We all know finding on-street parking in downtown Minneapolis can be a challenge, but creative parking doesn't pay.

In fact, it will cost you as a recent user of the car sharing service Car2Go found out. The user backed the tiny Smart Fourtwo Passion in an open space in between to two legally parallel-parked vehicles and left the front wheels facing out toward 7th Street across from Hennepin County Government Center.

That broke two laws, said John Elder, a spokesman for the Minneapolis Police Department. The first was a city ordinance that prohibits more than one vehicle per metered space. The second was a state law that requires that right wheels of vehicles be parallel with and within 12 inches the curb. That made it pretty easy for Minneapolis Traffic Control to slap a ticket on the oddly parked car.

"That is a pretty clear violation of the parking rules," said Josh Johnson, the car sharing service's Minneapolis manager whose customers have received parking tickets in the past but none for reasons like this. "There is a first time for everything."

Even with two violations, Elder said it's likely that the offender was cited only state violation, which carries a $32 fine.

Car2Go will pay the fine as it is the vehicle's registered owner, but the scofflaw who used the vehicle will get a charge on their credit card, Johnson said. Those who use the car sharing service agree to terms of conditions, which include obeying all parking rules and regulations, he said.

Car2Go users can park in any legal parking space within Minneapolis, so there are no shortage of places to stash a car.