Pedestrians vs. The NYC driving public. The prize is beating an NYC parking ticket for “blocking the box”
Ladies and Gentlemen, in the red corner you have NYC pedestrians and residents shouting about noise and traffic congestion. In the green corner, you have the NYC driving public yelling about draconian fines for trying to navigate through a crowded intersection during rush hour. This onerous NYC parking ticket costs $115. This is the main event.
Violation Code (VC) 9 prohibits:
Obstructing traffic at an intersection also known as “Blocking the Box”
The white crosswalk lines in NYC make a box. When a traffic light turns green, and traffic is stopped on the opposite side of the intersection, no operator can enter the box unless there is sufficient unobstructed space beyond the far crosswalk in the lane you are traveling to accommodate your vehicle; despite any traffic control signal allowing you to proceed. Whew, tough assignment.
Background
“Blocking the Box” has been an emotional issue for many years in NYC. In a 2006 study conducted by Borough President Scott Stringer’s office, more than 3,000 blocking the box violations were observed at 10 locations in Manhattan during a single nine-hour period, but no driver received a ticket. As a result of the lack of compliance and enforcement of the NYC moving violation for “Blocking the Box,” legislation was enacted on July 7, 2008, making “Blocking the Box” a parking violation; subjecting the driving public to a fine, but no points.
“Blocking the Box” was accorded dual status as a moving violation and a parking violation.
Impact on the driving public
On one hand, the DOF giveth by eliminating 2 points and adverse impact on your insurance rates. On the other hand, the DOF taketh away by raising the fine in NYC from $90 to $115; and allowing any NYC parking ticket warrior to issue a summons for “Blocking the Box”. Prior to the legislation, only police officers could issue moving violations.
Can you beat this NYC parking ticket?
Yes.
Lawrence Berezin
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how can you beat this ticket, we got one as we approached the box and a woman PO was crossing the street, when she passed our car anther officer scanned our vehicle and I told him I was waiting for her to cross and my right signal is on and I continue into the next lane, never got a ticket there but a prepenalty notice for non payment came in the mail today
it was a left turn lane
Hi Will,
Sorry to hear about your blocking the box pain.
You have a valid defense to the nasty ticket. However, your challenge will be to persuade a judge that you were in the process of making a turn. It is a tough ticket to beat.
Regards,
Larry
got a ticket today for blocking the box.
THE plate number is wrong. Is this be enforced?
Hi, Maria,
Good afternoon. Great luck.
If the plate number is wrong, you win.
You can either fight it or ignore it.
I prefer eliminating bad karma and would fight it.
-Submit photographs of:
The ticket
Your registration
The front of your car
Close-up on registration sticker on windshield
Close-up of plate
I fight ’em online.
Good luck.
Regards,
Larry
was in (NYC) driving on straightaway path with green light person jay walked into street i stopped before the cross walk traffic personnel walked over and scanned (reg) stated i was obstructing traffic at intersection what did i do wrong ? follow zero vision Yield for pedestrians and how it goes No good deed goes unpunished In addition Traffic agent put himself and my passengers into harms way by walking up to the vehicle without me knowing that that was his intentions tax [Name omitted by Larry] traffic/ stop jay walking not safe a lot of people are victims of hit and runs do it the right way next time keep Prevent the pedestrian from Jay walking into oncoming traffic. i will contest this and post the out come thanks for the information .
I moved away from the box and on to the crosswalk to avoid blocking the box onto the crosswalk. The car in front right side of me of making a left turn signal so i yielded for that car. And then right after the pedestrian signal turned white, a Traffic officer walked ever slowly in front of my car and beamed my car registration.
I tried to obey the fullest extent of nys traffic by not block box, yielding turning car but i was in the crosswalk. Can i win with video dashcam recording this?
HI, Jeff,
Good morning.
I would really need to look at the ticket and check out the evil intersection to give you an intelligent, honest reply, which is beyond the scope of the blog.
Good luck fighting the good fight.
Regards,
Larry
Hi Larry,
Trying to dispute a VC9 and my first online attempt failed to sway the judge. I attempted to show their was the intent to entrap motorist at an intersection feeding into the Holland Tunnel -> Broome Street Feeder. The set-up went like this…
1st intersection – a traffic agent (yellow vest) increases the lanes from 3 to 4.
3rd intersection – a traffic agent (yellow vest) decreases the lanes from 4 to 2.
The 2nd / middle intersection – 3 Traffic Enforcement Officers and their Sargent ticketing 2 cars each time the light changed – No traffic agent present.
Any advice on the best approach to fight this. I have the photos of the Ticket Enforcement Officers and Sargent all staring up at the lights and waiting to ticket as soon as the light changes.
Thank you!
Hi, Jahn,
Good morning.
I’m afraid NYC intersections are gold for the Evil Empire, especially during rush hour.
I’ve been complaining about this practice for years, i.e. waiting to ambush drivers rather than directing traffic through the intersections. It has fallen on deaf ears.
If you raise this defense, based on your one experience without expert testimony, you will lose your case.
If you really want to spend the time and money:
-You need more than one sample of this type of deployment to base a case around
-You need to hire a traffic expert to opine that this type of deployment is a trap
-You will lose your fight and appeal
-You will have to file an Article 78 application and present your case in adult court
Kudos for thought and hard work.
Good luck.
Regards,
Larry
Hi Larry,
I also received a ticket at Broome , Holland Tunnel feeder. I got mine for blocking the box during stopped traffic while my light was still green. Can I fight this?
Elias
Hi, Elias,
Good morning.
Getting through an NYC intersection unscathed is a real tough challenge.
I suggest you check out the blog posts I’ve written beating blocking the box tickets for a detailed analysis of how to beat these nasty tickets.
Your best bet may be to look for omitted, misdescribed, or eligible required elements. if you find one or more, you win subject to presenting the proper proof, properly.
If none, some defenses are:
-Turning
-The Warrior not entering your name on the ticket
-Telling your story to the judge. Why didn’t you make it through the box
Good luck, Elias
Regards,
Larry
Just want to say I too was entrapped and ticketed on Broome. We sat on Broome st. patiently for an hour in traffic going to the Holland tunnel. We didn’t honk we just quietly complained to each other. At one of the final lights there was an actual traffic officer(first one we say in 6 blocks) they gestured us to move to the far right lane and then we passed the box on a green light (our tail was on the crosswalk) inching forward and then the ticket agent banged our window and zapped our sticker. There were 5 of those same ticket agents standing on the corner. We pulled over and I got out to talk to them explaining the officer instructed us to move to the location, we would have gladly waited in our slow lane. Sad that this is our city’s money at work, could have used 5 people actually directing traffic and 2 ticketing but it was the complete other way around.
Hi, Brina,
I am very sorry to hear about your totally unjust ticket.
It is a crying shame that the Evil Empire doesn’t have the Warriors directing traffic instead of ambushing drivers during rush hour.
Good luck.
Regards,
Larry
Just got ticket blitzed for “blocking the box” on Broome and Watts yesterday. Light was still green as the oncoming traffic was still sitting at their red light and i ended up in crosswalk. I was in the box for 5 seconds saw the traffic cop walking towards me and I pulled my car into the right lane and proceeded into lane but he banged on the rear of my car to stop and proceeded to ticket me. He put my first name only on ticket no vin # no year no exp date. Do I have a chance to fight this? Thank you
Hi, Linda,
Sorry about your blocking the box pain!
1. Your first name is sufficient
2. Vin # is not a required element and will not win a dismissal
3. The year your car was born is not a required element
4. If the registration expiration date is displayed on the windshield or plate, you win subject to submitting the proper proof, properly. For example, a vehicle registered in NY does not display the reg.exp.date on the windshield nor the plate, while a vehicle registered in Virginia does
Good luck.
Regards,
Larry