When I lived in South Bend, a car parked in front of a fire hydrant every Notre Dame home football game. Since this was in my neighborhood I asked the cops to do something, but they couldn't unless the Fire Dept. complained (or so they said). I called the FD -- they said not to worry, if they were called they smash the front side windows and run the hose through the car (which was a very expensive Cadillac).

The idea was nearly enough for me to set a smoky but innocuous fire, but I never did.

And then, one day, my wife was walking back from a game and a cop was not only writing a ticket, but a wrecker was hauling the car away! The cop told he, with great glee, "NOW! His licenses plates have expired! It's gonna cost him a thousand bucks to pay the fines, get the car out of the impound lot, and for the trouble he's caused over the years!" She said that she has seldom seen a cop going about his job with such joy.