EDITORIAL:

When someone goes out of their way to make guests feel at home, the guest notices this effort.

Maybe the host made a bed up, with nice clean sheets. Maybe they cooked their visitor a meal. Any extra effort speaks volumes and makes an impression on the guest.

Conversely, when a guest has a bad experience, that is remembered as well.

On the Fourth of July, 81 cars were towed in Huntington Beach, according to Huntington Beach Police Chief Ken Small.

We are not faulting the police department, which was trying to keep the streets as safe as possible. We are wondering, as are many readers, why a city that advertises itself as a Fourth of July destination does not go out of its way to ensure its visitors have sufficient parking.

We would venture to guess that a majority of the families who visited Huntington Beach on the Fourth of July did not plan on parking in a spot illegally. In fact, most people probably spent at least half an hour driving around in search of legal parking. Hoping, praying, wishing for that golden spot that the other thousands of visitors somehow missed.

The result is that some visitors parked in illegal spots. Maybe they saw the signs and rolled the dice. Maybe they didn’t even see the signs. Either way, they were towed.

We’re not condoning the act of parking in an illegal spot, but we are willing to give visitors the benefit of a doubt and guess this was not their first choice. As any driver knows, there is an uneasy feeling that comes with parking in an “iffy” spot. No driver likes that feeling.

The city cannot claim ignorance, because it knows what kind of fiasco the holiday is each year. It invites the Southland to come and enjoy the fireworks. As a host, it should plan accordingly.

City officials should figure out what businesses won’t be using their parking lots. Ask the businesses if visitors can park in their lots for free or for a fee. Out-of-towners would gladly pay a $5 or even $10 parking fee if it means they can enjoy the holiday free of worries about a towed vehicle.

The next step is to publicize this information to ensure visitors know where they can go to park.

When you have a visitor, you ensure that every part of their stay is as hassle-free as possible, because you want them to come back. This holds true for a city.

An act such as planning ahead would stand out in Southern California, a place notorious for horrific parking.

Let’s make every effort for visitors to leave “Surf City USA” with a positive experience, wanting to come back.