Disgusted.

[marmota.livejournal.com]

a few weeks ago, I was issued a parking ticket in the brief window of opportunity between exiting my car and obtaining a guest permit from my destination. On showing the permit in hand to the ticket writer who was still there, I was told "it took me a minute to write it. dispute it.", and they walked off. So, I've disputed it.

Today, I received in the mail a demand for payment saying that my dispute had been denied, and I quote, "Hearing officers cannot dismiss validly issued ticket(s), which conform, to the parking rules and regulations.".

Apparently policy is now, or perhaps may always have been, for there to be no grace period whatsoever in obtaining guest permits.

So, fair warning. Apparently Somerville expects nonresidents to have to cell phone ahead to destinations and have someone meet us curbside with a permit.

I'm thoroughly disgusted by this, and out $50 for being LEGALLY PARKED.

Comments

[ronhaha108.livejournal.com]

While I sympathize, realistically, is the ticket writer supposed to wait at each car before writing a ticket to see if someone comes out with a guest parking permit?

[junesrose.livejournal.com]

Well, NO, but don't you think that if YOU were coming out with said permit in hand, and the 'ticket writer' was still standing there writing your ticket, that s/he should at least give you the benefit of the doubt?????? I mean, seriously, I just... have no words.

[ronhaha108.livejournal.com]

Well, the OP said the ticket writer was still there, not still there writing the ticket. I assumed it was already entered into his/her little hand held computerized thing-a-majig since their reply was "it only took a minute for me to write it...". Also, I've heard that they can't just delete it from their hand held device once entered, of course this is pure hearsay on my part.

[inahandbasket]

This is true, they can't rescind one after they hit "send".

[m00n.livejournal.com]

I agree with junerose. Showing up at the parked car with the permit in hand should be reason enough to stop writing the ticket. It is not the same as trying to get out of paying a meter because you were "just going to be a minute" because a) It is reasonable to expect that someone leave their car mainly for the purpose of retrieving the permit, and b) Chances are, if the person has a guest permit to present, they were probably going to use it anyway, unlike a quarter, where it's obvious that the person is only now trying to pay because they're getting a ticket. If you have access to a guest permit, there really isn't any reason you wouldn't use it every time.

[sparkgrrl658.livejournal.com]

that's what i was getting at. it's unlikely the cop was staking out your car and the exact moment you left it, but more likely it was just a shitty coincidence. so i agree you should contest the ticket, but i don't at all think it merits being 'disgusted,' and, as mentioned elsewhere in the comments, once a cop starts writing the ticket, they can't just get rid of it.

i've actually even run out once to move my car to find it getting booted, and despite my begging and crying, nothing could be done. and the guy wasn't trying to be a jerk either, just doing his job.