Activists Save People from Parking Tickets (Robin Hooding)

December 19, 2011 by Rapsher · 11 Comments
Filed under: Charity, Civil Disobedience, Outreach, Robin Hood, Video

In this video Derrick and I (Rapsher) discuss and partake in Robin Hooding. One of our motivating factors is, like most people in the community, we’ve been compromised into paying various fees associated with driving. Robin Hooding is one way we believe we can neutralize our karma for paying a criminal agency. So, we’re not personally getting our money back, but we are preventing others in the community from having their money stolen from them by the city with parking tickets. We encourage you to do this in your city, or just come to Keene NH and join in the fun here.

Ian’s Blog from Jail #5

September 15, 2011 by Mike Barskey · 75 Comments
Filed under: Civil Disobedience, Court, Economic Freedom, Jailed Activist, Noncooperation, Police, Robin Hood

[Transcribed by Mail-to-Jail.]

Ian Freeman

“KPD Shows True Colors with Parking Meter Proposal & What to Do About it”

Keene Police Chief Ken Meola tipped his hand recently with his proposal to switch from the parking meters littering beautiful downtown Keene that many know and detest to a new system of kiosks.” Each unit will replace several meters and unlike meters in other cities, thees do not require the user to place a receipt on the dash.

Please forgive my inexact numbers. I write this from my jail cell and do not have source material in front of me. I’m going by my memory of recent Keene Sentinel pieces on the subject.

Considering, if I recall correctly, that KPD rakes in over $300,000 per year from the current system, one might wonder what the motivation is to change a system that is “working.” (Though I have heard rumor that the Parking Division actually runs in the red. I would love to have this confirmed or denied. Regardless, that information doesn’t change the point of this post.) Read more

Keene’s Robin Hood Rescues 270 People in First Year!

February 6, 2010 by Ian · 5 Comments
Filed under: Announcement, Robin Hood, Update

The Crown Robin Hood and the Merry Men celebrate a successful first year! From Lauren C.’s post on the Free Keene Forum:

Hip Hip Hoorah to Robin Hood’s parking meter rescues!
Let it be known that in the course of one year the outlaw Robin Hood has deposited $54 in expired meters, denying approximately $1350 to the crown, and allowing about 270 people to relax and smile.
He also accepted $273 in donations, and spent $248 on expenses. That means $25 for the Merry Men!

Awesome job!

A Day in the Life of a Merry Man

May 28, 2009 by Mike Barskey · 46 Comments
Filed under: Charity, Outreach, Robin Hood

Robin Hood of Keene doesn’t rob anybody, but does like to help out those in need: particularly patrons of downtown Keene whose parking meters have expired. By adding extra coins, Robin Hood saves those patrons from the hassle and extra expense of parking citations given by the orders of the Crown of Keene and distributed by his sheriffs. After all, what business does the Crown of Keene have demanding money to park your car in a public place?

I’m one of Robin Hood’s merry men, and I’d like to tell you a story that happened to me the other day while carrying out Robin Hood’s mission. Two fellow merry men and I were checking the meters around Central Square when we found an expired one in front of Pepper Pete’s Hot Shop. I put in some coins, deposited a note on the car’s windshield to alert the driver, and was on my way. But as I left, I noticed Pepper Pete come out of his store and stand on the sidewalk. He said nothing but I was alert, because in the past Pepper Pete has accosted some merry men, accusing them of acting illegally and berating them for soliciting money.

I walked to the end of the street, finished my metering duties, and returned from whence I came, passing Pepper Pete again. Again, he said nothing. I was a little suspicious, so after I turned the corner, I stopped and peered back down the street through the window of the corner shop. I saw Pepper Pete walk to the car that for which I had deposited coins and remove my note.