The story, which unfolded in real time online, is equal parts relatable nightmare and cautionary tale about the East Bay's parking enforcement apparatus. The driver — who was headed to a concert in Berkeley — missed his exit, got off somewhere in Oakland to loop back, parked on a street he can't remember, and then... total blackout. No recollection of where the car ended up. Just vibes and regret.

The car in question: an all-black Infiniti G35 sedan with tinted windows and a rear spoiler. As one Bay Area resident quipped, "A G35 parked on the street? That thing got stolen, my guy." A reasonable assumption in a region where auto theft is practically a spectator sport.

But no — it wasn't stolen. It was worse. It was towed by Berkeley PD.

Turns out the car was parked on Ashby Avenue in a tow-away zone, those lovely green signs that give you a narrow window to exist before the city hoovers up your vehicle. An internet sleuth actually tracked down the parking citation through Berkeley's online payment portal and cracked the case before the owner did. Incredible work. Honestly more detective work than we've seen from some actual police departments lately.

The driver got his car back — plus whatever towing and storage fees Berkeley slapped on top — and joked about checking himself into a mental health facility afterward.

Here's the thing: we're glad this had a happy ending. The driver was clearly going through a rough time — sleep-deprived, grieving, not in a good headspace. And the community response was genuinely heartwarming, with strangers offering to call tow companies and pull up navigation histories.

But let's also note the absurdity of a system where your car can be silently towed within hours for being in a "wrong" zone, with fees that often exceed the cost of the alleged offense by a factor of ten. Berkeley and Oakland rake in millions from towing and parking citations annually. It's not public safety — it's a revenue machine with a uniform.

At least the internet still works. Even if government doesn't.