Craigsl

I got a parking ticket last week when we were in Washington D.C. on a family vacation. I had parked right behind another vehicle and what I thought was right next to the parking meter and also paid (using ParkMobile mobile app) for 2 hours. Just about with 15 minutes remaining I got back to the car to see a parking ticket stuck to the windshield. Two things: one I felt I was parked properly but i could be wrong. I was in a hurry to get to the airport so I just grabbed the ticket and drove off. Secondly I just noticed that although the make and model of the car is printed correctly, the plate number is entered incorrectly. Do they take pictures of the plate when they write up these tickets? Do I have any recourse to fight this? I live in Florida. Thanks.

Dukey1

You say you had 15 minutes remaining but got a ticket anyway

What does the citation say is the REASON you got the ticket?

I suspect if the plate number was entered incorrectly you can get away with not paying. I've never seen them take pictures of plates in the District when they ticket cars.

Unpaid tickets has been a problem in the District for years and perhaps sloppy write-ups are one reason.

PaulRabe

> Do I have any recourse to fight this?

You can contest the ticket by mail or online.
http://dmv.washingtondc.gov/serv/tic...ontesttix.shtm

If you can prove that you do not commit the violation for which the ticket was written -- if, for instance, the parking receipt you put on your dash shows that you could legally park there when the ticket was written -- then you would probably be able to beat it. If your defense is, "I felt I was parked properly but i could be wrong," then you may as well pay.

If you fight and lose, you'll pay anyway. If you ignore it, the fine doubles after thirty days, and you've forfeited your chance to contest it. If the DMV then charges this doubled fine to the car rental company, your credit card will be billed the doubled fine PLUS a fee by the rental place -- and there's NO CHANCE your credit card company will side with you.

kit

Seems like the ticket will never make it to your rental company if the plate number is written incorrectly. It will, however, make it to someone else, who will contest it based on, "I do not own that car," and it will forever go into the pile of never-paid DC parking tickets, like most of them.

Craigsl

I would much rather pay than keep looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life or worrying about any unpaid tickets messing up my credit score. But I don't want to pay for the incorrect plate in case if that is a valid plate for some other vehicle that is used (for ex.) for some illegal activity or involved in a hit and run or whatever. Since the plate is entred wrong I was 50/50 on paying it or just letting it slide.

Craigsl

The reason for the ticket was: P271 - No stopping anytime. I will try and see if I can find the actual spot on google maps.

obxgirl

DC is famous for having multiple signs with sometimes conflicting information so my guess is the plate thing was typo and you were guilty of one the many byzantine parking restrictions which change with the time of day and day of the week.

If you used Park Mobile presumably DC has at least one way of getting to you directly as opposed to going through the rental company.

I wouldn't ignore it b/c as you've said you don't want an unexpected surprise down the line. What's the ticket? $50? I'd pay to make it go away.

Craigsl

Is a parking offense considered a criminal offence in D.C.?

nytraveler

Parking illegally is not a crime any place I'm aware of. It's an infraction -but can start to get expensive when they add on fines etc. But it's not like a moving violation - where - with enough time and repeat offenses - they can issue a warrant for your arrest.

tomfuller

The thought occurred to me that someone with that license number got a deserved ticket and put it under your windshield wiper after the cop/metermaid left the scene.
Was there a time written on the ticket? If you had your smart phone, you could have taken your own picture with the date/timestamp as a defense.
Just be thankful that they didn't put a "boot" on the wheel before the meter ran out.

Craigsl

My car would have been in almost the same exact spot the green truck below is located. There is a meter at this place as well. But I did not have change so used the Park Mobile app to pay.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=700+In...,345.8,,0,8.61

bardo1

You need to pay the fine. DC shares outstanding ticket info with other states (including Florida). It's possible that when it's time to renew your tags, they will insist you pay the DC fines.

PaulRabe

From the view you supplied and the description on the ticket, it's pretty clear the enforcement officer concluded that you were parked behind the sign there that states, "No Stopping Anytime." If your defense is, "I don't think I parked behind that sign, but I'm not sure," then the agency has every incentive (and reason) to insist the officer saw the situation correctly. If you had taken a time-stamped photo of your car parked legally, then you might have a case; now, you have none.

At this point you really have no defense -- only the hope that, after the fine doubles, the car rental company won't get the bill. If DMV does send them the ticket, the doubled fine (plus an administrative fee) will be put on your credit card bill and you'll have to pay significantly more than the ticket.

Craigsl

@PaulRabe: I understand. But how will they go after the rental company? Will they look for any vehicles that have a plate number similar to mine? The plate number on my retail was about 7 characters long. The very first digit is entered wrong in the ticket. The actual plate number (I verified in my receipt) starts with 2, whereas on the ticket it is entered as 4.

Craigsl

* Rental * not retail.

obxgirl

2 versus 4? Pretty clearly an transcription error. If you lived in DC and had the time to waste you could go to traffic court to possibly "save" yourself the cost of the fine on a technicality.

I think you're trying to assess whether or not to ignore the ticket. Your call. In DC, I wouldn't.

If you have a time stamped photo of your car parked properly in that spot during non rush then you're golden to dispute it.

Otherwise just pay the fine.

kit

I just looked at the photo of the green truck. That would pi** me off. Clearly, they are happy taking your money for the meter, and happier still collecting the fines from all the vehicles not small enough to fit in the teeny tiny spot along the curb before hitting the plotted position of the sign. Clearly it is intended as a parking spot. If you need a supercompact car to not get ticketed, I think it should be noted. The meter enforcement people have either figured out that this is a gold mine situation or the judge (if you were to appear) might even side with you and also think this is crappy.

They should not put a meter there and collect everyone's parking money if a normal car can't fit there.

Knowing DC (I am a taxpayer there for about another month) I doubt very much they can track you down through your app.

Craigsl

@obxgirl: I just looked at this page on the DMV website. I think I may have an argument after I read item # 6.

http://dmv.washingtondc.gov/info/Fir...iolations.shtm

HowardR

The mere fact that the license plate number on the ticket does not match the actual plate number on the rented car would definitely make me lean in the direction of NOT paying the ticket. How can they possibly track you down? I just can't see a scenario with you continually looking over your shoulder and living in fear!
So what if DC shares outstanding ticket information with other state. Your rental car's license plate (the only connection to you) does NOT appear on the ticket!
But, of course, if your conscience bothers you......well, that's another story!

WhereAreWe

Of course you have an argument based on item #6. Just provide a copy of your rental agreement with the vehicle plate number.