The trip was predicated by the urging of friends fascinated with the beauty of the water and the brilliant white sand, which was in fact, as white as driven snow.

The problem we faced at the beach was parking.... There was plenty of parking and signs everywhere that read; (Pay for parking when leaving). We parked and looked around for someone or perhaps a building that would house a ticket booth or place to get a ticket to park... Nothing was in sight, so we began walking down the beach enjoying the view when I saw a strange miniature ATM looking machine in a bull rush about 100 yards south of where we had parked. Curious, I walked up to the machine ( just for fun ) to see what or why it was there.

I said to my wife; It's a parking ticket machine I think..... She replied; Your too late !! I looked back toward our car that we had left only two minutes before, and there was a huge police officer (meter man)???????

He was at least 6'8", 300 lbs riding this tiny little 4 wheeler... It was funny, I had to laugh.

I then realized he was writing a ticket to place on our vehicle. I started yelling and he acted as though he did not hear me. He placed the ticket on the car, mounted his steed and hit the gas.... No wonder they use a giant !!!

A smaller man wouldn't last a day, some one would pound him into the asphalt.

So, it’s twenty dollars for a parking infraction and the price of a stamp to park at ST. PETE Beach.

Despite the cheap tricks, St. Pete beach is one of a kind.