Double Parking Ticket
Yesterday at 4:20 pm, I double parked my car outside my home on Wash Ave to off-load my 3 and 7 year old. I left the flashers on and my wife came down the stoop to pick them up. In the 4 min transaction an 88 Precinct patrol car pulled in front of my car…
Yesterday at 4:20 pm, I double parked my car outside my home on Wash Ave to off-load my 3 and 7 year old. I left the flashers on and my wife came down the stoop to pick them up. In the 4 min transaction an 88 Precinct patrol car pulled in front of my car and issued a ticket even though they saw the kids. Arguing was in vain and the officer said she ‘wanted to teach me a lesson’. However, the ticket was incomplete and omitted the time. I plan on contesting it and have three witnesses who saw the bizarre exchange. Any advice?
Go the defective ticket route. You are pissed because everybody double parks and you got nailed, but it IS illegal.
The way I look at it, I weigh the few parking tickets I’ve ever gotten against the numerous times I’ve flouted the rules for my own convenience, and I think I’m still ahead.
Bond — that’s not the rule. Double-parking is forbidden for non-commercial vehicles, period.
Rule #46 — http://www.nyc.gov/html/dof/html/parking/park_tickets_violations.shtml
Of course, this meter maid is a douche bag. But…
DOT FAQ says “Double parking of passenger vehicles is illegal at all times, including Alternate Side Parking Regulation days, regardless of location, purpose or duration.” So pay the fine, you obnoxious double-parker!
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/faqs/faqs_traffic.shtml
But according to DOF http://www.nyc.gov/html/dof/html/pdf/translations/got_tickets_english.pdf p10, it says “I was dropping off or picking up a passenger” is a possible defense for Code-46 Double Parking. So you should be able to get off on the defective ticket or on the dropping-off defense.
Relevant discussion here…
http://www.newyorkparkingticket.com/Blog/bid/30673/How-to-Avoid-NYC-Parking-Tickets-for-Double-Parking
As defined in Section 4-01 of Chapter 4 of Title 34 of the Rules of the City of New York, Standing is “(1) The stopping of a vehicle,(2) whether occupied or not, (3) otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in receiving or discharging passengers.”
How exactly is the officer supposed to know how long the person has been there? Ask the car owner and hope for an honest answer?
I guess I don’t understand the mindset of ‘I’m guilty, I say I’m guilty, but I shouldn’t face any repercussions.’
Double parkers cause lots of problems for other drivers, they take up lanes that would otherwise support traffic, make other drivers have to merge into the other lane in close quarters..etc. This is not a victimless issue, except for the double parkers themselves.
Actually, you’re not guilty. “Standing” if memory serves me correctly is the expedious loading or unloading of passengers. So technically, if your story is complete, you were standing. There is no ticket for “no double standing”, only “No standing zones”.
I’m surprised by the “you’re guilty, pay the fine” comments. Sure, it’s illegal, but it’s stupid to enforce it for someone who’s unloading kids for 4 minutes. Like giving a ticket for jaywalking, or for biking through a red light in Central Park. Agents should use common sense.
I would mail it in to get it dismissed as defective for the missing time.
I had a ticket with wrong license plate (one digit off) and wrong color listed. I did write to contest and went through the protocol. It was dismissed.