Are meter maids and traffic cops supposed to lie?

rachel rae

I have a school parking plaque that I used when picking up my kids from school.
I usually park right in front where the only "authorized vehicle sign is"
I have never had a problem with any ticket cops in the past.

Today I saw a traffic ticket maid cop creature and her partner and asked them if it was ok to park using my plaque and showed her my car and the sign. I asked specifically because they looked a little trigger happy and she replied
"Oh that's fine, you won't get a ticket"

umm the minute I walked away from the vehicle she gave me a ticket for $95 ?

What should I do?
I called 311 and they hung up on me after the young man said he would transfer me. I called the precinct who said she was sorry to hear that but even if I go to court it is my word against hers?

really?

The system seems flawed....

hitokiri

fight fire with fire.

fight the ticket (the meter maid most likely will not show up), nd bring a friend or 2. Say you were all there when you asked her.
Then its 3 words vs 1

just make sure your stories are straight

rachel rae

I just cried about how horrible this was... lol
I know it sounds stupid, but $95 is not so easy to part with these days....

Gee wiz

swngnmonk

If your parking plaque gives you a legitimate right to park there, what's the problem?

Simply make a copy of it, write a nice letter to the judge explaining that you were legally allowed to park there, and appeal the ticket by mail!

swngnmonk

For what it's worth - appealing any parking ticket by mail will trigger an automatic settlement offer from the city for 2/3 of what the ticket was for - in your case, they'd likely settle for $65-70 or so.

modsquad

Out of curiosity what did the ticket say you did wrong? Could it be construed that you were misusing the plaque? No problem with that, I have commercial plates and at times have had to "invent" a business reason for parking in certain areas for a lengthily time. I suggest going to 66 John St., wait time there is not to bad early in the day, and tell the administrative judge you had school business you were attending to. Meter people are never in court. so whatever reason sounds good will work. These judges want a fast and simple reason to dismiss or convict, don't talk about picking up your kids.

opossumqueen

Maybe try 311 again. I know some people who work for the city and it's not a very orderly system and new/random people are apparently often put on the phones (ie, maybe don't know how to transfer you). They said that getting calls to the right spot takes a while sometimes.

tsarina

The system isnt flawed, its the people that are flawed.

modsquad

If OP was being honest with the meter people than she deserves the ticket. If she confided in them (she was only picking up her kids) thinking that honesty was the best policy then she is being naive. They are the enemy and have zero sympathy for the motoring class. Her best defense is to fall back on some legitimate "school business" and forget about some story involving picking up kids I am curious to know if under the "Complainant's Comments" the ticket person wrote misuse of parking permit. OP?

jmd

Why do you have a parking permit? I never heard of one issued to pick up kids unless you are driving a bus or mini van and that is your job. Maybe you got the ticket for illegal use of the permit. and just because you didnt get caught before doesnt mean you should be allowed to use it any way you see fit and get away with it. If you were not using the permit for the purpose, it was issued, you deserve the ticket

king without a crown

That area is designated for onduty school personel to park their private vehicles while working. Having a parking placard doesnt entitle you to park there to pick up your kids. As for fighting the ticket you can go down in person with your parking placard and your Dept of Education ID and try to fight it. The " traffic ticket maid cop creature" is not required to appear. It does however sound like you did abuse your parking placard priveledges.

opossumqueen

yeah, I was also wondering about the permit. You can get a special plaque for parking at schools if you have kids?

king without a crown

hitokiri wrote: fight fire with fire.

fight the ticket (the meter maid most likely will not show up), nd bring a friend or 2. Say you were all there when you asked her.
Then its 3 words vs 1

just make sure your stories are straight

Lying under oath sounds like a good idea, especially if it could save you $95. :roll:

jmd

Lying and then haeving friends lie with you could cost you the permit altogether.

Great example for your kids.: Abuse the system and then abuse the people who caught you and get friends to back up your lies. Is this the kind of person we want teaching our kids?

rachel rae

The parking plaque is a courtesy plaque from the school...
I wasn't abusing the use of the plaque

also,

my question was is it appropriate for a traffic cop or meter maid give me false information about parking?
Aren't they supposed to be the one group of people in our city who can properly interpret the parking signs? So when I ask if I can park somewhere and if my plaque is valid at that location and she says yes, how can she then give me a ticket anyway?

modsquad

hitokiri wrote: fight fire with fire.

fight the ticket (the meter maid most likely will not show up), nd bring a friend or 2. Say you were all there when you asked her.
Then its 3 words vs 1

just make sure your stories are straight

So when I ask if I can park somewhere and if my plaque is valid at that location and she says yes, how can she then give me a ticket anyway?

Actually 2 different issues. Proving the traffic person gave wrong advice would not dismiss the ticket.

unrepentant fenian

Call (718) 780 - 0702 to complain.

vidro3

your plaque is bogus. don't even bring it up when you contest the ticket.

just say that the parking enforcement agent gave you incorrect information.

nomad

Reminds me of the article "Dashboard Divas" in last week's New Yorker (Talk of the Town section.) ... about the use/abuse of parking placards...

hamilton

You must have caught her on the way to a burger break.
My question is - do they hire them by the pound?
As they all seem to be 2 spins on the scale ...and I don't mean the scales of justice

sweet tea

stay classy, hammy.

idlewild

You could always call Jimmy Justice.

brightlights

i got a parking ticket for $95 in Astoria and i was pretty pissed about that considering i parked in the municipal lot by steinway and 38th street.. didnt notice that ONLY 5 spots of the whole parking lot were "reserved" for people who had parking permits.. GRR!

vintagejames

Do away with all priviledged parking in NYC--plaques, vanity tags, etc. It should be first comed first served. Everywhere.