Contesting a parking ticket

Macaulay · #1

Hi! It seems to me that there are a lot of knowledgeable, older users on this forum as well as a lot of law enforcement officers so I thought this would be a good place to ask for advice.

I recently started going to college in Santa Monica, and for morning classes I park along a street with a bunch of signs on them, the most prominent being a green "2 Hour Parking" from some hour to another. Signs below have no parking on a certain day of the week, etc.

Anyway, in November (in the week of my birthday) I came back to my car and got a ticket for "preferential parking". As I was parked pretty much under a green sign, I immediately contested it, and last month got a court date for a week from now, which I just remembered thanks to my phone. (Thank you, ToDo!)

Also if "preferental parking" is for the time limit I know that is not the case because my classes don't last for more than an hour on the days I park that street.

I have the utmost respect for law enforcement officers, but I think that in this particular circumstance a mistake has been made.

Anyway, I was just wondering what I say when I go into court? I'm pretty young and I've never dealt with anything like this before. My parents are pretty traditionally Asian and they wouldn't understand (authority is 100% foolproof, etc) so I can't talk to them about it. (Plus, I'm paying for it!)

Thank you for reading!

jabba359 · #2

It's hard to say. Santa Monica is a nightmare for parking, with signs all over the place, signs changing parking rules from one block to the next, and other signs that are below the parking signs with fine print and convoluted parking instructions. Without seeing the exact sign you are referring to and knowing what day and hours you parked there, I can't make any sure recommendations.

Awful parking is one of many reasons I chose to live out in the Burbank/Glendale area and not down in Santa Monica.

jabba359 · #3

Did a search and found out what it is. Preferential parking means that you need a permit to park there. Sounds like the areas I've seen where it says you can park for 2 hours from ____ AM to ____ PM, but then it says in small print beneath something like "permit parking only". Residents can petition to get it applied to their block so that the general public riffraff can't park on their streets.

http://www.smgov.net/Departments/Transp ... x?id=15936

Macaulay · #4

Wow, thanks for taking the effort to look it up

I'm definitely going to drive down there before I go to court to check up on it again, I remember the sign saying permit holders exempt from the 2 hour thing, instead of required

This is really bothering me because it's taking a long time to resolve (get the court date, etc), if I gotta pay I want the pain to be quick! :P

psimonl · #5

Also, take pictures of the signs and their surroundings. And be honest. And put your hands on the table in front of you if you can: It shows you don't have anything to hide.

And I don't know how it will go but here, in Quebec, when contesting a ticket, the judge usually cuts in half the price to pay. So for a 500$, they ask you to pay 250$.... But right away and cash.

Good luck!

Sequimite · #6

The two times I went to court to contest a bogus parking ticket the officer didn't show up. That's the easiest way to win. Good luck.

Macaulay · #7

Wow, thanks for all the help guys!
This is my far the nicest place on the internet that I've seen!

Sequimite wrote:The two times I went to court to contest a bogus parking ticket the officer didn't show up. That's the easiest way to win. Good luck.

On the paper they gave me for my court date they said the officer would not be present at the hearing. I thought it was pretty weird...

araneae · #8

If you happened to take a photo of your care on the day of the ticket, showing how you were parked, that may help. Good luck.

I used to get tickets on campus pretty regularly. They had a good scam going where they would give you a ticket for parking in a permit area without a permit, and a second one for parking outside a designated area. Pretty much two ways of ticketing you for the same thing. Every time I appealed, I was waived on one of the violations. I bet they made a ton of money off poor college students that didn't appeal.

Macaulay · #9

araneae wrote:If you happened to take a photo of your care on the day of the ticket, showing how you were parked, that may help. Good luck.

I used to get tickets on campus pretty regularly. They had a good scam going where they would give you a ticket for parking in a permit area without a permit, and a second one for parking outside a designated area. Pretty much two ways of ticketing you for the same thing. Every time I appealed, I was waived on one of the violations. I bet they made a ton of money off poor college students that didn't appeal.

I didn't think a photo would be any more useful than my word, as I (or anyone) could easily have reparked if they really wanted to. I should have taken one in hindsight though, looking bak I was jst too upset at getting my first ticket (and I believe undeservedly)

I have heard horror stories of the double ticketing. SMC also has a $150 ticket for skateboarding on campus, so... I believe it!

I just got my M1 endorsement, hopefully I can get a good bike and save myself a loooot of trouble. And money. And time.

caitlee · #10

Having parking ticket is one of the problem that a driver can have. A female has been handed the largest bill parking citations ever issued in Chicago. The tickets were given over a three year period to a dilapidated 1999 Chevy Monte Carlo. However, she is switching around and suing the city over the matter. How can that be you ask? Read on.

defenestrate · #11

My dad used to joke about Dirty Harry coming to get him due to a parking ticket in Carmel, CA a long time ago (we have always lived near the east coast, this was a business trip, and he hasn't been back)