How to park in Beirut

You can park using the parkmeter, but one of two is out of order and you have to walk a while to get the ticket from a functionnal machine, walk back to put the ticket in your car.... Here's a trick : if you notice there are more then one place available next to a parkmeter, then it is probably out of order. Usually,you should have rejoyced to have found a place just next to the parkmeter so you don't do the yoyo walk.

You can park in a parking and do a long walk. Of course you have to keep your keys in the car, and it is still your responsibility if the car is robbed or has an accident. You also have to be back in less then an hour. You have to keep your phone number, just in case.

You can park by the road, where there is no sign saying NO PARKING. But you still risk to find your car has vanished, taken by Security, because in fact, it was a NO PARKING area, you should have known even without a sign !?!? You might also risk to have someone park by your side , blocking your exit. Usually, those people don't leave a note, a number, keys in the car, and they usually disappear for a long time. When I cannot afford to lose time, I have a special way to park.I park the car perpendicular to the side of the road whenever this is possible, if not, I park it along the side of the road, but while leaving at least one meter between the car and the side of the road making it difficult to another car to park by my side without obbliterating the road.

I find this situation desolating, because all people in Lebanon who have a car have a cell phone. Why don't they keep their number on the car when they park in an inadequate way?