tucked underneath the car’s windshield wiper.

Officer Jim Hellrood unfolded the note, which read, “Please take pity on me. I walked home… safe choices.”

The driver, who has not been identified, ended his plea with a smiley face.

Hellrood was surprised. It’s not every day a driver purposely leaves their car in a spot that could lead to a ticket. But he appreciated the driver’s honesty — as well as the decision not to drive after what he assumes was a night of drinking.

So, he decided to give the driver a warning instead of a $5 ticket.

“[This driver] realized it may not have been a safe choice and risked a citation rather than risk their own safety,” Buckner said. “We certainly applaud that decision to not drive.”