A DRIVER has spoken out after their confusion over two street-side parking signs led to a $90 ticket.
In a Facebook post, the driver said they were debating fighting back against the parking ticket.
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The driver said they were completely mystified by a Montreal parking rule.
“I got nabbed with a $90.00 parking ticket last week,” the driver said in a July 2023 post.
“I need to decide whether to contest.”
The ticketed driver claimed he parked for less than two minutes in what turned out to be a no-parking zone.
Read More on Parking Tickets
Since receiving the ticket, he has been on a mission to determine whether the city’s no-parking signs are legally required to face the road.
The driver claimed one of the signs was not facing the street and was impossible to read from inside his car.
He said he has complained about the about-facing sign to several public agencies but has not received a clear answer.
“I can’t find anyone who can tell me if I have a case here,” he wrote.
The driver also said the parking ticket lacks general transparency.
He reported receiving an additional $30 fee on the ticket. The extra charge is allegedly itemized as “costs.”
The city has reportedly told the driver that this fee can’t be contested.
The U.S. Sun contacted the driver to verify the parking ticket saga. He did not immediately respond.
PARKING PROBLEMS
Drivers have posted dozens of social media complaints after a city shut down street parking on several streets.
Officials in Royal Oak, Michigan, announced new regulations during the city’s Arts, Beats & Eats festival.
The free event brings hundreds of people into town.
How to fight a parking ticket
You can avoid being ticketed by following all posted laws and ordinances, but sometimes mistakes are made
Like any form of citation, parking tickets are preventable by reading and obeying posted signage. However, when visiting a new city, or state, or in a hurry, things can be missed and mistakes are made.
Suddenly there’s a ticket you weren’t prepared to pay for. If the ticket is a surprise to you, there are a few things you can do to help your case when appealing a parking ticket.
- Carefully read the ticket. Look for errors like incorrect street names, license plate numbers, vehicle make and model, time and date, etc. Errors would then make the ticket invalid.
- Take photos. Of the vehicle in the parking space, lack of signage, or other vehicles that weren’t cited for performing the same parking job. If the ticket involves parking too close to something like a fire hydrant, a photo showing a reasonable distance would help your case. Make sure metadata with the time and date are accessible. Signs that are obstructed by trees, or are on bent posts, or aren’t “obvious” are great things to photograph, too.
- Make sure the statute that was violated is listed on the ticket. If not listed, the ticket is not valid.
- Promptly follow the appeal instructions on the ticket. All legitimate tickets will have directions for appeal. Waiting until the very last moment weakens your argument and can result in late fees.
- When in court, avoid these phrases as they reduce your credibility and weaken your argument:
- “I didn’t know the law.”
- “I was on my way to move my car.”
- “I can’t afford this ticket.”
- “I’ve been doing this for years.”
- “I checked with the parking officer, who said it was OK.”
- Contact a lawyer. If you’re running into roadblocks and feel stuck, it may be best to reach out to a traffic lawyer in your area. Many have free case consultations.
Source: Reader’s Digest
However, residents grappled with new $50 fines assigned by police officers if they parked too close to the event.
The officials also threatened that vehicles could be towed if they were sitting too close to the outdoor activity.
Drivers are not supposed to place vehicles within 50 feet of the festival.
“Police will be issued $50 fines as a deterrent. You misspelled ‘extortion with intent to enforce by physical harm,'” one angry driver wrote.
Other drivers complained there wasn’t enough room in the city for the event.
