Fighting tickets in L.A.

May 22, 2009 9:47 PM

How difficult is it to fight a parking ticket in Los Angeles?

I got a parking ticket today because of what appears to me to be a faulty parking meter. I don't think I should have to pay the ticket. However, the ticket is for "only" $48, so the amount of effort and cost in fighting the ticket has to be weighed against the $48 cost of paying the ticket. This is completely not a situation where "talk to a lawyer" is a reasonable solution. It's just a $48 parking ticket.

That said, I don't want to pay $48 if I don't have to and the process of avoiding paying it is not a big deal. And this isnt as far as I can tell a case of trying to get out of a ticket I deserved. Here's what happened: I parked at a meter on a fairly major street in Los Angeles. I fed a couple quarters into the meter and went into a cafe with two other people. When we came out, there was a parking ticket on my car and the meter read 0.00. Huh? I should have had a bunch of time left. So I look at the ticket and it is timestamped only about 20 minutes after I parked and fed the meter.

I did a test and put a quarter in the meter. 15 minutes. I put another quarter in the meter. Still 15 minutes. I put a dime in the meter. Still 15 minutes. Yes, the timer didn't go above 15 minutes no matter what. No, it's not 15 minute parking. I know which meter it is since I took a crappy cell phone picture of the meter and the meter number is on the ticket.

So, what kind of effort is involved in fighting this sort of thing? Would I have to go to court? Will I have to prove the meter was broken? Is it more or less than $48 worth of hassle, time, and stress?

posted by Justinian to Travel & Transportation around Los Angeles, LA (11 answers total)

There are instructions on the ticket- you can write a letter of dispute, and if that is denied you have the right to a hearing. I can't speak to your odds of succeeding with either, though.
posted by drjimmy11 at 9:52 PM on May 22, 2009

I would at least take some pictures of the meter in question and any relevant parking signs on the street and then write a letter of dispute including those pictures. If they let you have a day in court, then take a video camera (with a LCD for playback) and record the same information, any relevant street signs and you inserting some coins into the meter to demonstrate the meter is defective.
posted by aGee at 10:13 PM on May 22, 2009 [1 favorite]

You're not going to get anywhere -- while you inserted two quarters, only 15 minutes came up, and you should've checked the meter to verify how much time you had on the meter before you left. Just inserting coins and having faith that the time will register doesn't cut it.

My record of contesting tickets is 1-5, and each time I had a great case. The only one overturned was because I had a permit that the parking guy didn't see. Once, I got a ticket timestamped 10 minutes before the parking restriction started and still, even after appearing before a judge, I couldn't get it overturned. Kafka-esque.

Are you SURE the meter isn't a 15-minute-only meter?
posted by incessant at 10:32 PM on May 22, 2009 [1 favorite]

Same thing happened to me on Sunset Blvd. For some reason the meter wasn't registering the "new" state quarters. I sent in a dispute. It was denied. I appealed. Denied. I sent in pictures of the meter, the serial number, a lengthy explanation about maybe the firmware needed to be updated for the various state weights. Somewhere in the back and forth of me disputing it, I didn't get a mailed notice, a deadline was crossed, and the fine increased from $45 to $68 and then somehow to $80. The next thing I know I'm writing a check for $108. I vowed just suck it up and pay it next time...

...And then more than 1 year later (when it was all paid and taken care of) I get a check from the City of LA for $108 saying my appeal had been found valid.

So I have no idea what lesson my story offers. I think the next time I'd do the first appeal (with full pictures and documentation) and just pay the fine if it's denied.
posted by sharkfu at 10:36 PM on May 22, 2009

Response by poster: Are you SURE the meter isn't a 15-minute-only meter?

Well, yeah, but I can always go down there with a camera and take some pictures since it's right down the street.

Sharkfu: That does not give me a great feeling. I'm leaning towards "pay off the man" rather than "fight the man" at this point. I suppose it won't hurt to call the number on the meter and report it and ask what kind of records they keep in case I need to prove the meter was fixed on X date.

Help, help, I'm being oppressed.
posted by Justinian at 11:07 PM on May 22, 2009

You ought to try taking a video of you putting quarters in for your proof. At least that way you'll always be able to 'prove' it. You could include a youtube link in your appeal letter.
posted by delmoi at 11:27 PM on May 22, 2009

I've been unable to fight faulty meter tickets, even when I had time-stamped photos to prove it. I fought them on principle as long as I could, but then I gave up and paid the damn fines. Scamming bastards. It's like they were given power because some watery tart threw a sword at them.
posted by scody at 11:49 PM on May 22, 2009 [1 favorite]

I recently put a quarter in a meter and no time was added. The important thing is I looked to see if time had been added before I walked a away.

Your ticket could have been avoided if you had just looked first before leaving.

Pay the ticket.
posted by DieHipsterDie at 7:42 AM on May 23, 2009

Response by poster: Y'all are not encouraging. I guess I will pay the ticket.

But it is all right, everything is all right, my struggle is finished. I love Big Brother.
posted by Justinian at 7:48 AM on May 23, 2009

I'd pay. A couple of years ago, I got a parking ticket in the mail - double the amount, because allegedly I ignored the first ticket. Well, that was absolute BS - I am extremely conscientious about such things, and I would never ever ignore a ticket. The fact is, that ticket was never put on my car. Further, I looked up where I allegedly got that ticket - it was along a stretch of Sawtelle between Olympic and SM Blvd. And I was there on that date - I live elsewhere - to buy something specific in a Japanese store, so I have a very good memory of that day. I remember parking was hard to find, and when I found a spot, I made extra sure to walk up and down and look at the curb, at all signs etc. and it was totally legit as far as I could see - it wasn't a particularly complicated case, signs were clear etc. Further, when I came back, there was no way there was a ticket on my car - I would have noticed, as I was hypersensitive to that issue on that day.

So, I felt completely justified in disputing the ticket. I called, and was assured that if I dispute the ticket, then while they are deliberating I don't have to pay - so I disputed (sent in the dispute) the ticket. Silence. Months pass. I figure - cool, everything's fine. Only one day I get a demand, now for like $180, or several times what the "original" ticket was, because now I'm very "late" (somehow I didn't get the result of the dispute that went against me - again, BS). I paid. That's it, I will never dispute another ticket - even the totally BS my last one.
posted by VikingSword at 8:36 AM on May 23, 2009

I had a similar situation like VikingSword in that I got 2 tickets in Hollywood, 1 parking and 1 fix it, However, only one ticket was left. I paid the parking ticket but the money was applied to the fix it ticket which was a lesser fine and a different ticket number. It was a big mess and at one point I was told I needed to pay over 200 dollars. I spent hours talking to the parking bureau on the phone, went to the office twice, wrote a claim, got denied even though it was a mistake on their end, had a hearing and 4 months later finally got it straightened out.

I think it's a good idea you are going to pay the ticket.
posted by bookshelves at 8:50 PM on May 23, 2009