A FURIOUS driver who was hit with three tickets after parking in a “free” lot said they still got fined despite being in the right and despite staff trying to help.
Floyd Taylor complied with the rules but still got three parking tickets in the space of four hours.
A driver received three parking tickets in four hours by mistake[/caption]
The driver was parked in a ‘free-to-park’ zone but still got fined[/caption]
The driver from Atlanta, Georgia, got his parking validated while attending the city’s Out on Film Festival earlier this month.
“I got three tickets!” he complained to Georgia-based NBC affiliate 11Alive.
“The theatre staff was very nice and tells you what to do.
“As long as you scan the code you’ll have 4 hours free parking.
“The confusion is that we complied with the parking signs to scan the QR code and enter our information and then went into the theater to scan the QR code there which gave us two extra hours of parking for a total of 4 hours.
“Somehow the parking company system did not register the extra 2 hours.”
Hundreds of other drivers have reported similar problems with fraudulent tickets.
A number of drivers who used the parking lot at Midtown Promenade claim to have received tickets ranging from $50 to $85.
Professional Parking Management (PPM), which issued the tickets, said it had no intention of charging locals for driving through the facility.
But it added that drivers who used the parking lot multiple times as a shortcut may have received a notice by mistake during the initial configuration.
It said that the notices are sent if rules are violated, and that the change is designed to deter people from parking and staying for the day.
Anyone who believes they received a notice in error is encouraged to contact PPM by calling 1-844-999-7275.
The U.S. Sun has approached Professional Parking Management for comment.
How to fight a parking ticket
You can avoid being ticketed by following all posted laws and ordinances, but sometimes mistakes are made
Like any form of citation, parking tickets are preventable by reading and obeying posted signage. However, when visiting a new city, or state, or in a hurry, things can be missed and mistakes are made.
Suddenly there’s a ticket you weren’t prepared to pay for. If the ticket is a surprise to you, there are a few things you can do to help your case when appealing a parking ticket.
- Carefully read the ticket. Look for errors like incorrect street names, license plate numbers, vehicle make and model, time and date, etc. Errors would then make the ticket invalid.
- Take photos. Of the vehicle in the parking space, lack of signage, or other vehicles that weren’t cited for performing the same parking job. If the ticket involves parking too close to something like a fire hydrant, a photo showing a reasonable distance would help your case. Make sure metadata with the time and date are accessible. Signs that are obstructed by trees, or are on bent posts, or aren’t “obvious” are great things to photograph, too.
- Make sure the statute that was violated is listed on the ticket. If not listed, the ticket is not valid.
- Promptly follow the appeal instructions on the ticket. All legitimate tickets will have directions for appeal. Waiting until the very last moment weakens your argument and can result in late fees.
- When in court, avoid these phrases as they reduce your credibility and weaken your argument:
- “I didn’t know the law.”
- “I was on my way to move my car.”
- “I can’t afford this ticket.”
- “I’ve been doing this for years.”
- “I checked with the parking officer, who said it was OK.”
- Contact a lawyer. If you’re running into roadblocks and feel stuck, it may be best to reach out to a traffic lawyer in your area. Many have free case consultations.
Source: Reader’s Digest
It comes after another Atlanta driver was hit with a parking ticket after leaving his car in front of his home.
Hans Klein and his contractor were fined $75 each for parking in their regular spots on his street.
“Permit parking begins one and a half houses down,” the homeowner asserted.
“I have a parking place in front of my house,” he added.
ATL Plus, which issues parking citations for the City of Atlanta, decided that the contractor violated the parking zone and slapped them with a fine.
And another Atlanta driver got a duplicate fine three minutes after their first thanks to a company fault.
Khari Faison said he paid “valid” tickets written for his car in 2018, but at the time, Atlanta parking authorities reported issues with their digital connectivity.
City officials believed the 2018 networks didn’t immediately update with payments and assigned fines to drivers minutes after they paid.
