Last Updated on June 19, 2023 by Lawrence Berezin
I surrendered my plates but still got an NYC Parking Ticket.
Has this ever happened to you? I got a call from a wonderful person, Joan, who destroyed her plates when she sold her car. However, her old plates were still issued a bunch of parking tickets for various violations, and the Evil Empire was looking to Joan for payment.
Yikes!
Meanwhile, Joan fought a couple of those parking tickets herself by raising the “sold car, surrendered plates” defense; and submitted the following evidence, but to no avail:
- DMV receipt confirming the plates were destroyed
Sadly, the evidence was not sufficient to beat the evil tickets.
Yikes.
How can this happen? Likewise, what’s a person to do?
The mystery of the demolished plates was solved.
Can you guess how we solved the mystery? Here’s how:
- Joan received one parking ticket for mismatched registration and plates.
- In other words, the number on the plates attached to the car did not match the plate number on the registration sticker.
- However, Joan was still issued a parking ticket even though the plates attached to the car did not belong to Joan.
- Therefore, the plate number on the registration sticker must have been Joan’s Achilles heal.
- Meanwhile, all the other warriors and cops who issued parking tickets to Joan scanned the registration sticker but didn’t take the time to check the plates.
Yikes.
I asked Joan
By any chance, did you leave your registration sticker on the windshield when you sold your car?
Joan’s answer was, “Yes.”
Therefore, it wasn’t the plates returning from the dead plate graveyard. It was the registration sticker still living on the windshield that was the culprit. Mystery solved.
But what about the outstanding parking tickets?
I am happy to say that there is a winning defense.
Here’s what the Evil Empire has to say:
Commentary
One of my biggest takeaways from helping Joan is that when we sell or otherwise dispose of our cars, we must remove the registration (and inspection) stickers from the windshield. Otherwise, we may be responsible for a neverending wave of parking tickets.
Secondly, if somehow we still get a parking ticket after properly disposing of our plates and removing the stickers, remember to submit all the evidence needed to defeat the evil parking tickets (proof of canceled insurance coverage is a must).
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When was the last time Captain Hook paid your car an unwelcomed visit? Meanwhile, I can still remember the pain from my immediate brain freeze when I returned to the parking space and found a different car parked there. Likewise, it cost me beaucoup de bucks to be reunited with my car.
Here’s a FREE guide I prepared entitled, “Towed Vehicles: Frequently Asked Questions.” Most importantly, I hope you never have to use it.
I have a question off topic. I take the Gowans / BQE to work everyday. The last two years have been a disaster, since they took away a lane between Atlantic Avenue and the Brooklyn Bridge. On my return trip (around 3pm) the traffic is so bad that Waze always tell me to take the Jakie Robinson Pkwy. I heard rumors that politicians and activists are putting forth plans for the new BQE that are being considered that would have bike lanes or only two lanes of traffic. I did various searches on the internet but only came up with names of these activists nothing about details. They do talk how there should be less cars as if everyone driving on the BQE at 8am is going for a leisurely stroll and that everyone on the road has the option to take the train, bike or walk. I have a nephew who drives a commercial vehicle from south Brooklyn to the Bronx everyday he says if the commute takes even a few minutes longer he would have to stop servicing customers outside south Brooklyn. Is there any where that I can see and have a voice against these plans. I believe if such plans, if true, would be another reason for people and businesses to leave NYC. Thank you for a great web-site
Hi Tee,
There’s always something!
Here’s a quote from an article in Streetsblog
Thank you so much for the information. I read the article in Streetsblog. I understand the politicians are concerned for their constituents but aren’t the drivers who use the BQE part of the equation? I can guarantee you if you would ask any driver stuck on Hicks street or on the BQE at 8am why they are there they would tell you to get to work and mass transit doesn’t work for them for what ever reason. They also write in the article they want more traffic to go to the tunnel and to make HOV lanes. Both of these ideas are ludicrous. Did these people ever step foot on the BQE? Since I drive there every day I can tell you as soon as you come to the entrance lane for the bridge you technically have three lanes and you start moving at 60 mph until the Kosciusko Bridge. I don’t see that many cars using the bridge in the first place most drivers I see are going further north so the tunnel wouldn’t work for them. In any case, why wouldn’t the politicians want traffic to move at a normal even pace. The way i see it if they made a normal 6 lane highway from the Verrazano Bridge until the Kaskiasko Bridge you would have traffic flowing at least the speed limit and you wouldn’t the overflow into the side streets.
Well said, Tee.
Regards,
Larry
My answer is don’t vote for Democrats officials. Just think of why NYC has becoming a crime city since COVID-19; No-Bail Law. And the NYC Dumb-Ass (DA) catch & release all criminals. Also, many NYC officials are a bunch of idiots running the city.
Thanks, DIY-Guy for sharing your opinion.
Regards,
Larry
Mr. Berezin
On your last post This Is How To Make NYC Street Cleaning Worse there was no place to leave a comment. My comment is, I always thought NYC politicians were there to make life easier for their NYC residents. And this guy wants to nickle and dime us. He wrote that we should park in garages. Where I live in south Brooklyn there are no garages. I believe this guy has an agenda and its not about clean streets He wants no cars.
I just want to give a quick comment on the BQE. Tonight there was a news item how Pennsylvania turned over heaven and earth to get the i95 bridge open in 2 weeks. Why? because its a vital roadway, and what is the BQE? Its also a vital hiway going all the way from the Gothels Bridge all the way up to the Bronx. Its the only roadway commercial vehicle can take.
Tee Kay
Hi Tee,
Once again you set the gold standard for insightfull commments.
Enjoy the 4th!
Regards,
Larry