I know parking in the downtown area is tight, that is why I rent a parking spot. It is aggravating to find someone in my parking spot, especially when I am trying to get to work. Almost every time it is a local, not a visitor. I have to go into all the surrounding businesses to try to find that person, to not have them towed.

So I thought I should inform everyone what a reserved space means. These are not inexpensive to rent, and those who rent the parking spots work long hard hours to afford these spaces. We rent them for 24 hours a day — some of us work nights and weekends. I repeat, the reserved spaces are for 24 hours a day. Every day. You do not get to park in them after 6 p.m., or on the weekends.

Please have some respect for the locals who rent these spots. Please. You know who you are. Yesterday, I had a girl in a Regatta princess costume inform me (she was in my parking spot) that she parks in the parking lot all the time. Sigh.

Vicki McAfee

Astoria