In the summer, I got a parking ticket in Washingto, DC.

Having never been to the city before and nearby, we decided to go for the afternooon. It wasn't easy to find a spot to park, but I found a spot across from the Washington monument on Constitution Ave. I think the sign said 3 hour parking from 9:30 to 4:30. I hoped we wouldn't be gone more than 3 hours, but it did end up being more.

We got back to the vehicle around 5 and I was suprised to find all the previously parked cars gone except for mine and one in front of it, and a tow truck was hooking up to that one. Why?

Well, it seems that Constitution Ave is some kind of designated commuter street and there is no parking during rush hour. I got a $100 ticket.

There was no sign telling me about rush hour parking restrictions. There were no signs mentioning commuter hours. Nothing saying restricted or no parking after 4:30pm.
I sent in a letter of explanation to adjudication services in September and they denied me. I supposedly have a few days to appeal, but have to send them the $100 and a $10 fee to do so. My friends are telling me to forget it as I will never be back again. That doesn't feel right to me, and I don't know if there is any collection agency thing going on as well.

I feel I've been wronged and I still want to state my case.

What do you think?

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Michael LaFleur

'05 E320 CDI - 86,000 miles
'86 300SDL - 360,000 miles
'85 300SD - 150,000 miles (sold)
'89 190D - 120,000 miles (sold)
'85 300SD - 317,000 miles (sold)
'98 ML320 - 270,000 miles (sold)
'75 300D - 170,000 miles (sold)
'83 Harley Davidson FLTC (Broken again) :-(
'61 Plymouth Valiant - 60k mikes
2004 Papillon (Oliver)
2005 Tzitzu (Griffon)
2009 Welsh Corgi (Buba)

You must've missed the sign, I doubt it just "wasn't there".

I accrued about $300 in parking tickets in Berkeley when I had friends there in college (didn't live there). I avoided them for a number of years but eventually had to pay up.

I had a similar thing happen to me in Sacramento around the same time (lots of small $ parking tickets), but I never paid 'em. Don't know what happened because eventually the Berkeley tickets showed up at DMV and I had to pay up, but the Sacramento tickets never have (it's been about 9 years, so I think they're gone for good).

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

Remember unpaid parking tickets are starting to show up on peoples credit reports.

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BENZ THERE DONE THAThttp://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...c/progress.gif
15 VW Passat TDI
00 E420
98 E300 DT
97 E420 Donor Car - NEED PARTS? PM ME!
97 S500
97 E300D
86 Holden Jackaroo Turbo D
86 300SDL
(o\|/o)

If you can get to court to state your case do it, if not pay the ticket, they are relentless in DC and will hound you forever to pay it.

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"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

Well, I can't get to court since I'm in Michigan.

I remeber loking for signs when I parked. I read the one that I saw. It only mentioned the 3 hour parking. If there were others, they weren't obvious. I should have taken a picture before I left, but I just wanted to get the heck out of town and never see it again.

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Michael LaFleur

'05 E320 CDI - 86,000 miles
'86 300SDL - 360,000 miles
'85 300SD - 150,000 miles (sold)
'89 190D - 120,000 miles (sold)
'85 300SD - 317,000 miles (sold)
'98 ML320 - 270,000 miles (sold)
'75 300D - 170,000 miles (sold)
'83 Harley Davidson FLTC (Broken again) :-(
'61 Plymouth Valiant - 60k mikes
2004 Papillon (Oliver)
2005 Tzitzu (Griffon)
2009 Welsh Corgi (Buba)

There was probably an exception listed below. I can't speak for DC, but that's how I've seen it done in CA and TX.

I can personally say that I have had no parking tickets show up on my credit report.

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

Pay the ticket, this is the computer age, they will find you and it will be at the worst possible time........new job.......home purchase....ect ect. I learned my lesson the hard way about that crap.

Very few people know this but when you purchase a home title companies are now performing a lien check on the purchaser, it does not matter if it is a cash deal or not.

Hope this helps....

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Creditors-Bankruptcy-Q-1086/parking-ticket-credit-bureau.htm

Pay it. I don't know about where your at, but here in Florida they will suspend your liscense for unpaid tickets. Thereby compounding your cost and problem.

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No matter how many times you explain it to me, I'm still right.....Surf-n-Turf

You could always change your identity.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

If it were me I'd pay it. First, I don't want to have to wonder if it'll catch up on me everytime I go register my car. Second, I'll have a clear conscience, knowing I did the right thing by following the law, whether or not the ticket was justly handed out to me. Third, it serves to me as a lesson learned, not in the sense that I was punished but that sometimes life sucks, and that we've come this far and we're able to, and will, move on. I just read that. Too many ands. I'm too lazy to change the syntax.

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

$100 is not chump change but the other way to look at this is to be grateful the tow truck was hooking up to the car in front of you instead of the one behind it. 30 min later and your car would have been towed and $100 would seem like free.

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1983 M-B 240D-Gone too.
1976 M-B 300D-Departed.

"Good" is the worst enemy of "Great".

What he said. They will send it to a collection agency. They are extorsionists who care not for right and wrong. It is very simple, you have money and they want it. They are the government and you are not. If you are a lawyer with plenty of free time on your hands then you can argue with them or if you have a friend in the police dept then they can "fix" it for you with the friends and family plan. But if you are on the "wrong" side of the blue line then you pay.

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

I don’t see why you even have to ask. Simply weigh out the possible consequences of both options.

I’ll even help you with half the work:
Paying the ticket - Consequence: You’re done. No more concerns.

Your turn.......

See how easy that was ?

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1980 300D - Veggie Burner !

For $100 its not worth fighting just pay it.

Now if it was a wicked $800 speeding ticket in a state you never plan on visiting again thats different.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200