Comments on: When Pigs Fly: How I Fought My Parking Ticket and Beat City Hall http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id935-when-pigs-fly-how-i-fought-my-parking-ticket-and-beat-city-hall.html The offbeat personal finance blog for responsible people. Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:33:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Nicole http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id935-when-pigs-fly-how-i-fought-my-parking-ticket-and-beat-city-hall.html#comment-66129 Nicole Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:09:52 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=935#comment-66129 Many cities are cash strapped and handing out tickets for stupid things. Good advice on how to get out of a ticket Many cities are cash strapped and handing out tickets for stupid things. Good advice on how to get out of a ticket

]]> By: Problems with Parking Tickets | Enhance The Human Experience http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id935-when-pigs-fly-how-i-fought-my-parking-ticket-and-beat-city-hall.html#comment-64676 Problems with Parking Tickets | Enhance The Human Experience Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:09:44 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=935#comment-64676 [...] advice for How to Beat a Parking Ticket.  Keep in mind the regulations presented in the example in this article may not be the same legal [...] [...] advice for How to Beat a Parking Ticket.  Keep in mind the regulations presented in the example in this article may not be the same legal [...]

]]> By: Financial Samurai http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id935-when-pigs-fly-how-i-fought-my-parking-ticket-and-beat-city-hall.html#comment-1667 Financial Samurai Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=935#comment-1667 Wow, well done. Was it worth it though, all that time to fight the $35 ticket? Might be tough if you make more than $35/hr no? .-= Financial Samurai´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.financialsamurai.com/2010/01/06/an-ambulance-screams-by-do-you-feel-happy-or-sad/" rel="nofollow">An Ambulance Screams By, Do You Feel Happy Or Sad?</a> =-. Wow, well done. Was it worth it though, all that time to fight the $35 ticket? Might be tough if you make more than $35/hr no?
.-= Financial Samurai´s last blog ..An Ambulance Screams By, Do You Feel Happy Or Sad? =-.

]]> By: Tweets that mention When Pigs Fly: How I Fought My Parking Ticket and Beat City Hall -- Topsy.com http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id935-when-pigs-fly-how-i-fought-my-parking-ticket-and-beat-city-hall.html#comment-1668 Tweets that mention When Pigs Fly: How I Fought My Parking Ticket and Beat City Hall -- Topsy.com Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=935#comment-1668 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter: When Pigs Fly: How I Fought My Parking Ticket and Beat City Hall http://tiny.cc/ff5zV (Sometimes you really CAN fight city hall...and win!) [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter: When Pigs Fly: How I Fought My Parking Ticket and Beat City Hall http://tiny.cc/ff5zV (Sometimes you really CAN fight city hall…and win!) [...]

]]> By: Mr Credit Card http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id935-when-pigs-fly-how-i-fought-my-parking-ticket-and-beat-city-hall.html#comment-1669 Mr Credit Card Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=935#comment-1669 I once fought against a $300 fine because of parking in a handicap parking slot in the city. I live in the suburbs where the signs are HUGE, but in the city, the signs were "low" and hardly visible at night. I had a colleague got away with it by taking photos in the suburbs car parking and the city car park, being contrite etc etc. I did the same thing, but the person refused to give in anyway! I guess the person did not like my face! I once fought against a $300 fine because of parking in a handicap parking slot in the city. I live in the suburbs where the signs are HUGE, but in the city, the signs were “low” and hardly visible at night.

I had a colleague got away with it by taking photos in the suburbs car parking and the city car park, being contrite etc etc. I did the same thing, but the person refused to give in anyway! I guess the person did not like my face!

]]> By: Matt S. http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id935-when-pigs-fly-how-i-fought-my-parking-ticket-and-beat-city-hall.html#comment-1670 Matt S. Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=935#comment-1670 You fought the law and you won! Where I live, there's a DUI tax. The cops hang out by a nearby bar and pull over everyone that comes out of the parking lot. It's pretty effective money-collection system, although hasn't done much to curb DUI accidents. Hard core drunks just avoid drinking at the bar. There has to be a chapter in the next Freakanomics on this. You fought the law and you won!
Where I live, there’s a DUI tax. The cops hang out by a nearby bar and pull over everyone that comes out of the parking lot.
It’s pretty effective money-collection system, although hasn’t done much to curb DUI accidents.
Hard core drunks just avoid drinking at the bar.
There has to be a chapter in the next Freakanomics on this.

]]> By: Len Penzo http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id935-when-pigs-fly-how-i-fought-my-parking-ticket-and-beat-city-hall.html#comment-1671 Len Penzo Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=935#comment-1671 @Sam: As I mentioned in the article, heck yeah it was worth it! There were other intangibles that made the money issue a moot point for me. @Mr CC: I bet if you had checked your state's vehicle code, you'd have found that those stealthy handicapped signs in the city were illegal. It would have been an open and shut case - with no need to show any contrition! @Matt: That sounds downright cheesy. Although I think drunk drivers should be prosecuted to the fullest extend of the law, I don't think the police should be staking out the bar and shaking down law-abiding citizens without probable cause. I'd be complaining to the city council about that practice. @Sam: As I mentioned in the article, heck yeah it was worth it! There were other intangibles that made the money issue a moot point for me.

@Mr CC: I bet if you had checked your state’s vehicle code, you’d have found that those stealthy handicapped signs in the city were illegal. It would have been an open and shut case – with no need to show any contrition!

@Matt: That sounds downright cheesy. Although I think drunk drivers should be prosecuted to the fullest extend of the law, I don’t think the police should be staking out the bar and shaking down law-abiding citizens without probable cause. I’d be complaining to the city council about that practice.

]]> By: Kevin@OutOfYourRut http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id935-when-pigs-fly-how-i-fought-my-parking-ticket-and-beat-city-hall.html#comment-1672 Kevin@OutOfYourRut Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=935#comment-1672 "From a personal finance perspective, the time involved to fight a parking ticket is usually not worth the cost"--I think this is the key to the whole system. But my hats off to you for taking a stand. We all need to start acting like citizens, involving ourselves in the process, rather than as victims. I also like your point about citations being used primarily for revenue generation. I'm hearing quite a bit about this from differnt people and there's something to that. .-= Kevin@OutOfYourRut´s last blog ..<a href="http://outofyourrut.com/blog/2010/01/17/radical-self-reliance-in-the-new-economy/" rel="nofollow">Radical Self Reliance in the New Economy</a> =-. “From a personal finance perspective, the time involved to fight a parking ticket is usually not worth the cost”–I think this is the key to the whole system. But my hats off to you for taking a stand. We all need to start acting like citizens, involving ourselves in the process, rather than as victims.

I also like your point about citations being used primarily for revenue generation. I’m hearing quite a bit about this from differnt people and there’s something to that.
.-= Kevin@OutOfYourRut´s last blog ..Radical Self Reliance in the New Economy =-.

]]> By: Paul Kamp http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id935-when-pigs-fly-how-i-fought-my-parking-ticket-and-beat-city-hall.html#comment-1673 Paul Kamp Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=935#comment-1673 Len, I'm almost embarrassed to admit I felt a little populist pride that you beat the ticket. I had a vehicle towed a few months back in San Francisco, but just gritted my teeth and swiped a card. I suppose I should print this out: (http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc22658.htm) for the next time something happens. Thanks for the story! .-= Paul Kamp´s last blog ..<a href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DQYDJ/~3/HQ1_9hVyXPI/" rel="nofollow">Quick Update: Massachusetts Senate Race</a> =-. Len,

I’m almost embarrassed to admit I felt a little populist pride that you beat the ticket. I had a vehicle towed a few months back in San Francisco, but just gritted my teeth and swiped a card. I suppose I should print this out: (http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc22658.htm) for the next time something happens. Thanks for the story!
.-= Paul Kamp´s last blog ..Quick Update: Massachusetts Senate Race =-.

]]> By: Ashley http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id935-when-pigs-fly-how-i-fought-my-parking-ticket-and-beat-city-hall.html#comment-1674 Ashley Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:48:56 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=935#comment-1674 You go Len!! Paying for tickets of any sort is like burning money. More importantly, this post reminded me that I have a speeding ticket almost 2 years old that was never resolved (I went to court to fight it, it got put on hold, haven't heard back from the city since). I should probably make sure there isn't a warrant for my arrest or something silly like that. Thanks for keeping me out of jail friend! :-) You go Len!! Paying for tickets of any sort is like burning money. More importantly, this post reminded me that I have a speeding ticket almost 2 years old that was never resolved (I went to court to fight it, it got put on hold, haven’t heard back from the city since). I should probably make sure there isn’t a warrant for my arrest or something silly like that. Thanks for keeping me out of jail friend! :-)

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