Those who commute from elsewhere by car to hang in Dolores Park need to take better note of the SFMTA's pilot program that formalizes the vague rules surrounding weekend parking along the Dolores Street median. A bunch of them who hung around past 6 p.m. on Sunday evening had their cars towed in one of the first big crackdowns under the new rules, as Mission Local reports, and they probably were pretty sad about that.

The tow trucks showed up just after 6:30 p.m. Sunday, and under the new rules, cars are only allowed to use this temporary median parking loophole between 14th and 18th streets until 6 p.m. This is in part because the rule was first put in place not to make life easier for Dolo revelers, but to provide extra parking for the churches along this stretch of Dolores during Sunday services. The practice, which KQED has called "parking for God," goes back decades — and exists, informally, in other parts of the city near places of worship on weekends — but was only formalized under this pilot program last year, with the new rules taking effect in April, following a bit of a delay.

With the new rules came new curb colors along the median, and some new signs that some residents have complained are very unattractive.

Everyone who might potentially drive a car and try to take advantage of this program on the weekends should carefully read the complete new rules below, which will be in effect through the summer of 2018, unless the rules are made permanent.

Fridays, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. Parking permitted along the Dolores Street median between Alert Alley and 16th Street, southbound only

Saturdays, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Parking permitted along the Dolores Street median between Alert Alley and 16th Street, southbound only

Sundays, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Parking permitted along the Dolores Street median between 14th and 18th streets, both northbound and southbound