  Eastsidechris Member Username: Eastsidechris Post Number: 90 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 207.69.139.8 |
I have a 20 game Tigers package (and have attended close to 30 games this season) and often arrive early to see batting practice. I've made use of on-street metered parking around the ballpark this season...I get to a spot around 5:15, and plug the meter for an hour's time (3 quarters)since meters are not enforced after 6 pm. Since July, I've parked in a spot on Gratiot just north of the county jail. I purposely park there because of the easy access to the interstate after the games, plus (thrifty guy that I am) I found that this is an "old" meter that will give 1 hr 20 minutes for a quarter. No problems with this until tonight. I got to my usual spot at 5, fed the meter and went to the game. When I got back, there was a ticket on the car. I was given a $30 ticket, being cited for code 813 "No Standing (PM)." The ticket was issued at 5:35, so I know for a fact that the meter was still in use. Frankly, I'm ticked off. I have never seen any signs in that area of Gratiot that said there was no parking there at a certain time, and now that I have parked at that exact location at that exact time for at least a dozen games now, I fail to understand why I'm getting this ticket now. I can apparently appeal it by asking for a hearing, or if I pay it in less than 10 days, it will cost me "only" $20 instead of $30. What gives with this b.s. ticket, and would a hearing do me any good? | ||
Aiw Member Username: Aiw Post Number: 5788 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 24.57.57.12 |
You could just suck it up and be glad, if you've parked there 30 times, a $30 ticket, means you've paid a dollar for parking each time. | ||
Adamjab19 Member Username: Adamjab19 Post Number: 712 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 68.61.242.140 |
Maybe a written appeal? Otherwise I would just pay the $20 considering all of the other free nights of parking you have had....sucks I know, but I think you would lose more money doing the court thing. unless you fight based on principal alone. Those spots on Gratiot are great though! | ||
Ravine Member Username: Ravine Post Number: 346 Registered: 01-2006 Posted From: 75.10.21.157 |
Ask for the hearing. Making a personal appearance in front of a magistrate (or whatever manner of arbiter) affords you the opportunity to show what a decent, honorable tax-paying citizen you are (of course!!... you're a Tiger fan, right?,) and to clearly express your reason(s) for thinking that the ticket is unfair. Of course, if doing so requires you to take unpaid time off from work, I guess you're pretty much damned if you do and damned if you don't... Good luck, in any case. | ||
Ravine Member Username: Ravine Post Number: 347 Registered: 01-2006 Posted From: 75.10.21.157 |
And it sure gives you a better shot than writing "this ticket is bullshit" on the ticket and sending it to them. | ||
Johnnny5 Member Username: Johnnny5 Post Number: 342 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 71.227.95.4 |
Thanks for the parking tip! | ||
Blessyouboys Member Username: Blessyouboys Post Number: 523 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 75.13.150.151 |
Ravine, i believe it was "bullshit money grab!!!" | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 1282 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: 69.130.18.100 |
Was this one of those spots that has a meter but is also posted 'no standing 4p-6p' or some other time frame? I got one of those tickets in front of Sweetwater's one evening. Apparantly the 'no standing 4-6' sign supercedes the meter (and parking is considered standing, too, I guess). I had my camera with me and snapped a photo of my car, the unexpired meter, the sign, etc. but a Sweetwater employee told me it wouldn't do any good and that they ticket like that every night. | ||
Itsjeff Member Username: Itsjeff Post Number: 6668 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.136.149.133 |
A couple of years ago I got a $100 ticket for parking in a handicapped zone. It was 9:00 p.m. (FSC night) and all of the meters were removed while they were repaving Shelby street and sidewalks. I was instructed to send a letter of explanation to the City. A month later I got a notice advising that the fine was increased 50% for not responding. It's the b.s. stuff like that that makes me think about moving to Gaydale, Hitlerland or Snobbyville. Who am I kidding? Snobbyville. Definitely Snobbyville. | ||
Hamtramck_steve Member Username: Hamtramck_steve Post Number: 3196 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 136.181.195.17 |
Every once in a while, though, the sun shines on us beleaguered little guys. I was waiting for someone on Congress outside the Buhl at 5 PM, which is a No Standing 4-6 PM zone. I was watching for the meter maid, but she still managed to materialize out of nowhere. I tried telling her a got a call on my cell phone, and it's too dangerous to drive and talk, yada, yada, yada, but she wasn't buying it. She was in such a hurry she punched in my license plate wrong, putting an "X" instead of a "K". I didn't realize this until the Parking Bureau lady tried telling me I live on the westside. The incorrect license plate came back to some guy in Warrendale. The ticket was voided on the spot. | ||
Bvos Member Username: Bvos Post Number: 1866 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 134.215.223.211 |
My wife got a ticket for parking in a handicaped zone downtown as well. She parked in her usual place, fed the meter, etc. Came out an hour later, still had a half hour on the meter and had a $100 parking ticket to boot. She talked to the ticket payment place in the Book Building regarding the ticket... Long story short: someone stole the sign marking the end of the handicaped zone and the begining of standard on-street parking (probably the night before as far as the folks in the building can tell). So the handicaped zone, despite being clearly different from the rest of the on-street parking by having a blue painted curb and blue parking meters and the regular meters being the standard grey, now extended down the whole block. My wife figured out that the time it would take her to wait around in court and go before a judge would cost her far more than $100. I guess you'll just have to bend over and take it up the tail pipe. | ||
Manrooter Member Username: Manrooter Post Number: 426 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 208.27.111.125 |
Yes, and pay your tickets, too. | ||
Eastsidechris Member Username: Eastsidechris Post Number: 91 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 4.229.24.152 |
Thanks for all the info. I was still so ticked off that I drove down to the parking spot this morning to see if I had missed anything. There IS a "No Standing 4-6 PM" sign further down the street--if, as Lilpup suggests, this means that there is no parking there as well, the signs should just say "No Parking 4-6 PM." I am going to call the parking office today to get a clarification on it,but it looks like I'll just pay the $20 fine--and just park down a block further, where there are no signs. | ||
Boo Member Username: Boo Post Number: 149 Registered: 01-2004 Posted From: 63.117.185.99 |
interestingly enough, the new parking meters near wayne state will refuse your quarter during the "no standing" hours of 4-6p. finally- a smart parking device! | ||
Nainrouge Member Username: Nainrouge Post Number: 59 Registered: 05-2006 Posted From: 209.104.146.146 |
And we wonder why it is hard to get folks to come downtown? They get screwed for $30 tickets and local businesses get screwed out of lots of business because suburban fans decide it is easier to watch the game on TV and order pizza delivered. | ||
Bvos Member Username: Bvos Post Number: 1867 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 134.215.223.211 |
I guess a suburbanite would think the ambiance of a Lay-Z-Boy, TV and Domino's Pizza would be better than sitting in the seats at CoPa. | ||
Nainrouge Member Username: Nainrouge Post Number: 60 Registered: 05-2006 Posted From: 209.104.146.146 |
Yep! | ||
Quinn Member Username: Quinn Post Number: 895 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 64.139.64.80 |
I would pay. I know it's not my normal attitude (giving up) on taking an issue to the height of bitchfestness...but when it comes to the city there's really no hope of arguing and winning. I've had several horror stories about parking downtown... In 1991, I received a $85 parking ticket while parked on cass outside of the Library. I walked up to the car as the meter maid (a man) was placing it on my window and I stopped him. He acted like I was going to hit him, but I just wanted to ask what it was for. He said, "no parking between 3pm and 6pm." I looked up at an old battered sign that was scratched clean...you couldn't make out anything...basically blank. When I showed it to him he waved me off...and left. There were about 10 cars in the section too (this was 4 pm or so) and all had tickets. The only sign in the area was the "blank" sign. Unbelievable. I meant to argue it, but my mom paid it off before I got a chance. Another time I worked in a law firm at 1 woodward (circa 1995). A currier was picking up a package, and I took it down to her. As I walked out onto Jefferson to meet her...she pulled up. Perfect timing right? Well...a meter maid pulled up right behind and started honking. Within the ten seconds it took me to walk to her car with the package the maid was out of her car with a $100 fine for standing in a no standing zone. The currier red it, cursed under her breath, and took off...the maid started screaming at me. "No standing means no standing for even 1 second." (I looked around...this is mid afternoon mid summer...no traffic...she certainly wasn't holding anyone up). I just walked away. Loser. Gimme a break...this is a time when people would regularly double park against cars illegally parked on shelby near the old michigan national bank, completely cutting off the street, for HOURS with no tickets. I had a huge sense the meter maid was making it a "get this assinine white man and woman" thing. Anyway...my rant for the day. I haven't received a parking ticket IN DETROIT since 1991. | ||
Naturalsister Member Username: Naturalsister Post Number: 793 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.73.198.214 |
If you look at most of the meters, they have stickers on them that say enforcement is til 9pm. I see these all over the CBD. Check to see if your dreaded meter has that sticker and act accordingly. later - naturalsister | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 761 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 207.200.116.139 |
Eastsidechris, for your info, here's the definitions: "No Parking" means you can't park your car and leave it there. "No Standing" means you can't stop at the curb and wait in your car, much less leave it there. "No Stopping" means you can't even stop your car along the curb there (except in emergency). | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 34 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 216.93.121.82 |
Every Lions & Tiger games I go to I park in the Compuware lot, which is very nice. Then I go in the hard rock and have my stub validated. Its not a bad walk and free. Its a nice setup | ||
Gambling_man Member Username: Gambling_man Post Number: 836 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 199.178.193.5 |
Be careful, as I believe ALL of the parking on Gratiot during those hours are similarly tagged. Something about opening up the street so people can get out of downtown easily after work.....the parking on the service drives are the same way.... | ||
Viziondetroit Member Username: Viziondetroit Post Number: 727 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 69.246.10.173 |
"was instructed to send a letter of explanation to the City. A month later I got a notice advising that the fine was increased 50% for not responding. " Did you write the letter or contact the court? If not why get mad because you failed to do something you were supposed to? | ||
Fury13 Member Username: Fury13 Post Number: 1190 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.222.11.226 |
Frankly, I'm ticked off. I have never seen any signs in that area of Gratiot that said there was no parking there at a certain time, and now that I have parked at that exact location at that exact time for at least a dozen games now, I fail to understand why I'm getting this ticket now... if I pay it in less than 10 days, it will cost me "only" $20 instead of $30. What gives with this b.s. ticket, and would a hearing do me any good? Doubt if a hearing would do you much good. The City needs money, and you're a perfect mark. They'll say that it was evident by the money inserted in the meter that you intended to occupy the spot after 6 p.m., after which time it becomes a No Standing zone. A lot of Detroiters would say a ticket is just the price that every suburbanite should pay for the privilege of coming into the city... that you should be grateful, etc., etc. I say, "bullsh*t." I say, "shoot at the next parking-nazi car (oh, sorry... "Dept. of Municipal Parking vehicle") you see." OK, not really. I didn't mean that. I guess. | ||
Bobj Member Username: Bobj Post Number: 1015 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 65.221.183.120 |
I got a parking in a handicap spot ticket a few years ago on Woodward by the Historical Museum. There was no sign and no blue curb. I came out, found the ticket and was at a complete loss why I got that ticket. Then I looked aroundn found the handicap sign in a bush down the street a ways, saw the hooks on a pole near my car and put 2 and 2 together. I took pictures, wrote everything down, and went to a hearing - that was a waste of a day. I paid the normal $100 fine. Another time on Jefferson, across from the Ponch - I parked my car, fed the meter, came back in time and had a ticket. After I parked my car, the City had come around and put those temporary signs up like "No parking between such and such a time" , which was the time I was there, and then I got a ticket. I was there before the sign was. Went to a hearing, paid the normal fine. That is not justice, that is sticking it to people. When I park at an expired meter and get a ticket, I shut up and pay - but I simply got ripped off by the City. | ||
Hornist9 Member Username: Hornist9 Post Number: 4 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 24.192.182.223 |
Bobj, That is exactly why the last time I got a parking ticket in Detroit, I made the check out to the "Shitty of Detroit". They made no big deal of it. I used to just say the hell with parking tickets. | ||
Gargoyle Member Username: Gargoyle Post Number: 23 Registered: 04-2006 Posted From: 24.192.189.109 |
Several years back (1995 or so) I got a ticket while banking across the street from the Fisher Bldg. It was around 1:00 pm on a weekday. I was parked at a meter by the Fisher and had fed it liberally, but that was not the issue. The meter maid said that because my spouse (who was feeling sick) was sitting in the vehicle, that made it "standing" and handed us the $30 ticket. I have also received 2 unpaid parking fine notices with my correct license plate number but incorrect vehicle descriptions. I successfully fought all these tickets. It cost me more than it would have to just pay the $30 but it really chapped my ass at the time. As for the unpaid parking notices, they totalled $300 and I wasn't going to just suck it up. Haven't had a ticket for more than 10 years now. | ||
Goose Member Username: Goose Post Number: 12 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 67.149.11.101 |
who pays parking tickets in detroit??? i wouldnt worry about it until you rack up 20-25 of them..... |
