Last Updated on January 26, 2023 by Lawrence Berezin
Common parking mistakes can be fixed
Common parking mistakes happen all-to-often in Parking Ticket Land. Meanwhile, once upon a time, my first mistake was forgetting to put my paid parking receipt on the dashboard of my chariot. What a shame because I :
- Found a vacant parking space
- Parked
- Paid for parking
- But, put the parking receipt in my pocket instead of in plain sight on the dash of my car, and
- Walked one-half block to the restaurant
However, while sitting in the restaurant with a great view of my parking space, I watched a warrior place a parking ticket on my car. Oops. Sadly, lunch became a little pricier.
Most importantly, my mistake was easy to fix. I had to remember to put the parking receipt on the car.
Table of contents
- Common parking mistakes can be fixed
- Common parking mistake #1
- How to fix the mistake?
- What about yellow paint and a bus stop?
- How to fix the mistake?
- Common parking mistake #2
- What if?
- Must the parking sign be visible from your parking space?
- This one may be painful to fix.
- Common parking mistake #3 can occur when you get an expired meter ticket
- How to fix the common parking meter mistake
- Commentary
- FREE Download
- Related Posts
- Popular Posts
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Common parking mistake #1
What should a driver do if a road marking conflicts with a parking sign? For example, what if a safety zone covers an empty parking space? But, there was a parking sign that permitted 2-hour parking that regulated the safety zone.
Would you park there? How would you solve this parking conundrum?
I’m afraid that if you parked in this conflicted space, you’d get a $115 safety zone ticket. Why? Because a safety zone beats a parking sign.
How to fix the mistake?
Easy. Repeat after me, “a safety zone trumps a parking sign.”
What about yellow paint and a bus stop?
Yellow paint doesn’t mean a thing about parking in NYC. Likewise, here are some common refrains that will cost you money or a curbside parking space:
- “I thought the yellow paint on the curb indicated the length of a bus stop zone.” Ca-ching!
- “It isn’t fair. Ca-ching! I thought the yellow paint showed the length of the no-parking zone.”
- “You mean, I could have parked there even though the curb was painted yellow?” Yes
How to fix the mistake?
Another easy fix. Yellow paint on a curb in NYC doesn’t mean a thing. Ignore it!
Common parking mistake #2
You parked directly in front of a parking sign that allowed 2-hour parking. But you didn’t look for a parking sign behind your car for a parking sign that regulated your parking space. In other words, your parking space can be regulated by a parking sign in front of your car and to the rear of your car. You gotta look in both directions.
But, the good news is when there are two parking signs regulating the same area, but with conflicting restrictions, you can follow the less restrictive sign.
Therefore, if you find one parking sign that allowed parking and another that restricted parking, and you get a parking ticket charging you with the more restrictive parking violation, fight the ticket. You’ll win.
In other words, the less restrictive parking sign wins the battle of the conflicting signs.
What if?
You gleefully pull into a vacant parking space and look in front and behind your car for a parking sign, and don’t see any sign. Are you home-free? Nope. Why?
There only has to be one parking sign anywhere on the block. Here’s Rule 4-08 (a)(1)(i):
(a) General provisions.
NYC Traffic Rules
(1) Compliance with rules. No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle, whether attended or unattended, other than in accordance with authorized signs, pavement markings, or other traffic control devices, unless necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with law or direction of any law enforcement officer or other person authorized to enforce these rules.
(i) Sign placement. For purposes of this §4-08, one authorized regulatory sign anywhere on a block, which is the area of sidewalk between one intersection and the next, shall be sufficient notice of the restriction(s) in effect on that block
Must the parking sign be visible from your parking space?
That’s a tricky question. The Evil Empire consistently rules that a driver must search the entire block for parking signs that regulate a parking space. Likewise, you can park on one end of a long NYC block, and the parking sign regulating your space may be located at the opposite end of the block.. Weather be damned. Ergo, a parking sign does not have to be visible from your parking space.
On the other hand, I have successfully raised the “hidden sign” defense if you can’t read a parking sign while standing or parking in front of the sign.
This one may be painful to fix.
- You may search the entire block to learn about the parking restrictions covering your area.
- Or, search for the first sign in front of and the closest sign to the rear of your parking space (These are the only two signs that may regulate your parking space)
Common parking mistake #3 can occur when you get an expired meter ticket
Mike returned to his car three minutes late and found an expired meter ticket under his wiper. Yikes, $65 bucks. That’s $21.67 per minute!. Meanwhile, Mike grabbed his “smart” phone and paid the fine, “no questions asked.” Do you want to “be like Mike?”
Not me, says Larry B.
How to fix the common parking meter mistake
Before you rush to pay:
- The 5-minute grace period rule applies to the end of the time on your parking receipt. If a warrior or cop issues a ticket and doesn’t give you five minutes to move your car, you win. Fight the evil ticket and present the proper proof properly.
- If the violation is for an expired Muni Meter, a warrior or cop must enter the meter number, not the zone number. The meter number is different than the parking zone number.
Commentary
Any wonderful NYC driver who reads my blog knows I despise paying parking tickets, “no questions asked.” Sadly, there are about 10M evil parking tickets issued every year. And, about 7M are paid, “no questions asked.”
This is the biggest common parking mistake of all. Please, look before your empty your wallet.
FREE Download
The best cure for common parking mistakes is not grandma’s chicken soup. Instead, try Larry’s “Essential Tips About Parking in NYC.” Tips trump mistakes by helping you avoid these costly blunders.
All you have to do is gently press the pretty “Oops!” Button below, share your first name and email address, and boom, chakalaka, Larry’s money-saving guide is yours.
Ready? Click!
Add your first comment to this post