Who not yet have received a parking ticket in L.A? Who of those that received this tickets was frustrated for some good reason? Sometimes I almost sure that part of this group of people feel so angry at the moment of the ticket or even after 30 days or so, when forgot to pay it and see the ticket fine goes up more than double!
Challenging an unfair parking ticket in Los Angeles could subject you to increased fines, hours of appeals, cancellation of your car registration and even, threats of a withheld tax refund. LA’s parking ticket dispute system appears designed to get you to pay, rather than fight.
Los Angeles has been dismissing fewer of the more than 2.6 million tickets issued every year, while revenues from parking tickets are on the rise. In 2007, 50% of disputed tickets were dismissed during initial reviews by LA’s Parking Violations Bureau. By 2012, less than 34 percent of drivers who fought tickets had them canceled.
In 2007, L.A collected $125 million in total ticket revenue. By 2013, LA collected more than $157 million in parking ticket revenue, the third-most nationwide after New York and Chicago, according to ticketzen.com. It is frustrate when we contest the ticket with a letter and photographs showing we was legally parked and then few weeks later we next receive a letter from the L.A Parking Violations Bureau claimed “an initial review found the citation is valid.”
By an investigation by NBC News channel 4 in L.A, the LADOT spokesman Jonathan Hui told the I-Team that evidence such as photos, video, or credit card receipts which might prove a ticket was unfair are not examined when a citizen initially disputes a citation with the Parking Violations Bureau. “It’s not an exhaustive review,” Hui said to NBC reporter.
But Robert Andalon, who heads the Parking Violations Bureau at the LA Department of Transportation (LADOT), insisted that agency workers “read the correspondence, the photos, anything that’s submitted, they do review when determining whether the ticket is valid.”
In short, the NBC investigation concludes that the Parking Violations Bureau are not doing their job properly for one reason or another. It’s is also terrible to see how the fines increases in an unfair proportion. An ticket of $63 can goes up to $175 if you miss the dues date to pay! In the NBC investigation, a resident of L.A said “To me, that’s a form of extortion. They kind of got you in a spot where you are going to pay this ticket whether you like it or not or whether you agree with it or not.”
To request to have a ticket dismissed is denied, the only way to talk to a live person is to schedule an administrative hearing. “It’s extremely difficult to fight these things,” said another residente of L.A and one more frustrated victim. LA’s Parking Violations officials stand by their system. When NBC4 asked LADOT’s Robert Andalon, “Can you understand why citizens feel this process is rigged against them?” he replied, “Not really.”
Check bellow some good advice to avoid parking tickets:
1. If the meter is broken, write a note and leave it where a parking enforcement officer can see it.
2. Look around for a central pay station. Sometimes, there isn’t a meter at the spot where you are parked.
3. Make sure tires are not on the white lines. Move your car if your tire is covering a line.
4. Look for hidden driveways. You can get a ticket for partially blocking them.
5. Always look at the parking signs, even in metered areas. Many areas have time restrictions.
If you planning to contest a parking ticket, at least follow this strategy:
1. Always look at the ticket to make sure everything is filled out correctly. If there are mistakes or information is missing then you have a good chance of winning an appeal.
2. Pay with a credit card so you have a paper trail. Be sure to enter just the time you need. Most meters start with the maximum two hours so be sure to only pay for the time you need.
3. Write down the meter number, street address, time and day.
4. Take pictures. Most cameras will record the date and time the picture was taken.
5. If you were shopping or at an appointment when you got a ticket, keep the receipts. They have date and time stamps.
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