Re: Parking Ticket for USD 255, what do i do about it?


<leo.hou@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1155765214.006082.149000@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
(I'm OP)

Hi PTravel,

Thanks for keeping helping on this issue. It is really a big headache
for me in my second day in the US and it almost ruined my whole week.
:-( Anyway, all the people helped me here gave me a hope and I am
pretty moved. Thank you all.

I called up the traffic violation office and the lady said my best
choice is to write a contest letter and provide everything I want in
the letter. The best result is to get it dismissed and the worst one is
to pay the full amount. So I guess it worth a try and it couldn't be
any worse to write up a contest letter unless I need a hearing. If I
fail and are required to attend the hearing, I would just pay the fine.
Because that doesn't worth the flight ticket back here.

I've never heard of a contest letter, but things may be handled differently
for parking violations. I'd recommend getting pictures of the location that
clearly show the obstruction of the sign and the lack of pavement markings.
As for the letter, I'd describe, as concisely and simply as possible, what
happened, i.e. you parked your car (it wouldn't hurt to mention your a
foreign tourist visiting the US), the location where you parked was marked
with a sign that was obscured by a tree and lacked pavement markings, the
only visible sign indicated that it was a legal parking spot, and you only
discovered the status of the spot when you noticed the ticket.


This is the first time experience in my life to write such a letter. I
hope to get some advice about how to write this letter. Could anyone
point me to any online resources please?

I'll write up a draft letter later tonight and post it here in case I
make any stupid mistakes...... My English is not very good, especially
in law related terminologies.

English isn't your primary language? Your English is extraordinarily
good -- far better than many native English speakers who post on this
newsgroup.


(By the way, if the step between pedestran and street is painted red,
does that mean this is a bus loading zone?

A red curb always means, "no parking," though there may be a number of
reasons for it. Was the red curb clearly visible, i.e. fresh paint?


I don't know the convention
is US. I saw some red steps are marked with "fire lane". The steps next
to where I parked, does not have anything written on it. But it is red)

Uh-oh. I think you just lost. However, it's worth sending the letter.



Best Regards to everybody.

Leo




PTravel wrote:
<leo.hou@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1155745891.194168.103250@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

If I can prove the bus sign is obstructed and there is no bus loading
zone mark on the ground and there is a free public parking sign right
ahead. Will I win the case? Should I hire a lawyer to do that? And how
much would a lawyer cost me in case of win or lose?

Assuming the facts you've described, you'd probably win. Hiring a lawyer
will cost ten times the amount of the fine, and is unnecessary. The
question is whether you can get a hearing on short notice. The citation
will have the name and address of the court. Go there and ask for the
Court
Clerk's office. There should be a window there specifically for parking
and
motor vehicle violations (these are defined by law as "infractions," --
penal, but less serious than misdemeanors and felonies). Tell the clerk
your circumstances.

Note that, in order to make its case against you, the state needs to put
on
witnesses -- in this case, the police officer or "meter maid" who wrote
the
ticket. That means that the hearing won't happen immediately and, most
likely, that it can't happen any sooner than is noticed on the ticket.


About Hertz, the consequences are prettly clear now -- almost the worst
could happen. But if I pay the fine right now, will Hertz still get the
ticket?

No. If you pay the fine, Hertz will never know unless there's some
mistake
made at court.

Will the police department send ticket to car owner right away
or after 21 days? (21 days is the time limit to pay or request a review
on the ticket)

I would think it would take longer than 21 days, but I'd also assume that
would be the minimum.


I think I am asking too much here. But thanks for everyone's help


Leo


Outlawpoet wrote:
Shawn Hirn wrote:
Your best bet is to call the phone number on the ticket to ask about
expediting a hearing on it. Chances are though that you will have to
pay
the ticket and if you contest it, you'll have to pay the court
costs,
plus the original fine.



BTW - If you do decide to contest it, go back and take a photo of the
site first. Make sure the photo clearly shows that the signage was
obstructed. (Date stamp the photo as well.) It would give you a
little
ammunition.




.

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