Last Updated on February 2, 2018 by Lawrence Berezin
Parking ticket tips that will save you money
Never talk to strangers, what goes up must come down, in God we trust but show me the data. Oops, sorry, those were for my children.
Here are the parking ticket tips for our wonderful friends at New York Parking Ticket. I hope these 10 tips help you keep your hard-earned shekels in your own shekels jar.
10. All of New York City is a tow-away zone. Don’t kill the messenger. The NY State Legislature in its infinite wisdom passed this law in 1956. Your vehicle may be towed any time, and even if you are issued just one NYC parking ticket. Boy, that sucks.
9. A NYC bus stop begins at the bus stop sign, and extends in the direction of the arrow(s) until either; the next parking sign, or the end of the block. Forget about your estimate of the length of a City bus (avg. 40 feet), paint on the curb, other cars parking ahead of your car without a parking ticket because none of this stuff matters. I promise!
8. It is absolutely, positively legal to park in front of a pedestrian ramp located in the long block of a T intersection when there is no marked crosswalk or traffic control sign or devices regulating traffic. It took a long crusade by Fox 5 News, and a little cajoling and name calling by yours truly to change, publicize, and memorialize this amendment in writing to the pedestrian ramp rule. Don’t let a rogue warrior fool you. If you are issued this parking ticket. Fight it…You’ll win
7. Fire Hydrants. Don’t forget about the Fiddler on the Roof defense to a violation for parking within 15 feet from a pump. You are permitted to park in front of a pump between sunrise and sunset if you leave a licensed driver sitting behind the wheel ready and able to move the car upon request to do so. You are better off parking or standing in front of a pump, then double parking! Make wise parking ticket decisions and save your dough.
6. Always present the proper proof, properly. The first step when you are issued a parking ticket is to figure out whether you have a technical or substantive defense to the alleged parking crime. If so, make sure you prove your case properly. For example, if you are issued a parking ticket and the expiration date of your registration is described as NS, even though the month and year of your expiration date is displayed on your plate (like many out-of-state vehicles); submit a copy of your registration, and photographs showing your plate attached to your car, and a close up of your plate clearly showing the expiration date (month and year for out-of-state vehicles). You’ll beat your parking ticket 99-100 times.
5. Don’t double park in NYC in a non-commercial vehicle. This comes from a guy who has beaten double parking tickets for clients. The big but is the powers-to-be, butcher, baker and candlestick maker all have different opinions about whether you can EVER double park, under any circumstances in NYC. The minority view (mine and others) is you can double park when you stop temporarily to pick up or discharge a passenger outside of midtown, or in midtown prior to 7 a.m. and after 7 p.m., or all day Sunday. The bigger but is the enforcement of this rule is too unsettled. You can’t count on fighting, presenting the proper proof properly, and winning.
4. Stopping, Standing and Parking are the same thing. I can’t tell you how many times I speak to wonderful, misinformed members of the driving public who say, “I wasn’t parked, I was only standing.” Believe me, it is the same thing. When you halt your vehicle, whether occupied or not, you are stopping, standing and parking, all at the same time. So why have three different terms? Because if a parking rule says, NO STANDING, you can stop temporarily to pick-up or discharge passengers to the curb. When a parking rule says, NO PARKING, you can stop temporarily to pick-up or discharge passengers to the curb; or load or unload property to the curb. You can’t run the groceries inside, even for just a second. Sorry ’bout that
3. Take photographs BEFORE you drive away from your parking space after receiving a parking ticket. This is one of my mantras. I don’t care whether you know or don’t know whether you can fight your parking ticket, or you need your blood pressure medicine before you stroke out. Snap a few photos with your cell phone camera showing your vehicle’s location on the parking sign, street address, or some well-recognized landmark.
2. You have 100 days from the date your parking ticket is issued to decide whether to fight, apply for a reduction, or pay your parking fine. This little, hated, orange epistle is not going to vanish into thin air. It will follow you to your grave (or at least 8 years & 3 months from the date of issuance). Don’t just park there, do something within those 100 days. It hurts me too badly when I have to tell one of our friends it’s too late to fight your parking ticket. Do not rely upon the hope you can win a Request for Hearing after Judgment application. It ain’t going to happen.
Number One
1. WHEN YOU’RE RIGHT–FIGHT! It is not about the money. Although the draconian fines do hurt. It is about control of your life while navigating the highways and byways of NYC. We all have to fight the good fight…When we are right. If we don’t we are just empowering the rogue warriors and rogue judges to play with us. Reach into our wallets and randomly pull out our money. Stand up and be counted (not my tip). Don’t sit back and let the other guy do it for you.
[alert type=”info” icon-size=”hide-icon”]Bonus tip:[/alert]
Never pay a parking ticket, “no questions asked.”
Now that you’re armed with 10 great tips, do you know the difference between stopping, standing, and parking? Click here to check it out.
What tip would you add to my 10 tips? We have to help each other fight and win. Please comment. Your opinion matters to all of us.
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