More insanity

http://consumerist.com/2010/04/man-receives-ticket-while-walking-from-car-to-parking-meter.html

More Parking Ticket Woes & Collection Agency!

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More Parking Ticket Woes

Citation Review Center

1380 Howard Street, #1000

San Francisco, CA 94103

July 24, 2004

RE: Parking ticket appeal, citation # 8564145 

Visiting San Francisco for the first time, I had breakfast in the Haight-Ashbury district on the morning of July 16^th.  I had the usual difficulty that many tourists and San Fran natives alike have of finding a parking place. 

I managed to find one spot on a crowded street of parked cars.  I could not find a parking sign that indicated the acceptable parking days/times as what appeared to be the “normal” parking sign (see Appendix A) was missing.  The sign directly across the street was unreadable (see Appendix B) as it was covered with a mix of graffiti and what appeared to be the glue-resin from stickers.  Appendix C is a copy of the ticket.

Not knowing the rules for parking in this area of town—or in any part of San Francisco for that matter—I parallel parked and placed several quarters in the parking meter.  I found this option logical as both sides of the street were covered in parked cars; all, I might add, with California plates. 

I asking for a careful review of this appeal on two factual grounds: (1) the parking sign was completely missing from the side of the street where I parked—normally a legal parking space; (2) the parking sign on the opposite side of the street is completely unreadable.  I might add that had the parking sign on the opposite side of the street been readable, and indicated a no-parking zone, I would have parked elsewhere. 

Thank you for your consideration in this matter,

Transportation & Parking

Customer Service Office, Bldg. 112,

North South Drive

Re: Citation Appeal

 On August 20^th I received a letter from Budget Rent-a-Car that I had received a parking violation while I was in possession of a car I had rented from them.  See enclosed: copy of “Customer Parking Citations Notice.”

As project manager for the Closure Clinics at the neurology department, I regularly, over the summer months in 2004, utilized a service drive pass (see enclosure copy) to unload/load a vehicle for out-of-town data collection sessions.   My maximum time in the service drive is 30 minutes; the more typical average is 15 minutes.  Considering I have utilized the service drive since 1999 for this purpose, I am well-adept at time management, i.e., not going over the hour time limit.  Do, however, feel free to check my parking record here on campus.   

My reason for appeal is two-fold:

1.      I never received a parking violation on my car.  Hence, the Budget letter two months after the alleged violation. 

2.      Second, I never go over the allotted time in the service drive.  My sole purpose in using the service drive permit is to pack or unpack my vehicle and get to my destination as quickly as possible—frequently I drive 2+ hours to my destination.   

My assumption is the parking attendant was unfamiliar with the rental car, as my usual vehicle was broken—hence the rental car—or the attendant did not see the parking permit.  I am only guessing, since I did not receive a parking violation and I can only imagine the reason.

Please do contact me should you have any questions as Budget, see copy of enclose letter, is demanding an additional fee. 

University Parking Ticket

Re: reason for citation #W10341 appeal:

On April 4, 2003 at approximately 8:00pm, I parked my motorcycle (parking decal # MC20984386517) by the eastern-most bicycle rack at Bloompie Hall Plaza. 

The motorcycle was not on a sidewalk, nor was it impeding: pedestrian, bicycle or vehicle traffic. 

During the day, many scooters (not go-peds)—at times approaching a dozen—are parked at various locations on Bloompie Plaza.  These locations include: bicycle racks, next to buildings, on sidewalks, and in breeze-ways.  In order for these scooters to park in these locations, the drivers must first drive around the fence barricade that the university has erected to keep non-official traffic out of the university roadways.  Driving a non-official vehicle during business hours around these barricades is prohibited.  And Bloompie Plaza is not alone is its occupancy of scooters; many other locations in the inner university are littered with these scooters—all driven illegally around the barricades. 

I fail to see the logic in this double standard.  Why do I receive a ticket for parking, well after hours, my motorcycle in a non-obtrusive location and the scooters not? 

If the university Police Department is going to enforce no-motorcycle parking, then the same needs to apply to scooter parking.  I am basing my appeal on this glaring inconsistency.