Last Updated on November 29, 2014 by Lawrence Berezin
5 NYC parking ticket tips that will save you money and angst
I was thinking about the meaning of stuff on a quiet Sunday, when I decided to write a blog post offering some NYC parking ticket tips to the driving public.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve used the word, “tips” in a sentence. But, I never knew the meaning of the word, “tips.” Do you?
“Tips” stands for…”To insure proper service,” and should be offered before the service is commenced, “to insure proper service.” I didn’t know that!
Let’s start our 5 parking ticket tips with a visual aide
Learning is relentless repetition
All of these tips may sound familiar because we’ve shared them on our website. But, reading something once, twice, or even three times, doesn’t mean you own the knowledge. Let’s learn ’em for the first time, or the 10th time. Most importantly, can you apply your knowledge on the chaotic roadways of NYC?
No signs, or other notice required to warn the driving public. This harsh law went into effect way back in 1956. It means if a parking ticket warrior issues one itty, bitty, parking ticket, she can call in Captain Hook. Oh boy. Park safely.
I love this rule. Even muni meters need to rest up for the busy week ahead. But, even though you don’t have to feed the meters on Sundays, you still have to obey parking signs, IF the rule on the parking sign is in effect all days, all times, or anytime
You have 5 minutes to walk to a muni meter, pay for parking, secure your muni meter receipt, and place it on the dashboard of your car. And, you have 5 minutes to move your chariot after the expiration of your time. If a parking ticket issued during this wonderful 5-minute grace period, you can fight it and win. I love 5-minute grace periods. The more the merrier.
The first thing you may wish to do after receiving an evil, orange, epistle containing a dose of stomach acid, is search for omitted, misdescribed, or illegible required elements. Required elements are bit size bits of information that a parking ticket warrior is required to enter on a parking ticket to successfully grab your money. If you want to drill a little deeper, a warrior doesn’t have to personally appear in court to establish a prima facie parking ticket case against you. The parking ticket appears, and the required elements are the testimony that establishes the case against you.
However, if the required elements are defective, the parking ticket (and warrior) cannot establish a prima facie case against you, and the parking ticket is dismissed.
Never, ever, under any circumstances fail to look for inaccurate required elements. They are you “get out of jail” free cards.
A bus stop zone begins at the bus stop sign and extends in the direction of the arrow(s) on the bus stop sign until; the next parking sign, or the end of the block
I have been privy to so many thoughts about the length of bus stops that my head is spinning. My best advice, stay out of bus stop unless it’s an emergency to stop in one. If you do get a parking ticket, the defense to a bus stop parking ticket is that you stopped temporarily to expeditiously drop off or pick up my Aunt Tilly (people not packages); and didn’t block a bus entering or leaving the bus stop zone. This is a tough defense to prove.
Commentary
Time for futbol!
I got a ticket but it was damaged by water. Some parts of the ticket are illegible. Is that considered a damage ticket that would be dismissed?
Dear Steve,
Good evening.
Unfortunately, a NYC parking ticket can take a licking, but it keeps on ticking.
The only copy that matters is the one entered on the Evil Empire’s website. It is destruction proof.
Good luck, Steve.
Best,
Larry