We four were just in Philadelphia and emerged from a lovely Italian dinner to find I had parked in the HP slot inadvertently. The $300 fine put a slight damper on the mood (I'm lucky to still be alive) unfortunately, and I am now trying to temper the enthusiasm of the parking authority of another state and beg their forgiveness. 

Dear Parking Enforcement staff,

Our family just visited Philadelphia on a tour of potential colleges for our 16 year old son. We stopped for dinner downtown. After much difficulty finding a parking space within walking distance of the restaurant I saw a van pull out and felt very lucky to get a spot, only later to discover it was restricted for handicapped parking. As a physician who works with patients with MS I can assure you I would never willingly park in these important protected parking spots. The marker for such parking is differently placed in Seattle and I was simply unfamiliar with the location on a regular street corner.
  I am completely responsible for where I park. It was careless on my part not to not be more aware of the signage in an unfamiliar city. But I'm humbly ask for your leniency on this fine. I would very much appreciate your kindness to forgive or reduce the severity of the fine for some slightly confused visitors from the West.

Thanks for your time,

Clark

Not one to miss an opportunity to share my personal tribulations with my kids as perfectly good learning opportunities I sent them this set of definitions:

In this note I sent them you see my plea and you find the following elements:

1. We're are a courteous family. Not a bunch of wild lawbreaker hoodlums. Our son is college-bound, not jail-bound.
2. Were clueless because we are from out of town, but hoping to make some part of our life there. Sure would be nice to spend a quarter million in Pennsylvania.
3. We were contributing to the city's economy by eating there.
4. The crime I committed was inadvertent; a true error, not a blatant disregard for the law.
5. I work with handicapped patients (true) and deeply respect the intent of the law.
6. I take full responsibility for my errors. I'm not whining or blaming someone else for putting a stupid HP sign on a street corner where no one else on the planet puts them.
7. I understand the nature of my mistakes which is a path to not making them twice
8. I respect your ultimate power, dear parking enforcement Nazi, because I humbly beseech you. I'm not demanding anything.
9. I defer to your kindness and humanity which I know you have in abundance somewhere deeply buried in your own heart.
10. I would be grateful for you to exercise your humanity on my behalf. WHatever you can do for us is appreciated so show me how kind your really are by dropping the whole fine please. You own life and feelings about yourself may be improved by this act of forgiveness and your own kids may start talking to you again.
11. There is humor and self deprecation in admitting to being lost and confused as visitors. Aren't we funny?
12. Your time is valuable to both you and I and a thank you for spending it being so very kind to us.
13. We are on a first name basis. Call me Clark.