At the same time, the restroom issue is kind of pressing.
Brenner makes a run for it. Then he's back.
"Did they call any names?" he asks, frantically.
He's safe - a staffer calls his name a half -hour later.
Help Desk has come to the Bureau of Administrative Adjudication, at 9th and Filbert, because of a bill introduced by Councilmen Bill Green and Bobby Henon that would require the BAA to allow citizens to fight tickets without coming to this waiting room. The councilmen think you should be able to contest a ticket online or by phone.
We decided to see how the BAA works now. How long is the wait? Is everyone screaming bloody murder? And why do you have to leave the building to use a restroom?
First, the restroom question: We're told that there's no space for one. Simple as that. And don't worry: If you get skipped, you'll be called again.
The waiting room was packed at 10:30 a.m. last Friday, with only a few open seats. The rest of the seats were filled with people slumped over, propping their heads up.
More than half the people we spoke with didn't have appointments. You're allowed to walk in if your car has been towed. Others did. But everyone was waiting. The BAA seemed to be running 90 minutes behind for those with a scheduled hearing.
Many would have appreciated a chance to dispute their tickets without coming down here, and quite possibly taking off from work. Like Stephanie, a BAA veteran who says that she's racked up at least $500 in parking tickets and that she's been fighting them for years. She says that she's gotten tickets while looking for a working parking kiosk.
"Nothing works properly, and then we have to sit here and waste our time," Stephanie said. "There has got to be a better way to do this."
