We’ve all been there. Shopping, working or otherwise occupied, while our vehicle awaits our return. Then, what do we notice as we approach the car, but an unwelcome slip of paper tucked neatly underneath the driver’s side windshield wiper. A parking ticket! Ugh. The horror! The inconvenience! The expense! The impact on your insurance! We understand the frustration. And, as a service to our customers and friends, we wanted to devote this blog post to tips designed to help you fight the frustration of a police officer’s menacing calling card.
How to Fight a Parking Ticket
Don’t get a ticket in the first place!
We know this is easier said than done. But it bears repeating. The best way to avoid all of the hassles of a parking ticket are to make sure you stay well above the fray:
- Before parking, pay attention to road signs. Determine if parking is legal for the day/time period and amount of time you plan to park.
Do you pay attention to road signs? - Figure out whether the area is metered. If so, make sure you follow directions and don’t go even one minute beyond the minutes you have purchased. Better safe than sorry. So, if you plan to be gone an hour, pay for one hour and 15 minutes.
Download a relevant, parking-related app. Multiple municipalities create parking apps designed for their city streets. The apps typically list available parking lots, along with associated fees and regulations. Some send notifications when time is running short. In fact, you may even be able to add minutes without returning to the car.- Once you park, make sure your vehicle rests safely within the limit lines. You could be ticketed if even one tire crosses over into a handicapped space. And if you travel with a handicapped sticker, make sure you only use it when the person who qualified for it is riding with you in the car.
If you get a ticket:
- Read it carefully
Survey it for errors, which could render the ticket void. These could include the issuing officer’s failure to correctly describe the make or model of your car, incorrect date and time signature, or failure by the issuing officer to legibly print or sign his or her name. Also, make sure the violated statute is listed, as well as the proper license plate number. If you can get off on a technicality, why not try? - Take a pic
If you believe the officer wrongly issued a ticket, plan to fight it using photographic evidence. When you show up to court, you will stand a much better chance of winning if you provide a picture that documents the incident. For instance, if the ticket is for parking too close to a handicapped space, take a snapshot of the tires in relation to the limit lines.
If you get a parking ticket, take a picture to prove your innocence. - Check out the statute you violated
Paying careful attention to potential loopholes. For example, sometimes, a statute will include the term “visible” or “obvious.” In such a case, a dilapidated or blocked sign is neither visible or obvious. You could successfully fight the citation.
- Appeal
Don’t stash the ticket. Deal with it immediately, since appeals typically enjoy only a short window of opportunity. If you fail to appeal on time, you could be responsible for the ticket as well as late fees. The ticket may include a space for a written appeal. But that space is seldom sufficient for any respectable explanation and defense. Instead, attach a type-written, printed your appeal. In it, be brief, clear, unemotional, and respectful. - Show up
In many cases, judges dismiss tickets if the associated officer fails to show. But know that if the officer does make an appearance, your appeal will likely be denied, and you could face a stiffer penalty than if you had just relented and paid on receipt.
About C&L Auto Body in Covina
You have options when it comes to auto body repair needs which result from an accident. And it is illegal for your insurance company to demand you use one shop over another. The “go-to” partner for auto body repair in the San Gabriel Valley since 1970 is C&L Auto Body. We will even help you arrange for a rental car and work directly with your insurance company, so you won’t have to! C&L Auto Body is owned and operated by the Buonsanti family, who strives to treat clients like family. Come by the shop at 781 E San Bernardino Road in Covina, contact us via email today, call (626) 445-6630 or visit CandLAutoBody.com.