Hey, I’m new to this and not sure if here is the right place to ask this question.
I got a parking ticket from my university this morning because I parked my car at disabled spot at university’s parking last night. Since the headlight of my car wasn’t bright enough and couldn’t really see that was a disabled spot. Also I thought nobody is gonna patrol on Saturday and Sunday (as it is said in that parking lot) and it was friday night so I think anywhere doesn’t really matter.
Now I have to write an appeal for waive the fine which is $450. I would like to know how long I am supposed to write an appeal and what will be the most reasonable reasons to let them think waive the fine. This is my very first time to get a ticket from university or police.
If you were my kid I would tell you to own it…mistake or not…and pay the fine.
Your two “explanations” are inconsistent. Saying that you "thought nobody is gonna patrol on Saturday and Sunday’ implies that you knew you were parking where you should not have. You would have been better off parking in a red zone. I’ll throw you a line. Go back and look at the spot in daylight. If (and that’s a big “if”) the painted icon on the pavement is faded and if (another big “if”) there is no sign in front identifying it as a disabled parking spot, you might be able to persuade someone to give you a break. Don’t do it again. Ever.
Well, the “couldn’t see it” and “not familiar with area 'cause I’m new” and “please have some mercy, it’ll never happen again!” might work. Once.
“The I’ve never gotten a ticket before” is good. Groveling sometimes works.
Skip the “I didn’t think they’d patrol the area on a Friday.” Bury that pretty deep.
Go look at the spot and see if lines are drawn clearly. Parking patrols are sometimes overly zealous volunteer police positions in some communities. Might be some leeway.
Handicap spots are enforced even when general parking is only enforced Monday through Friday. Google your state code. Here there must be a sign as well as the pavement must be marked. If they were you have little recourse and you should see about putting new bulbs in your headlights if they are too dim.
As someone who NEEDS handicapped parking but who often doesn’t have it because people parked there out of laziness, I’m just going to say that I hope they don’t accept your appeal. It’s an expensive lesson and hopefully you’ll take it to heart and never screw over someone who legitimately needs the spot.
Own the fact you made a mistake. Pay the fine.
Appeal (couldn’t see markings) and see what happens but be prepared to pay the fine.
wow that is so helpful
I worked in my university’s parking office for two years, and the only tickets we ever waived for parking in a handicap space were if the person had forgotten to hang their handicap placard and could prove that they had one. As a general rule, fire zones, reserved spaces (for maintenance, residence hall directors, etc) and handicap spaces are enforced 24/7 even when other areas are not. “Permits Required 8am-8pm M-F,” for instance, doesn’t mean spaces with signage/markings/painted curbs indicating otherwise aren’t enforced. At my university, campus PD writes out tickets at night and on weekends so that we can enforce those specific areas even when we don’t have parking officers on duty.
Go ahead and appeal, but don’t expect to get anywhere with it. If I’m being frank, you’ll give the parking staff a good chuckle… Hopeless appeals in which the writer knows they shouldn’t have parked where they did (as seems evident from your statement that you didn’t think it would be enforced at that time) are the most fun to read. Seems a little harsh, I’m sure, but they read so many of those things that they have to find humor somewhere or they’d go crazy.
Honestly, what on earth do you want from us?
You screwed up. Be an adult about it and pay up. Or appeal and give the parking office a good laugh.
They’re not going to have sympathy for you.