Complaint Review: Nyc Finance Dept Of Parking & Violations - New York New York

"Defective Ticket

A ticket is defective when a required element under the law is missing or misdescribed. Defective tickets may be dismissed even if you do not have another defense to a charged violation. Upon requesting a hearing, Finance will review recently issued summonses for these defects and dismiss them automatically."

The above is quoted on their web site (http://www.nyc.gov/html/dof/html/parking/park_tickets_common.shtml), that is the parking violations web page of new york city. The above statement on that site is a lie.

In 20 years I haven't gotten that many tickets because I'm very careful to read signs and obey laws etc, as much of a challenge as that is here in NYC. But what happens when you get a ticket anyway, and its your word against theirs. Once I was parked appropriately away from a hydrant and the ticket I was given read 2 feet away. I wrote in and sent pictures but like I said it was their word against mine and they could always say I moved the car. Residents in the area that saw me taking the pictures said that a lot of people get ticketed there even when they appear to be the correct distance from the hydrant.

Recently I got a ticket for the same but this time the address on the ticket was incorrect. I thought well this was my chance to win because as the statement reads on their web site a defective ticket becomes an atomatic dismissal even if you don't have another defense to a charged violation.

I filed by email. I explained how I had proof and witnesses and pictures and that I would send them in should they be needed. I thought for sure their own investigation would reveal the meter maid's error and would throw the ticket out.

I was surprised when in the mail I get a guilty (they did no investigation) plus an erroneous penalty fee for being late I had proof also that was incorrect). I wrote about it and proceeded to send them about a dozen 8x10 images showing in different angles how there was no hydrant at the address that the metermaid entered on my ticket. My luck was so great that there was even a huge sign with the address spelled out in front of a building bearing that address and no nydrant in sight.

Shortly after I sent in the proof I got the final response back, still guilty (no investigation and no mention of the ticket's defect), but they were kind enough to remove the late fee. How nice of them, isn't it? Even when you have proof, even when it's the law's own law on your side spelled out in black and white for the world to see, you still can't win.

Their rude operators were no help either, one even hung up on me. They said I have to go to court about it. Can you believe it? I've taken time away from my family and my life, wasted my time and they expect me to go to court about this.

I've contacted local news agencies on line to see if they would feature my story on tv. Although I'm shy, I'm so dissapointed and devastated I just can't let this go.

If anyone has any advice other than going to court please do share. Thank you.

ps later on If i have time I will post the pictures. A bit of advice to others, don't fight tickets on line, go in person. Also, if the only available parking spot puts you first after a hydrant, don't park there even if you are more than the required feet away from it.

In NYC the law is 15 feet. They don't even carry tape measures, those meter maids. The one time they said I was 2 feet away made me laugh in disbelief. Yeah, I'm going to spend the whole day at work with my car parked 2 feet away from a hydrant. He could've said I was 12 feet away and still I would've been found guilty but no, he had to blatantly lie and he did so plainly because he could.

Your word or thiers, defective tickets, you can clearly see that the city plays dirty and you can do little about it.

Anna

new york, New York
U.S.A.