(a) No person shall cause, allow or permit a vehicle to occupy a parking meter space during the hours when the provisions applicable to such space are in effect, unless he shall deposit such lawful coin of the United States of appropriate denomination in the adjacent parking meter, as required by directions on the meter. Such person is not required to deposit coin in a meter which indicates a balance of unused legal parking time left by the previous occupant of the space, so long as his occupancy of the space does not exceed the indicated unused parking time. The parking meter space may be lawfully occupied by such vehicle during the balance of legal parking time shown on the meter provided such occupancy does not exceed the established maximum time limit.
(b) No person shall fail to comply with directions displayed on the parking meter or fail to set the timing mechanism in operation when so required.
(c) No person shall cause, allow or permit a vehicle to occupy a meter space beyond the maximum consecutive parking time limit lawfully prescribed, for the particular space occupied, by appropriate notice on the meter or on posted signs, irrespective of the number or amount of coin deposited in such meter.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. If, within one year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to one predicate motor vehicle or traffic offense, whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. If, within one year of the offense, the offender previously has been convicted of two or more predicate motor vehicle or traffic offenses, whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree.