Washington, DC $100 parking ticket
Apr 10th, 2007, 11:26 AM
#41
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I think the OP is really asking whether the size of font and distance of the sign is a good defense when contesting the ticket.
I've never contested a D.C. ticket, but I have lost in other jurisdictions where the sign and font were small. The judge told me that reasonably "visible and legible" meant the sign can't be blocked by a tree, for example, or the paint worn off the sign so the letters are gone. There was no appeal from this decision, so I had to pay up.
D.C. laws might be different. But I think I'd just pay the $100 for the peace of mind. You got a lot of "value" for that money - prime parking for cherry blossom viewing.
I've never contested a D.C. ticket, but I have lost in other jurisdictions where the sign and font were small. The judge told me that reasonably "visible and legible" meant the sign can't be blocked by a tree, for example, or the paint worn off the sign so the letters are gone. There was no appeal from this decision, so I had to pay up.
D.C. laws might be different. But I think I'd just pay the $100 for the peace of mind. You got a lot of "value" for that money - prime parking for cherry blossom viewing.
Apr 10th, 2007, 12:27 PM
#42
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Just curious about those who insist that an unpaid parking ticket will show up on your credit report.
Are you saying (1) DC in particular submits unpaid tickets to a credit bureau as an unpaid debt? Or are you saying (2) in general municipalities send the debt to a credit bureau?
Because if it's (2), you're full of horsefeathers. Most municipalities just keep a record of unpaid tickets and boot your vehicle after a certain number.
I'm not advocating refusal to pay. What I am saying is that not paying results in almost no consequences for an out-of-towner. And the idea that it could create problems when you go to re-register your vehicle is preposterous.
Are you saying (1) DC in particular submits unpaid tickets to a credit bureau as an unpaid debt? Or are you saying (2) in general municipalities send the debt to a credit bureau?
Because if it's (2), you're full of horsefeathers. Most municipalities just keep a record of unpaid tickets and boot your vehicle after a certain number.
I'm not advocating refusal to pay. What I am saying is that not paying results in almost no consequences for an out-of-towner. And the idea that it could create problems when you go to re-register your vehicle is preposterous.
Apr 10th, 2007, 12:51 PM
#44
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"Or are you saying (2) in general municipalities send the debt to a credit bureau? Because if it's (2), you're full of horsefeathers. Most municipalities just keep a record of unpaid tickets and boot your vehicle after a certain number."
j_999_9, I'm full of municipal experience rather than horsefeathers; in my career, I've worked for 3 municipalities that routinely send unpaid parking tickets (and other fines) to collection agencies.
j_999_9, I'm full of municipal experience rather than horsefeathers; in my career, I've worked for 3 municipalities that routinely send unpaid parking tickets (and other fines) to collection agencies.
Apr 10th, 2007, 12:55 PM
#45
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DC's parking system is chaotic and even old hands like me have to look twice at the signs. In many parts of DC, it is difficult to park before 10 AM and after 4 PM. Believe it or not, the DC government is actually friendlier than they used to be. Marion Barry, ex-Mayor for life, used to send swarms of meter maids all about downtown to get his revenue.
As for your ticket, check the deny box and give any sort of plausible excuse and mail it in. Although I haven't had to deny a ticket for many a year, I used to do so for our company vehicle way back when. I denied every ticket so as to throw sand in the gears of the DC government and won about half the time. Some of my denied tickets apparently were misplaced by the DC government, forever lost down the memory hole of the DC government.
As for your ticket, check the deny box and give any sort of plausible excuse and mail it in. Although I haven't had to deny a ticket for many a year, I used to do so for our company vehicle way back when. I denied every ticket so as to throw sand in the gears of the DC government and won about half the time. Some of my denied tickets apparently were misplaced by the DC government, forever lost down the memory hole of the DC government.
Apr 10th, 2007, 06:51 PM
#46
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"I denied every ticket so as to throw sand in the gears of the DC government and won about half the time. "
Nice. You're a model citizen, dude. I'm pleased and proud my tax dollars and the labor of government workers were squandered on the likes of you.
Nice. You're a model citizen, dude. I'm pleased and proud my tax dollars and the labor of government workers were squandered on the likes of you.
Apr 10th, 2007, 07:07 PM
#47
NewBe, I am not condoning the approach that GeorgeW suggested but you have to understand that he IS talking about the D.C. government.
By definition, D.C. tax dollars are going to be squandered.
As far as the squandering of D.C. government employee labor goes, I don't think that is possible.
By definition, D.C. tax dollars are going to be squandered.
As far as the squandering of D.C. government employee labor goes, I don't think that is possible.
Apr 10th, 2007, 07:10 PM
#48
There are many ways an unpaid fine can catch up with you later.
Some states will not renew your driver's license or car registration if you have an outstanding fine in another state.
In other places (such as Hawaii), if you have rented a car, the ticket will go to the rental agency and they will forward the details, or bill your credit card.
We got an unfair ticket in CANADA, and I debated paying it,thinking I'd never drive in Canada again. I did pay though, when I found out that Hawaii shares info with them through some database and that we would be unable to renew our driver's license.
By all means try contesting it, jacobla, if there is a way to do so by mail. Who knows, your photos may do the trick! If you lose, just pay and be thankful that you weren't towed! That would have been a major pain.
Some states will not renew your driver's license or car registration if you have an outstanding fine in another state.
In other places (such as Hawaii), if you have rented a car, the ticket will go to the rental agency and they will forward the details, or bill your credit card.
We got an unfair ticket in CANADA, and I debated paying it,thinking I'd never drive in Canada again. I did pay though, when I found out that Hawaii shares info with them through some database and that we would be unable to renew our driver's license.
By all means try contesting it, jacobla, if there is a way to do so by mail. Who knows, your photos may do the trick! If you lose, just pay and be thankful that you weren't towed! That would have been a major pain.
Apr 10th, 2007, 07:29 PM
#49
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I would just state that you were taking sleeping pills and drinking, didn't see the sign and then promise that you'll go to rehab. Isn't that the excuse d'jour? Sorry, just needed some levity. What a drag for you, it's not fair. It's happened to all of us some way or another and I feel for you.
Apr 10th, 2007, 08:15 PM
#50
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I would not be so blase about an unpaid ticket as some of the posters suggest. In addition to the problems of registering your vehicle in the future, you could have other problems.
I have no idea what DC does but in our area, if you fail to pay any ticket (parking or otherwise) or resolve it some other way, the courts issue a warrant for the arrest of the driver or registered owner for Failure to Appear. No one is going to extradite you on an FTA warrant but it can appear on your record in most inconvenient ways and if you came through the area again and were stopped, you could be arrested.
I have no idea what DC does but in our area, if you fail to pay any ticket (parking or otherwise) or resolve it some other way, the courts issue a warrant for the arrest of the driver or registered owner for Failure to Appear. No one is going to extradite you on an FTA warrant but it can appear on your record in most inconvenient ways and if you came through the area again and were stopped, you could be arrested.
Apr 10th, 2007, 09:34 PM
#51
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Happened to me a couple years ago -- $100 ticket at the Jefferson Memorial. It was 11pm, it was dark, and as you mentioned, the signs were high up on the light poles and not very well lit that time of night.
What irked me more than anything is the car-full of women with me who said they'd help pay the fine and then skipped town without doing so.
Pay the ticket and be done with it. And next time, take the metro. LOL
On a related topic, 4-5 years ago my father received an unpaid ticket notice from D.C. authorities. Problem was, he was never in D.C. at the time of the infraction. I don't remember if it was parking or some traffic violation, but it definitely wasn't him. Cops got the tag number wrong somewhere along the line. He eventually got out of the fine, but I think he had to jump through a few hoops to prove that he wasn't in D.C. at the time.
They must LOVE tourists to death -- that's a lot of parking/ticket revenue.
What irked me more than anything is the car-full of women with me who said they'd help pay the fine and then skipped town without doing so.
Pay the ticket and be done with it. And next time, take the metro. LOL
On a related topic, 4-5 years ago my father received an unpaid ticket notice from D.C. authorities. Problem was, he was never in D.C. at the time of the infraction. I don't remember if it was parking or some traffic violation, but it definitely wasn't him. Cops got the tag number wrong somewhere along the line. He eventually got out of the fine, but I think he had to jump through a few hoops to prove that he wasn't in D.C. at the time.
They must LOVE tourists to death -- that's a lot of parking/ticket revenue.
Apr 11th, 2007, 06:14 AM
#55
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OK, 321go, I guess it's time to go to the mat.
I have at least 2 unpaid parking tickets on my record. I'm not going into all the details (which would only foster another debate) of why I objected to paying them. The fact is, they're unpaid.
In neither case was I contacted by a collection agency; only got "you better pay" letters from the municipalities.
Last year I had to run a credit report to qualify to buy a vacation property. The woman at the bank forwarded a copy of the report to me -- it was totally clean.
And I'm betting that the people who say there are problems when you go to register your car are talking about MOVING violations, which are attached to a person's driving record and license (unlike a parking ticket).
So, what it amounts to is that my experience is greatly different from yours on this matter, and I guess all either of us can go on is experience.
I have at least 2 unpaid parking tickets on my record. I'm not going into all the details (which would only foster another debate) of why I objected to paying them. The fact is, they're unpaid.
In neither case was I contacted by a collection agency; only got "you better pay" letters from the municipalities.
Last year I had to run a credit report to qualify to buy a vacation property. The woman at the bank forwarded a copy of the report to me -- it was totally clean.
And I'm betting that the people who say there are problems when you go to register your car are talking about MOVING violations, which are attached to a person's driving record and license (unlike a parking ticket).
So, what it amounts to is that my experience is greatly different from yours on this matter, and I guess all either of us can go on is experience.
Apr 11th, 2007, 06:53 AM
#56
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The performance of the DC government is spotty at best. For instance, potholes that are filled in January are craters by March due to the fact that certain favored contractors pour inferior fill. Near my own business, a storm sewer drain at 18th and I near the Farragut West metro stop is so filled with paper trash that rains force it to overflowing- and the DC government does nothing and hasn't for years. But they are fairly earnest in collecting for tickets due to the revenue enhancing aspect. Deny your ticket but, if found guilty and you live in DC, MD or VA, you ought to pay your ticket. As for hurting your credit report, I find it hard that the indolent DC government will go that far. Anyway, if you are a good credit risk otherwise, I don't think a bank is going to withhold a loan due to a $ 100 ticket.
Apr 11th, 2007, 07:37 AM
#57
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I know the DC government is inefficient--I lived there for decades. But people--I was going to use another term--like GeorgeW only contribute to the problems. He's just being juvenile, snickering to himself over how cool he is to be Sticking It to the Man. Loser.
Apr 11th, 2007, 07:45 AM
#58
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My sales taxes have generated much revenue to the DC government so it is fair that I criticize a government that is poorly run. My business has been servicing the citizens of the city for over two decades. What have you contributed NewB?
As for NewB's insult, one of the things on the internet I find most contemptible are people who make anonymous insults that they wouldn't have the guts to say to an actual person.
As for NewB's insult, one of the things on the internet I find most contemptible are people who make anonymous insults that they wouldn't have the guts to say to an actual person.
Apr 11th, 2007, 08:52 AM
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Here's a novel approach to dealing with a legal matter...call a lawyer...your personal lawyer, a lawyer in DC, or the prosecuting attorney's office. While Fodor & Associates is free....well, you know.
