Last Updated on May 27, 2015 by Lawrence Berezin
NYC parking ticket traps are set by the Evil Empire to take your money
Last week we wrote a blog post about an NYC parking ticket trap in Brooklyn near Prospect Park West and Ninth Street. This trap was a major revenue raiser for the Evil Empire raking in $72,000 in a 6-month period. Wowzers.
But, why was this trap so successful? Why did so many drivers fall for the bait of a safe parking space?
How to resolve conflicts between parking rules displayed on the same gotcha pole
The secret in resolving conflicting rules living on the same pole is to memorize this mantra:
“The stricter rule wins the conflict”
Expressed another way, “No stopping, standing, parking always trumps, rules that permit stopping, standing or parking on certain days/hours. ” For example, if there are two parking signs on a gotcha pole and one says No Standing Anytime while the other sign only prohibits parking between 7A – 4P while school is in session, the stricter rule wins. The stricter rule, in this case, is clearly No Standing Anytime.
Here’s the parking sign that traps our driving friends in Brooklyn
Let’s apply our mantra to this evil parking sign. The top sign dressed in red (always more dangerous than signs with white backgrounds) prohibited standing all days from April 1 to September 30 between 8A and 10P. The familiar street cleaning sign below the red sign prohibited parking between 11:30A to 1P on Tuesdays.
Which of the two signs were stricter? The red sign trumps the white sign. Therefore, you must obey the red sign or pay.
Why were the two parking signs confusing to the parking public?
The Daily News reported that the confusion was caused by the smaller, white street cleaning sign. Since the white street cleaning sign permitted parking on Tuesday between certain hours, the thinking was that parking must be legal all other times.
Sorry men and women of the driving public, that is a leap of faith that will cost you money. A perfect example of wishful parking space thinking.
Wishing it were true, rather than applying this simple mantra, will make parking in NYC more expensive than it has to be.
Commentary
There is so much negative emotion and stress that builds the longer we drive around in circles looking for a safe place to park. The more time spent circling the block, the more inclined we are to interpret a parking sign the way we wish it read.
Don’t be a victim of a parking sign oasis that makes us think it’s safe to park when it isn’t.
Always apply this simple mantra and you’ll keep your hard-earned dough where it belongs…in your wallet.
“The stricter rule wins the conflict.”
Hi Larry, Clearly any government with a conscience would recognize that when one location yields $72,000 in half a year would indicate one of 2 things. Either hundreds of scofflaws in that neighborhood, or an unclear parking sign. But the same goes for locations that make tons of money from moving violations. Yellow lights that are too short, long stretches of road on a downward incline, several different traffic signals located close together but on different cycles, the list goes on. And rather than correct the situation, our city officials instead post a cop there to hand out tickets.
The reality in NYC is that the object is NOT public safety but to make money.
Hi Lee,
Always great to read your insights.
You are our resident muse.
Keep musing, Mr. L.
Best,
Larry
Hi Larry:
Thanks for your commitment to keeping the Evil Empire in check. I know it must be a difficult process as the dark side always tries to get darker and is constantly devolving to create more devious ways to strip us unsuspecting (and foolishly trusting) citizens of their rights.
A new Evil Empire weapon has emerged: crooked judges at the PVB.
My car was ticketed recently in Brooklyn on a Saturday, in a zone where parking is permitted without any restrictions, and where I park regularly on most weekends without any such issues. The ticket actually says my vehicle was parked on the opposite side of the street where parking is restricted…! Can you believe that???
I appealed the summons online with all the requisite photographs and proof that would clearly show I was on the right… but the “Judge” went ahead and arbitrarily declared me guilty anyway. And they didn’t even bother to notify me of the decision. If I hadn’t checked back online a few weeks after making my appeal, I would have just been fined for non-payment and late fees, etc. on top of the original ticket. How can one win against this kind of underhand skullduggery? Is there no shred of honesty left in the Evil Empire where money is concerned? I guess that question doesn’t need to be answered… we know it !!!
I know I could have appealed this decision again, but decided to give up because every time I have done so on a ticket in the past, the Empire’s answer has always been the same: “…we do not wish to disturb the prior judge’s decision” !
What crap. They are really saying is “yes, you’re right, but we’d rather have your money” and that there is no monetary value in the truth. And what’s to disturb? These guys are so seriously disturbed anyway that changing their decision, in the spirit of some honesty, would not make any difference to them.
In reference to my post above, I would like to point out to readers of this Forum that the “Complainant” who issues the ticket signs a section on the summons that says: “I affirm under penalty of perjury (penal law 210 45) that I personally observed the offense charged above.”
Therefore, in issuing the ticket, the “Complainant” is committing perjury and should be charged for it…
and the judge who upheld the summons and penalty is ignoring the perjury altogether, and should also be considered complicit in that action.
Aljo,
You raise an interesting point.
I’ve always interpreted the certification to mean that the warrior
witnessed the car parked illegally and issued the parking ticket.
Regards,
Larry
Aljo,
Good afternoon.
Great comment…Very thoughtful and thought provoking.
Thanks for sharing it with us.
Best,
Larry
PS…I, too, get frustrated when a rogue judge ignores the law and issues a scam opinion. But, I’ve always appealed (more work but sometimes necessary to prevail).
For example, our client had an Illinois plate with the plate type displayed as “B-Truck.” Different warriors entered a myriad of incorrect plate types, such as TRK, COMM, Van.
According to the Nestle Waters case, the warrior is required to enter the exact plate type that appears on the plate. No substitutes or short cuts allowed.
There were six tickets, all containing a misdescribed plate type. Six different judges ruled on the six tickets. Three were dismissed while three were sustained unjustly.
I appealed and the three scam decisions were reversed.
“Justice delayed is justice denied.” Except in Parking Ticket Land.
Park safely.
Larry
Typo: “Since the white street cleaning sign permitted parking” “permitted” s/b “prohibited.”