San Francisco resident creates viral app to track cops and help friends avoid getting parking tickets: 'Some heroes don't wear capes'

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Sep 27, 2025 11:00 AM EDT

It's a sight everyone dreads: you're walking back to your car, and you see a meter maid in a neon vest placing a ticket on your windshield. You sprint over, hoping to stop them, but sadly, it's too late. As soon as they input your info into their little device, it's all over for you, pal. Instead of a quick trip to the mall or the library that would've cost you $5 in parking fees, you've now got to cough up like $65 for the dastardly crime of parking your car in the same place for too long. 

Obviously, this is the kind of thing that a lot of residents truly despise. It's not exactly a crime that needs to be punished, it's more of a way to make money for the city. People gripe about getting tickets for speeding, but that's a safety issue, right? Parking rarely is — unless you're blocking a hydrant or not allowing the bus to get by you or something. So yeah, there's not a lot of love lost for these neon-vested street patrollers. 

This person had an amazing idea: they basically Uno-reversed the coppers, allowing anyone to see their locations. I checked the site when it was operational, and it was a marvel! Unfortunately, it was very short-lived, as the city probably considered it a safety concern. Ugh. Wouldn't it be nice if this site could actually work for real, forever? 

Up next, read about this kind employee who decided to guide a 16-year-old new hire through her first day on the job despite all of the "stressed out" coworkers who didn't want to deal with her: "Over the next 5 hours I worked side by side with this child." 

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  • 01
    I reverse engineered the San Francisco parking ticket system. I can see every ticket seconds after it's written
    via @rtwlz
  • 02
    So I made a website. Find My Friends? AVOID THE PARKING COPS.
    via @rtwlz
  • 03
    Officers Leaderboard int Bonita Golden Gate ALCATRAZ ISLAND LF ERMAN'S ARF isco Bay Ferry Island JB Presidio Officer 0134 AT RR JC 4144 Mission St. 1 min. ago RW Officer 0174 Point Lobos PS 610 Cortland Ave. 2 min. ago ΚΗ REARY S ES GW SCO MS JH MG PV Chase Center LINCOLN WRL L TT So Officer 0145 VR 439 Roosevelt Way • 2 min. ago SUNSET DISTRICT DI RL TR Beach DA SUTRO TOWER EC Officer 0336 RK 3104 Clement St⚫ 3 min. ago CB LJ KL GM LAKESHURE DR RR MH CR Officer 0357 TD CB JT 502 Laidley St. 3 m
    via @rtwlz
  • 04
    They can even write custom notes on the tickets
    via @rtwlz
  • 05
    IN VIOLATION OF SECTION: VC225001 BUS ZONE AMOUNT DUE: $ 443 COMMENTS: 100% IN MARKED BUS STOP RED PAINT UA/NA CALLED ME AN A HOLE, Drive Away PHOTO ON FILE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION STAR NO OFFICER'S SIGNATURE CVC:4000(a) 5200 5201(a) 5201(b) 5201(c) 5204
    via @rtwlz
  • 06
    IN VIOLATION OF SECTION: TRC7.2.22 STREET CLEANING AMOUNT DUE: $ 105 COMMENTS: VICIOUS DOGS IN THE VEHICLE, Drive Away PHOTO ON FILE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION STAR NO. OFFICER'S SIGNATURE CVC:4000(a) 5200 5201(a) 5201(b) 5201(c) 5204
    via @rtwlz
  • 07
    RIP. In lightning speed, the city changed their site so I can no longer get data. That's probably it.
    via @rtwlz
  • 08
    II GIF R.LP.
    via @rtwlz
  • 09
    Figured out a workaround and it's back up!
    via @rtwlz
  • 10

    Alas... the site is currently down, seemingly for good

    RIP In rare lightning speed, the SF government changed their site within hours of this site going live. I can't get data from it anymore.
    via @rtwlz
  • 11

    Some officer stats remain

    Officer 0336 $20,150 1 RK 192 tickets Officer 0071 $18,183 2 MS 173 tickets Officer 0435 $17,430 3 AC 166 tickets Officer 0215 $15,234 4 AM 145 tickets LO 5 Officer 0387 $15,015 TC 143 tickets Officer 0109 $14,944 6 GW 137 tickets Officer 0359 $14,418 7 TL 137 tickets
    via @rtwlz
  • 12

    People had mixed feelings about this: although most people celebrated it, not everyone felt that way

    AL REPORT @robertskmiles This is very cool, but enforcing laws is good actually
    via @robertskmiles

    Parking cops aren't exactly beloved crimestoppers or anything! They mainly do things like ticket a person who's 3 minutes late to put more quarters in the meter and stuff like that. Most people have had at least one rotten experience with a meter maid, and would be thrilled to avoid one of these cops who just suction in money for the city from the citizens who live there. 

  • 13
    Parking cop in neon yellow jacket places yellow ticket on silver car in parking lot
    via Caspar Rae on Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 14
    @terronk This guy made a site that reverse engineers the SF parking ticket system and within hours, the city pushed breaking changes to their system to cripple the app.
    via @
  • 15
    @minkbazink "View Shift Route" is crazy work 45 48 49 Presidio LOMBARD ST 36 265 10 21 22 TURK BLVD Golden Gate Park SUNSET DISTRICT Maps Legal ach DE YOUNG MUSEUM 7TH AVE CAL 8 3 ST San Fi OAK ST SUTRO TOWER Officer 0336 Last shift ended 32 min. ago 49 Tickets $5,145 Total Fines View Shift Route THE CASTRO THEATRE
    via @
  • 16
    I don't ever want to hear about how long it takes to ship software in city government ever again.
    via @
  • 17
    @inv515 Some heroes don't wear capes
    via @

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