NYC parking tickets are creating quite a stir
I’ve been blogging regularly for the past six years, publishing between 3-6 articles per week. It was time for a break to recharge the old mental batteries. I published my last blog article on December 9, 2014.
Well, I’m back. My batteries are fully recharged, and I’m ready to rock and roll.
I figured we’d kick off 2015 with some NYC parking tickets news. And, there are some great stories about:
- A major police slow down issuing NYC parking tickets
- Apple Pay
- Proposed new muni meter legislation
- Fighting a parking ticket online
NYC parking violations impacted by police slowdown
In response to a perceived lack of support for the police by Mayor de Blasio, and the horribly tragic execution of two NYC police officers, there has been a significant downturn in police enforcement activity.
During the first week of the enforcement declines, in fact, crime went down. But in the second week, the statistics showed an uptick: Robberies rose 13.5 percent over the week, to 361 from 318 a year ago. Murders increased to 11 for the week that ended Sunday, from seven in the same week a year earlier.
The numbers, disclosed on Monday, reveal a downturn in nearly every category of arrest — including gun possession and drunken driving — and all three categories of summons activity, parking violations, (down 93 percent to 1,191 from 16,008); traffic infractions (down 92 percent, to 749 from 9,349); and low-level crimes (down 91 percent).” (source, NY Times)
You don’t need a new pair of glasses. Parking violations written by police officers declined from 16,008 to 1,191 since the slowdown.
Apple Pay is asked to submit an RFI
The Evil Empire requested information from Apple Pay, PayPal, and bitcoin. If feasible, drivers will be able to use their smartphones to pay for parking tickets.
While the city assumes the process will be better than the current setup, it says it has much to learn about the mobile technology market and whether its adoption would be viable. The RFI will assist its “understanding [of] the current market environment for mobile payment options,” it said.
The Evil Empire says they’re hoping that a smart phone payment app will help the driving public eliminate penalties imposed for late payment (after 30 days). Pardon my cynicism for believing that the reason is to get parking fine money, quicker. What do you think?
Proposed new muni meter legislation
There is a bill pending in the NYC Council that would make the process to park at a broken muni meter less wicked. Currently, if you wish to park in a space regulated by a broken muni meter, you are required to:
- Search for an operational muni meter on both sides of the block
- File a report on 311 website
- Present proof that all the muni meters on both sides of the block were broken, if (when) you get a parking ticket
You are more likely to win the “Great Race” than to successfully complete this parking ticket iron man competition.
Here’s the text of the new law:
By Council Members Greenfield, Cumbo, Eugene, Gentile, Koo, Lancman, Richards, Rose and Wills
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to allowing parking at missing or broken muni-meters up to the maximum time permitted in that parking meter zone. Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision b of section 19-167.1 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended to read as follows:
b. If fifty percent or more of all muni-meters in a parking field or on one side of the street of a block are missing or broken, a person shall be allowed to park in such parking field or on such block up to the maximum amount of time otherwise lawfully permitted by such muni-meters in such controlled parking field or block or segment thereof. For the purposes of this subdivision, ‘muni-meter’ shall mean an electronic parking meter that dispenses timed receipts that must be displayed in a conspicuous place on a vehicle’s dashboard.
§ 2. This local law shall take effect immediately upon enactment into law”
While the process proposed by the new law is not a “walk in the park,” it’s much less hellish than the current law.
Fighting NYC parking tickets online
The more I use the Evil Empire’s online process for fighting parking tickets, the more I love it. You’ve got to give the devil her due, and the NYC Department of Finance deserves kudos for this tool. It is:
- Easy to use
- Create white space in your defense certification
- Sufficient file size to submit exhibits
- Record of exhibits
- See how exhibits look after submission
- Confirmations sent to email address
- Most importantly, justice has been served in a speedy fashion (decisions issued in approximately 10-14 days).
This is a win-win for the driving public and the Evil Empire. Parking ticket justice is dispensed no differently (than when you appear in person or fight by mail), in a speedy fashion, that results in more money being collected quicker by the Evil Empire.
Try it, and share your experience with us.
Commentary
Do you think that turning their backs on Mayor de Blasio and curtailing enforcement activity is a legitimate way to protest the mayor’s perceived disregard for the safety of police officers? Here’s what Commissioner Bratton had to say:
“Come demonstrate outside City Hall, come demonstrate outside Police Headquarters,” he said. “But don’t put on your uniform and go to a funeral and engage in a political action.”
Although I don’t believe the proposed legislation covering broken muni meters will ever see the light of day, kudos to all the friends of the driving public in the NYC Council that are working diligently to eliminate draconian parking ticket process and procedures.
Lawrence Berezin
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NYC has recently redesigned its heretofore totally indecipherable parking signs. Currently, the parking signs are just confusing. Here's how to read 'em and save your do-re-mi.
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Hi Larry, If there’s been a slowdown, I sure haven’t noticed. Are NYPD the only people who give out parking tickets (or do the Sanitation department or other agency have a hand in it)? Here in the Belmont section of the Bronx, officers on foot are giving out tickets like candy (for alternate side, meter expiration, etc.). They got me for double parking for about 30 seconds with the engine running & a passenger who got out to open the trunk. Fought it in person immediately & lost (I “can appeal”). So that brings up a second question: With the city presumably wanting all that opportunity loss revenue, are tickets even worth fighting, i.e. are we all going to be found guilty until the slowdown is over? Best, Rob
Rob,
Good afternoon.
Thanks for sharing your observations and experience.
Double parking is a “no standing’ violation, which means that a driver can stop temporarily to drop off a passenger, and immediately depart the area.
I’m sad to report that you cannot drop people and their stuff while double parking.
It’s a tough ticket to beat under the best of circumstances, but once an open trunk comes into the equation, you lost your defense.
I’ve had a great deal of success winning appeals. The main reason is because the judge’s opinion isn’t written correctly. For example, if the original judge makes a mistake of law, fact, or doesn’t consider all the evidence, or doesn’t comment properly on the evidence, etc., you have good grounds for an appeal.
When you’re right-FIGHT. When you’re wrong-PAY up and move on.
Best,
Larry
Hi Larry, Thank you so much for your response! Sounds like the judge did not make a mistake of law, but she did make a (small) mistake of fact. She wrote on the decision: “Respondent testified that he double parked, put the hazard lights on, and went inside the store to make a purchase… Respondent’s passenger testified to the same facts.” There was a clam & oyster bar on the sidewalk (good stuff, highly recommended!), right in front of my car. I ordered clams but canceled as soon as I saw the officer. This is what I told the judge, and what my witness (the passenger) also said. Now, there was a fish market to which the clam bar was attached, but I never “went inside the store to make a purchase”, nor did I or my witness say this. Is this discrepancy worth an appeal? Thanks! -Rob