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contesting parking ticket, location error
defreak
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I've read a bunch of comments and articles, and can't make a clear decision.
Basically, got a parking ticket, it happened on Cedarview Rd, but the officer wrote Clearview Cir instead on the ticket.
Now, pretty much everything I read so far said a small discrepancy like Cedarview St instead of Cedarview Rd is not enough to throw out the ticket, or like Cederview instead of Cedarview, officers are allowed to make "typos" like that.
What I need an opinion on is, is Clearview Cir different enough from Cedarview Rd? also, Clearview Cir does exist in my city, it is 23 miles away from Cedarview Rd.
Thanks.
Basically, got a parking ticket, it happened on Cedarview Rd, but the officer wrote Clearview Cir instead on the ticket.
Now, pretty much everything I read so far said a small discrepancy like Cedarview St instead of Cedarview Rd is not enough to throw out the ticket, or like Cederview instead of Cedarview, officers are allowed to make "typos" like that.
What I need an opinion on is, is Clearview Cir different enough from Cedarview Rd? also, Clearview Cir does exist in my city, it is 23 miles away from Cedarview Rd.
Thanks.
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Really it all depends on the judge and how generous they are feeling that day.
"But Judge, the officer made a typo."
Not going to fly.
If you weren't, then contest it with all your might (but in relation to your time/worth ratio).
He already admitted he was at fault. I don't think that advocating lying in court is a good idea.
Did he? I can see why you'd make the assumption, but I don't see where the OP has flat out admitted guilt.
Parking tickets are usually administrative fines--the only appeal you're likely to get is some poor soul at city hall. Go, be nice, and they might just drop the ticket because you didn't scream at them. If that doesn't work, just say you weren't ever parked on that street, or better yet check out the street and see if there's even a no parking zone. Either way, the person in the parking office will probably drop it.
I don't remember hyperventilating about anything, but sure.
So basically, be weaselly about it. Gotcha.
EDIT: This is how it will go.
Defreak: I wasn't parked on Cedarview Circle.
Clerk: Where were you parked?
Defreak: Cedarview Rd.
Clerk: Were you parked illegally?
Defreak: Yes.
Clerk: Pay the fine.
He didn't deny that he was at fault. If he thought that he wasn't at fault, he would've said something in the OP so that it could be measured into his argument.
Again man, you're making assumptions. I'm not saying the OP wasn't guilty, all I'm saying is that detail has not been clarified and shouldn't be assumed either way at this point.
The ticket has an error on it, either in that there's (maybe) no "No Parking" zone where it says the ticket was given, and the car was not where the ticket says it was. If you want to get out of the ticket, you can probably do it if you're polite, contrite, and catch the person in the parking office on a good day. I've done it, lots of other people have done it, it's not a big deal.
We got it already. Be weaselly about it and try to wriggle out of it. Opinion noted.
He already said various sources have pointed to the fact that "No, that isn't going to work.", unless you have antecdotal evidence to prove otherwise? We've already established that there's not going to be a difference between Circle and Road. He's guilty, and advocating anything else is advocating lying.
How much is the fine? If it's low you might as well just pay it, it'll take less time, be less of a hassle, and a minor non-moving violation that is paid off will most likely be inconsequential on your driving record. And, assuming you're guilty, you could take it as a lesson not to do whatever it is that you did that got you a ticket.
If it's stiff, or if you're actually innocent, or if you have the free time, or if you just want to get a feel for how low level legal proceedings work, sure, contest it. The worst case scenario is you're out of some time, and you still have to pay the fine you already had to pay anyway. There's a pretty big difference between Cedarview Road and Clearview Circle (which are two completely different street names, and it seems like pretty sloppy police work to get the two confused), so if you're polite and the court isn't busy you might have a decent shot at making it go away.
Or you could just pay it and know that you're contributing vital dollars to the Police/Fire/Road/Etc budget for your city/county.
My buddy recently got a ticket where they fucked up his license plate number on the ticket.
He won't be paying that ticket.
Although that's a bit different than them fucking up the location on the ticket - i think that should still make it invalid. Of course you need to be able to prove it....
I'd just go with the intent to pay the fine, but who knows, you might get lucky. Either way, learn your lesson. I've never driven in a car without a seatbelt since.
The parking ticket was left on my windshield, I was parked in front of my house, it was for "wrong direction on a 2 way street". My house is directly in the middle of either direction of Cedarview Rd, and depending on which job I'm coming home from, I park facing different directions each time.
I knew it was illegal to park facing the wrong direction in a non residential area, especially when there is a clear line in the middle separating the two traffic directions. I didn't know that law extended to residential areas too, where there are no such "lines".
I also looked up the reasoning of the law, and for the most part, it's a safety issue. However, I do not believe there is an issue when applied to a residential area. Therefore, I am bitter about the ticket, and adding the fact I would prefer not to part ways with any amount of money because we just bought the house and there are still plenty of repairs to be done, bottom line is I don't think I should pay $45 for something so stupid and harmless.
However, laws are laws, and not knowing a law is not an excuse for breaking one, so I was prepared to suck it up and pay it, until I noticed the location was not correct. That gave me the idea of possibly contesting it, especially since Dallas allows you to mail in a contest, so there is no time wasted in court.
Which brings me back to my original question, in your opinion, is Cedarview Rd a big enough diffference from Clearview Cir that it won't be considered a "typo" or "minor mistake".
Again, that's Cedarview Rd and Clearview Cir.
Not Cedarview Rd and Cedarview Cir, I already know this will not be different enough.
I am probably going to take Wezoin's advice, because I have no intention of lying, but if the policeman did mess up enough, I will not hesitate to take advantage of his mistake and save myself $45.
Yes, I would say you have a very good chance of getting this voided.
But definitely go in prepared for the possibility that it won't.
4 door hatchback? It's a sedan.
2 door hatchback? It's a coupe.
It can be a hatchback sedan, or hatchback coupe, etc...
My Land Rover is technically listed as a Stationwagon, despite it being a giant SUV.
It's just that on a quiet residential street your chances of being ticketed are close to nil.
I actually did read that as cedarview and cedarview in the OP, but
cedarview and clearview? That's a sizable difference. If I had directions for "clearview" and the street sign said cedar, I would likely pass it the first time and try to find "clear". residential areas being lower speed limits and often having themed streetnames (places in England! types of rocks! things that start with 'c' and end in 'view'!) means I'm likely to be pickier than on a main drag where a word around the right length with some of the right letters will do. It still exists in the gray area of "yeah, its fairly obvious what he meant", but not so much that in a filing office you'd readily account for it. Fight it, and emphasize that the entire street name is wrong, not just the extension or an incorrect vowel. This is an entirely different street we're talking.
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