Posted by Larry Berezin on Mon, Jan 04, 2010 @ 04:41 PM
You have to see a parking sign to obey it!
Here is a story with a happy ending about how we fought a NYC parking ticket for a client of ours using the "Hidden Sign" Defense. Betty, a wonderful senior citizen, drove all the way to Brooklyn from New Jersey to spend time with her family. It was a sleep over.
The next day Betty drove her granddaughter to school. She parked her car in a vacant parking space, walked the entire block to make sure she parked legally, read every parking sign that was visible on the street, and walked her granddaughter into school. Betty paid her respects to the teacher, remained with her granddaughter for about 5 minutes, and returned to her car.
The orange invitation to a NYC fund raiser
When Betty reached her car, she was greeted by an orange envelope stuck under her windshield. She was issued a parking ticket for a violation of Code 20 which reads:
"General No Parking: No parking where parking is prohibited by sign, street marking or; traffic control device"
Our client looked high and low for a parking sign regulating her space that prohibited parking. Zilch, zero, nada. She drove back to her son's house and returned to the scene of the crime with him. After searching for a few minutes, Betty's son noticed a parking sign hidden behind a bunch of tree branches. The sign was almost impossible to see.
When you're right-FIGHT
"I did not deserve this parking ticket. How can I obey a parking sign I can't see?" Said Betty. She communicated with with us and explained her story. We suggested she take a photograph of the hidden sign and email it to us; which she did. After looking at the photograph, our recommendation was to fight the NYC parking ticket. Betty did not accept the parking ticket warrior's invitation to a NYC fund raiser.
How to prepare the "Hidden Sign" Defense
You are required by the DOF to submit overlapping photographs of the entire block where the parking sign in dispute is located. You must include photographs of the front and back (when necessary) of each parking sign on the block. If you fail to present the proper proof, properly...YOU LOSE! That means when you contest a parking ticket because of the existence or non-existence of a parking sign, you must absolutely, positively present overlapping photographs of the entire block, with front and back (where necessary) of each and every parking sign to beat your NYC parking ticket.
This may be a pain in the neck. How does it compare to the pain you'll feel from the sting of paying a $115 parking ticket you did not deserve. I hear you. You'll take the photographs.
Here are the photographs we submitted to beat Betty's parking ticket for a violation of Code 20
Commentary:
It is not enough to be right and fight. You must know how to present the proper proof properly. It isn't sufficient to simply submit a photograph of the sign you are disputing. You must submit overlapping photos of the entire block, with images of every parking sign, front and back (when necessary).
This is advice to follow when you dispute any NYC parking ticket. You must know the defense for each parking violation; and submit the proper proof for that defense, properly. Let's take a No Standing- Bus Stop. The defense is that you were stopped temporarily to expeditiously drop off a passenger; and did not interfere with a bus entering or leaving the bus stop zone. That's easy enough, right? Nope.
How do you prove you were in the car; stopping only for 2 minutes or less; dropping a passenger; and did not interfere with a bus entering or leaving the bus stop zone? How do you know when a bus stop zone ends?
When you're right-FIGHT; and know how to present the proper proofs, properly.
Tell us your NYC parking ticket story. We'd love to listen and learn!