Last Updated on October 27, 2022 by Lawrence Berezin
Beating an NYC bus stop parking ticket takes relentless learning
Bus stop parking tickets. I made a New Year’s resolution and need your help accomplishing my goal. I am committed to teaching every single solitary member of the NYC driving public how to interpret the bus stop parking rule and offer strategies to avoid or beat NYC bus stop parking tickets.
We are a community, a team, and a parking ticket for standing in a bus stop zone is beaucoup de bucks. So, let’s begin.
These are Larry’s essential words to remember.
- A bus stop parking ticket is a NO-STANDING violation. This means you can stop temporarily and expeditiously drop off or pick up a passenger and go. So why is a bus stop parking ticket so difficult to fight and win? Because…
- There are two (2) words in the parking rule that are poison to the driving public, and they are:
- “Temporarily,” and;
- “Expeditiously”
- You can “stand temporarily” in a bus stop zone. “Lasting for only a limited period; not permanent. “a temporary job.”
- You must “expeditiously” and “With efficiency or in an efficient manner” drop off or pick up a passenger.
- Since a bus stop violation is a NO STANDING violation, you cannot unload your property to the curb (A client of ours received a parking ticket for exiting a car in a bus stop zone holding her business briefcase, which the warrior considered to be unloading property to the curb…absurd).
The secret
You’ve got a short time to stop, drop off, or pick up a passenger in a bus stop zone. And you must carry out this process in an efficient manner. In reality, a parking ticket warrior sees a car stopped for ten (10) seconds in a bus stop zone while unloading a passenger—a perfectly legal activity.
However, the warrior issues an NYC parking ticket, which essentially says the warrior swears they observed you standing in a bus stop zone for a period that equals more than temporarily or inefficiently discharging your passenger. How are you going to rebut this “sworn testimony?”
The secret is you can’t.
I represented a father who picked up his daughter at the train station from school every day. The father parked his car two blocks from the train station, and when his daughter was walking down the staircase from the train platform, she called her father on her cell phone. The father and daughter stayed in touch by cell phone.
The problem was the father stopped to pick up his daughter in a bus stop zone. Her father drove the two blocks and picked his daughter up at the curb. The entire process, from Dad’s arrival at the curb with his daughter standing by the curb through the daughter entering the car, took less than one minute.
We submitted affidavits and photographs. We lost at the original hearing and lost the appeal. My point is to try your absolute best to avoid standing in a bus stop zone. You can beat the parking ticket if you can persuade a judge the warrior lied about the length of your stop…I’ve won, but it is not an easy trick.
Last bus stop secret
As we all know from reading Larry’s Blog. A bus stop zone begins at the bus stop sign and extends in the direction of the arrow(s) until the next parking sign, or if no parking sign, the end of the block. Please, promise me you will not call and say that you parked far enough away from the movement for a bus to fit. Please, don’t say other people parked in the bus stop zone and didn’t get a ticket.
Locate the bus stop sign, identify the arrow(s) and the direction(s) the arrow points, and find the next parking sign in the direction of the arrow. Or if there is no parking sign at the end of the block.
Promise? Please help me carry out my New Year’s Resolution. Have you ever defeated the evil bus stop parking ticket? Please share how. Let’s share some ideas and see if we can build the perfect defense. I’m counting on you.
[Larry’s note: The Full Monty: “No person shall stand or park a vehicle other than an authorized bus in its assigned bus stop when any such stop has been officially designated and appropriately posted except that the operator of a vehicle may temporarily stand therein to expeditiously receive and discharge passengers provided such standing does not interfere with any bus about to enter or leave the such zone.”]
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24 Comments
I want to know if there is a bus stop sign and then the next sign says no parking Monday and points to right, is it ok to park behind the sign, or is it still considered a bus stop?
Hi Dawn,
Good evening.
The bus stop ends at the next sign in the direction of the arrow(s). Period.
Now, you’re faced with a no parking sign, Monday. If the arrow points to
the right that means there is no parking to the right of the no parking sign
until the next parking sign in the direction of the arrow.
The no parking Monday sign has to jobs. First, it ends the bus stop zone.
Second, it starts a no parking Monday zone in the direction of the arrow,,
until the next parking sign.
Whew…Good luck.
Best
Larry
Today I was in my car stopped bus stop for second to answer my call then dot saw me sneeked me up and buzz the ticket on my registration and I say hey why ticket Dot should have say me move but no warning I left ASAP leaving agent middle of street stupid I know I will get mail the ticket
Hi, Chaim,
What a shame.
1. Check for defective required elements
2. Check to see if the Warrior entered your name on the parking ticket
Good luck.
Regards,
Larry
I was parked on river ave in the Bronx. it is one continuous block at least a quarter of a mile long. there is a bus stop sign with an arrow. there are no other parking signs which would indicate where the “no standing” would stop. the next sign is approx. a quarter mile away near yankee stadium. I was parked at least 100 feet from the bus stop sign and got towed. this is such a scam. not to mention they charged me for a boot which I know was never physically put on the car. any suggestions on how to fight this ticket?
Wendy,
I am so sorry about the boot and tow. I railed against this despicable practice in yesterday’s blog post. I’m in the process of trying to start a wave of protest against double dipping.
Please email me a copy of the boot notice (if you got one) at larry@newyorkparkingticket.com
Any defects on the front of the ticket? If so, you win if they are omitted, misdescribed, or illegible required elements.
Otherwise, if you didn’t stop, drop, and expeditiously vamoose, did you park in between the bus stop sign and the next parking sign in the direction of the arrow?
Best,
Larry
Do u have to show a driver licence
Juan,
Good morning.
Warriors are supposed to ask you for your driver’s license and enter your name on the parking ticket. I don’t know if there’s a penalty for refusing to show your driver’s license.
I’ll leave the that decision to your good judgment.
Best,
Larry
It was very dark out. In a super crowded area. There was a bus stop way ahead of the of the block. I stopped for literally ten seconds at the end of the block to determine if it was metered parking because there were three other vehicles there. I didn’t even put the car into park, my foot was on the brake for this ten seconds. By this time, an NYPD car blocked my vehicle and the lady came out and asked me to turn off the ignition and proceeded to write a ticket. I promptly took pictures- which will corroborate to how dark it was out, how far my car was standing away from the bus stop(I’m not saying it’s okay to park in that case, but obviously it’s that dark, I couldn’t see the bus stop from that far back. -how there were atleast two other vehicles parked there(making me think it’s a meter parking zone). It hurts me to pay 115 for standing in spot long enough to determine whether I could park there or not. Do you think I have a good defense in this case?
Dear Aria,
I am sad to report (after dedicating 6 years, 7-days-per-week, with two months off for my heart attack) that I will no longer be answering questions on Larry’s Blog. You’ll find a treasure trove of information in the 746 Blog Posts and growing, F.A.Q.’s, and comments.
If you need help, you may wish to check out of service offerings. Here’s a link.
https://newyorkparkingticket.com/passenger-vehicles/
I just got a ticket for nonstd-bus stop mailed to me from over a month ago. I was told to move at the time. The nose of my car was over the line. I had pulled over to connect my Bluetooth. I never got a ticket. Never was asked for my license. Yet now I’ve got a violation in the mail. Is that even allowed?!?
Hi Jennifer,
Good morning.
I’m sad to say that getting the bad news by mail is a common occurrence. The reasons are varied and may include: The warrior not wanting a confrontation, the warrior only able to scan, or grab a plate number, but not able to get to your car in time, etc.
You can always claim lack of proper service, but the real challenge is proving that you didn’t receive the parking ticket at the scene of the alleged parking crime.
My recommendation is to check the front of the ticket for omitted, misdescribed or illegible required elements. if you uncover one or more, you win upon presenting the proper proof, properly.
(Your reason for standing in a bus stop zone is not a winning defense…Sorry, Jennifer).
Regards,
Larry
I got a ticket in a place where only the half bottom of a bus sign exists, hidden by constructions of a building, but still visible if you try hard to see it, there is no arrows for the directions of the no-parking area, but the sign located just before an intersection, is this a legit ticket?
Hi Itsik,
Good morning.
Tough to say without looking at the ticket and the parking area.
Tips…
1) No arrows means the sign regulates the curb space in both directions until the next parking sign or end of the block
2) If a sign is hidden from view, you may be able to raise the “hidden sign” defense
3) A “hidden sign” means that the sign is not visible from anywhere on the block. If it’s a little visible, it’s going to be tough to win
Good luck.
Regards,
Larry
I got a ticket for allegedly parking in a bus stop. However I parked at a “T-intersection” on the first curb cut, which according to NYC DOT Parking regulations, is legal. The bus stop is past the second curb cut and farther than 100 feet (I measured). Does the first curb cut technically end the block? If not is there any defense that could work here?
I have multiple pictures to support my case.
Hi Jamal,
I am sorry to report that a curb cut does not technically end the block. A bus stop extends from the bus stop sign in the direction of the arrow(s) to the next parking sign or the end of the block.
Regards,
Larry
Good Afternoon Larry,
I received a ticket for parking at a bus stop. I was parked several feet in front of the next parking sign as show below.
(Bus stop) (car) (parking sign)
The problem is that the parking sign had an arrow pointing in both directions, indicating to me that parking was allowed in front of or behind the sign. I even asked a nearby parking officer who told me I could park there. I was found guilty and am in the process of appealing. Do you have any advice?
Thank you,
Jehan
Hi Jehan,
Oh man, you got caught in the killing fields of a bus stop zone.
Your intent or interpretation of a rule is not an element of a parking violation. In other words, you don’t have to intend to violate a parking rule. It’s enough to just violate the rule.
A bus stop zone extends from the arrow(s) on the bus stop sign until the next parking sign, or if none, the end of the block. A bus stop rule is a no standing violation that is in effect all days and all times.
If you park in a bus stop zone, the meaning you imputed to the rule displayed by the sign is of no consequence. You can’t park in a bus stop zone unless:
-You stopped temporarily to expeditiously drop off or pick up a passenger and leave the zone immediately and don’t block a bus from entering or leaving the bus stop.
Sorry, Jehan. If the defense in the prior paragraph doesn’t fit the facts, I would check for omitted, misdescribed, or illegible required elements. If none, sadly, I don’t have a winning defense for you.
Regards,
Larry
Conditions:
A) 1 Bus Stop sign with arrow pointing in one direction.
B) NO second bus stop sign.
C) Between Bus Stop sign arrow’s direction and block end there are two cut our driveways.
D) I parked in the middle of the two cut out driveways which was by tepe measure, and I know you’ve said distance does not matter, 45 feet from sign.
E) Received ticket.
Hi Will,
Good morning.
Bus stops are confusing.
I bus stop zone extends in the direction of the little arrow on the bus stop sign until the next parking sign (not bus stop sign…can be any parking sign) or if none, the end of the block. A driveway has absolutely no effect on the length of a bus stop zone.
In your case, if there wasn’t another parking sign on the block in the direction of the little arrow, then the bus stop extends until the end of the block. Again, a driveway doesn’t end a bus stop.
Please don’t shoot the messenger.
Regards,
Larry
What are my chances if I appear in person that I can get that ticket reduced?
Thanks…
Actually, after reading through your comments again, I looked at the ticket more closely. The address listed as the location of the violation doesn’t exist and, if it did, it would actually be on the legal side of the arrow. Do I have to dispute this in person or can I do it online?
Not from here but have been coming to the Bronx for over a year. I have never received any ticket and I have parked in the same spot may times before. I know the concourse is free parking on Sunday but I came down to my truck and I had a ticket for a bus stop standing violation. I know I was close to bus stop but I was close to the end of the block but there are no other signs or anything that dictates no parking. Ticket was printed at 7:03a and its mothers a day. Is this $115 ticket a ticket that adds points to my license? Is there anything that I can do or would I just pay the damn ticket and move on with my life.
Hi Johnny,
Oh man. Sorry to hear about the painful parking situation.
Meanwhile, a bus stop zone starts at the bus stop sign and extends in the direction of the arrow(s) to the next parking sign, but if none, then to the end of the block.
If it’s any relief, there are no points attached to a parking ticket.
Likewise, I would check for any mistakes on the front of the ticket. If you find a misdescribed, omitted, or illegible required element, you win, subject to presenting the proper proof.
Good luck.
Regards,
Larry