The Parking Authority is very diligent in their ticketing, so be sure to read all signs available before you park anywhere downtown. Even if a spot has meters, it may still be illegal to park there at certain hours of the day. The Parking Authority patrols and tickets throughout the day and into the evening.
The Philadelphia Parking Authority gets a bad reputation, but this is mostly because people are unaware of the traffic and parking laws in the city and do as they please with little regard to signage. The Parking Authority workers are simply enforcing the law. However, having been on the receiving end of quite a few tickets while both living in and visiting certain parts of the city, I can understand the frustration of coming back to your car and seeing a ticket that ranges anywhere from $26-$115 depending on your violation.
