Don’t Stand in a NYC Bus Stop Zone until you read this

Why you can’t beat a parking ticket for standing in a bus stop zone

In my humble opinion, an NYC parking ticket for no standing in a bus stop zone is one of the most difficult parking tickets to beat. Here’s the rule:

“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 for the purpose of expeditiously receiving and discharging passengers provided such standing does not interfere with any bus about to enter or leave such zone”

What proof can you offer to persuasively persuade a parking ticket judge you:

• Stopped your chariot “temporarily?”
• Picked up or discharged a passenger “expeditiously?”
• Did NOT interfere with any bus about to enter or leave such zone?

Please keep in mind by simply issuing a parking ticket (and entering all the required elements accurately), a warrior successfully establishes a prima facie case against you…In other words, you start out guilty. It now behooves you to present the proper proof properly to persuade a parking ticket judge the cop or parking ticket warrior lied, made a mistake of law or fact, or was out to gotcha.

It is of little or no consequence your friendly passenger or prospective passenger swears at the top of her lungs that everything you testified to in your affidavit is the truth, the whole- truth, and nothing but the truth” signed Epstein’s Mother.

What if you do get a parking ticket for a bus stop violation?

How long is a bus stop zone?

Larry’s Top 10 Tips:

• A defense is not, “I parked far enough away from the bus stop sign,” “I parked at least 25 feet away from the bus stop sign,” “Other cars were parked closer to the bus stop sign and didn’t get a parking ticket,” or “How the H–L am I supposed to know the length of a bus stop zone?”
• Check for omitted, misdescribed, or illegible required elements on the front of your parking ticket. If you find one or more, you win upon application and presenting the proper proof properly
• Don’t ask Larry (that’s me) to fight the parking ticket for you because I’ve had little luck beating this evil orange epistle. I’m convinced it is the devil’s work
• If you’re discharging a passenger, what line and what time was the bus supposed to arrive (be very specific)
• Can you film your arrival in the bus stop zone, your passenger entering or exiting the vehicle, and your car departing the bus stop zone on your cell phone camera?
• Tell a detailed story and present it in an affidavit
• Prepare a detailed statement by your witness and present it in an affidavit or certification.
• Don’t forget to authenticate the film by certifying to its truth, accuracy, date, time, place, and the identity of the camera person (must sign the certification)
• Don’t forget you cannot pick up a passenger carrying any property (like a suitcase or groceries). You can only pick up or discharge an empty-handed passenger
• Check the space on the front of your parking ticket for comments. If it’s empty use it to prove you did not interfere with a bus

Knowledge is power

Learn as much as possible about how to beat a bus stop violation. Here are some earlier blog posts:

• How to Beat a Parking Ticket for No Standing Bus Stop
• Bus Stop Cancellations Trap Eliminated

Commentary

Please try your absolute best to stay away from a bus stop zone. However, if you really must stop, drop or pick up, and go in a bus stop zone, be sure to do some heavy cogitating about how to prove your case.

I love storytelling with lots of facts and no conclusions. Your facts should persuade the judge to draw the conclusion you wish. Who was it that said, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” (No, not Roy Rodgers).

[Larry’s note: Photograph of the car in bus stop zone is via “Uncivil Servants.” This is a website that posts photographs of abuse of parking permits and disobeying parking signs. Worth a visit!…UPDATE_website ]