Parking Ticket!

[MacAztec]

Heres the story. I was at Newport Beach this past weekend, me and some friends had a place to stay in the area so we all went up there. Well, I took my car (ford focus ZX3, 2 door) to the beach to park, and it was pretty packed. I parked it in an Albertson's parking lot right next to the beach (like 1 min walk away), and on the way walking to the beach, I saw a spot that my car could fit in to.

The spot was the first place to park if you were to turn left on a street. The city paints a little red spot on the corner, so that cars turning wont clip a car that its right on the corner. There was space in front of the red spot, and I thought I would put my car there. I didn't want to get it towed at Albertsons.

So, I park it there, and my bumper is about 4" in the Red. I'm thinking no decent cop would give a ticket for that, but i was proven wrong.

about 6 hours later, i come to my car, and I got a ticket! i was pissed. $55 down the tubes. damn powercontrol cops, like to ruin my day.

[Doctor Q]

Do you think they have a quota system?

[~Shard~]

Do you think they have a quota system?

The Police Dept. here definitely does - there always seems to be a bunch of tickets being handed out near the end of the month for some reason... :rolleyes:

[YS2003]

When they are out to get someone for revenue (ie. writing up tickets, hoping the receipients of which do not contest and just send in the check), they will find something to write you on. I am very careful where I park as it is my principal not to give any reason to cops for parking tickets (I pay enough taxes already and no need to pay extra to pitch in for them).

[Sun Baked]

At least he didn't also nail you for parking too far away from the curb, write you up for tint, and nail you for equipment violation (rotted wiper blades or a bald spot on a tire) ... :p

[dmw007]

The Police Dept. here definitely does - there always seems to be a bunch of tickets being handed out near the end of the month for some reason... :rolleyes:

Big ol' Christmas Bonuses. :rolleyes:

Sorry to hear about your misfortune MacAztec.

[RandomDeadHead]

Are you really going to pay it? I have never paid a parking ticket, and I've had my fair share. Come to think of it, I havent had one in a few years. They might be cracking down one it now though, Patriot Act and all. Go thing you didn't leave your ACLU card in plain view, they might have towed you and bugged your phone.

But don't be mad at the officer, he has a rough time, protecting the Home Land and all.

[~Shard~]

Big ol' Christmas Bonuses. :rolleyes:

Not even just the end of the year - the end of each month - that makes 12 Christmas bonuses a year! ;)

[devilot]

Do you think they have a quota system?
Someone from my year's father is a cop around here... he says there is no quota per se for the end of the month. What happens to cause that end-of-month flurry of citations is that at the end of the month, the commissioner or chief looks over that month's citations-- he/she assumes that the cops whose names pop up more often, do more actual policing. So it's more for being in good favor than for technicalities. At least around here.

[~Shard~]

Someone from my year's father is a cop around here... he says there is no quota per se for the end of the month. What happens to cause that end-of-month flurry of citations is that at the end of the month, the commissioner or chief looks over that month's citations-- he/she assumes that the cops whose names pop up more often, do more actual policing. So it's more for being in good favor than for technicalities. At least around here.

So basically, there's a quota? :p ;)

[devilot]

So basically, there's a quota? :p ;)
I think quota implies that they are required by law... or they would be demoted or fired. Brown-nosing does not equate job requirement. Just highly recommended. ;)

[absolut_mac]

So, I park it there, and my bumper is about 4" in the Red. I'm thinking no decent cop would give a ticket for that, but i was proven wrong.

about 6 hours later, i come to my car, and I got a ticket! i was pissed. $55 down the tubes. damn powercontrol cops, like to ruin my day.

Sounds about right for that area.

Trust me, most beach areas in California where parking is tight, if you think that you'll get a ticket because your parking is not 100% legal, you will.

Santa Monica used to be the worst, but now that they have plently of free parking, it has eased up somewhat. Still, if you're 1 minute late to feed a parking meter down there, be sure to count on helping the city pay for their Christmas bonuses :eek:

[Roger1]

Welcome to the world of drive. You will soon realize that cars are more expensive than you think.

[wdlove]

Parking tickets are a pain. You should try and contest the ticket. Be sure to take pictures. It's worth a try. Some are successful at having the ticket revoked. Most just pay the ticket because they don't want the hassle. So it depends on if you have the time and inclination. Good luck MacAztec. ;)

[OnceUGoMac]

Parking tickets are a pain. You should try and contest the ticket. Be sure to take pictures. It's worth a try. Some are successful at having the ticket revoked. Most just pay the ticket because they don't want the hassle. So it depends on if you have the time and inclination. Good luck MacAztec. ;)

Contest what? He was in violation. Get over it.

[wordmunger]

Contest what? He was in violation. Get over it.

I got about 5 parking tickets when I lived in New York. Contested every one, and only paid one. But if you'd rather just lie down and pay up, I suppose that's your prerogative. Why not let MacAztec decide -- he's the one who has to pay.

[krimson]

I got a similar ticket in HB a few years ago...

Call NBPD and ask if they will allow you dismissal, because you are not local, and didn't think you were far enough into the red zone for a ticket. It worked for HB, and i've done it in Hollywood (unincorporated, so it's LAPD). I think LAPD only allows one, because the second time they didn't budge.

[slooksterPSV]

At least other places' cops do something, we get people who park in the DO NOT PARK area's and people who park in the Handicap parking who aren't handicapped, but no one gets a ticket, heck people park right on the corner of a street, I thought it was supposed to be 50 feet from a corner. I hate our police.

My friend and his friend was getting threated by this group of people and basically the police told him that they couldn't do anything unless he was got killed by them. I hate Heber Cities police, they suck.

[dmw007]

Not even just the end of the year - the end of each month - that makes 12 Christmas bonuses a year! ;)

They gotta pay for doughnuts somehow. :rolleyes:
MacAztec it seems you just doughnuts for the local police department. ;)

[MacAztec]

So, I don't have any photos, but should I call the Police Department and ask for them to dismiss my ticket? What should I say? Thanks.

[Eevee]

I think quota implies that they are required by law... or they would be demoted or fired. Brown-nosing does not equate job requirement. Just highly recommended. ;)

devilot76 , I went to school in Orange County, and believe me, there is a QUOTA. Almost everyone there knows about it. Sorry MacAztec to hear you got the ticket. And $55 is steep! Can you fight it?

[Eevee]

Does the back of the ticket state how you can contest the ticket?

Even if you can, I do not know if it's worth your trouble. My twin brother got a speeding ticket. He tried to challenge it, ended up getting yelled at by the "referee" and have to pay his time as well as the ticket.

[baummer]

You parked 4" in the red. In the red is in the red. You were wrong, and you got a ticket for it. Pay the ticket and take responsibility for your actions. :rolleyes:

[Sun Baked]

At least other places' cops do something, we get people who park in the DO NOT PARK area's and people who park in the Handicap parking who aren't handicapped, but no one gets a ticket, heck people park right on the corner of a street, I thought it was supposed to be 50 feet from a corner. I hate our police.One of the cities here just announced they will probably be shutting down the photo radar and red light cameras -- because the program doesn't bring in enough money.

Heck, the cities cut jobs when they enacted the photo radar programs and also cut traffic duty patrols to nothing in several cutbacks.

Basically it'll be park wherever you want and drive as fast as you want. Because the police are just too busy to give you a parking/speeding ticket.

And cities wonder where the ticket revenue went. :rolleyes:

[Eevee]

I got a similar ticket in HB a few years ago...

Call NBPD and ask if they will allow you dismissal, because you are not local, and didn't think you were far enough into the red zone for a ticket. It worked for HB, and i've done it in Hollywood (unincorporated, so it's LAPD). I think LAPD only allows one, because the second time they didn't budge.

krimson is right. Since you're not a local, they might let you off the hook this one time.

[MacAztec]

Alright, NBPD has an online ticket thing, and I submitted a thing to contest the ticket. I told them my bumper was 3-4" in the Red, and that I didn't think it would be a problem. I said I have been going there for a long time, and have never had a parking citation. I asked them to dismiss the ticket. Hopefully they will.

[noel4r]

I'm from Los Angeles and I must have paid enough parking tickets to buy me a top of the line powerbook. I hate those guys. They can make it easier by using machines that let you swipe your credit card or your license so you just get a bill every month or so but they wont because parking tickets generate a lot income for the city....

[Eevee]

Good luck MacAztec. I hope the ticket will be dismissed.

[~Shard~]

Good luck MacAztec - if you can get out if it, hey, why not! ;)

[slooksterPSV]

MacAztec is honest, trueful and willing to help anyone, I hope they dismiss it (I purchased my second mac from him :D ) Good luck.

[MacAztec]

MacAztec is honest, trueful and willing to help anyone, I hope they dismiss it (I purchased my second mac from him :D ) Good luck.

Hehe thanks. hope everything is going well with your job and stuff.

[~Shard~]

Hehe thanks. hope everything is going well with your job and stuff.

For a second there I thought you were going to say, "Hehe - fooled ya..." ;)

[MacAztec]

Well, the officer responded to my notice. Basically, he said "The red is the red, you owe us $55.00". Look:

7/21/2005 6:18:47 AM Completed This citation has been upheld, the penalty amount of $55.00 is now due. You will receive confirmation by mail of the results of this review. It will include instructions should you wish to contest the outcome of the review and request a hearing. Hearing forms and instructions are also available online by clicking here.
7/21/2005 6:18:42 AM Upheld The citation is upheld based on evidence that vehicle was parked in a red zone. Red curb indicates no stopping, standing or parking at any time. Unfortunately, any part of car is a violation. There is considerable difference in the degree of violation between 3 to 4" and 100% in cite remarks.

[MacFan782040]

we did the same thing 2 days ago up in Ocean City, MD. We parked our neon about 2 inches into the red, but we took a picture of it with our camera phones just in case. We didn't get a ticket. (It was dark out anyway)

[iGary]

Try living in DC.

Almost 30% of the city's operating income is from red light cameras, speeding cameras and parking tickets.

Almost a half-million dollars a day. :rolleyes:

Don't pay your tickets?

You get booted.