How to Dispute a Parking Ticket

Since the recession, many major cities have increased the number of parking tickets generated per month. Just this morning, I was at home and saw a parking enforcement officer driving down my residential street looking to give tickets to residents who were parked in front of their homes. Parking tickets can range from $15 to $150 depending on where you park and where you live. You should always pay yourself first and make money for yourself instead of making someone else rich.

When parking on any street read the signs carefully to ensure you don't violate them. Take a picture of the sign in the event you get a parking ticket. If there is no sign read the parking meter sign. Take a picture of the parking meter and a picture of your parked car showing that no parking sign was present.

In some cases, fraudulent parking tickets are written and drivers pay these tickets without investigating to ensure the ticket is valid. I have experienced this myself parking in Washington DC. I parked at 10:30pm at a parking meter that ended at 10:00pm. I received a ticket at 11:00pm stating that I parked in a no parking zone. How can a parking meter be installed in a "No Parking Zone"? Here are 6 ways to dispute a parking ticket:

1. Call to dispute the ticket the next day after you received the ticket to try to find out why you received the ticket. Be pleasant and the agent may dismiss the ticket. If not, dispute the ticket by mail along with your documentation.

2. Verify the ticket is valid by verifying the location, date/time, car make and model, tag number, date of registration, type of registration, registration expiration date, description of the car, VIN, meter number, and violation reason which should match the posted parking sign. If any of this information is incorrect you can dispute the ticket.

3. Search for the traffic laws applicable in your city and make sure you have followed them and reference the law in a non-offensive way when disputing the ticket.

4. Dispute the ticket by writing a letter and provide all the facts including: the make and model of your car, the date and time when the violation occurred, a valid explanation why you feel you were not at fault, list any parking signs and parking meter signs you saw, and identify any errors on the parking violation along with digital photos which is much harder to be denied. Staple all the documentation together putting the letter on top and the photos behind the letter.

5. Request a hearing within 30 days from the date of the ticket. Bring all evidence and photos and witnesses with you and hope the officer doesn't show up.

6. If you dispute a ticket and are unhappy with the decision you can request an appeal. Rewrite the original letter and be even more pleasant in the letter. End the letter by stating that if they still stand by the original decision you request that the fine be reduced.

Remember, the regular laws may not apply when a city government is experiencing a financial crisis. If you do go into the city take public transportation or catch a cab to prevent the risk of getting a parking ticket.

How to Avoid Parking Tickets

There has been a significant increase in the number of parking tickets written this year in several cities across the country. Many cities and counties have used the money obtained from parking fines to offset budget cuts and revenue shortfalls.

Some may feel the parking meter maids are criminals who run around cities giving fraudulent tickets. Others feel they are just doing their job based on pressure from their supervisors to meet quotas and generate revenue. The New York City government generates approximately $1.6 million daily from parking ticket revenue. In Chicago, a total of 1,345 parking tickets were written between June 21 and July 14, 2010. Montgomery County Maryland collected $8.1 million in ticket revenue thus far t his fiscal year.

Washington DC trained 25 new officers for the 2010 summer season and "Summer is our peak season for issuing tickets," according to Bill Howland, director for the Department of Public Works. "We're hoping to have some of these folks ready so they can issue more tickets." In Boulder Colorado parking meter maids are required to write an average of 900 tickets a month. Collections from parking tickets in Maywood Illinois increased 55% from last fiscal year. Here are 8 ways to avoid getting a parking ticket:

1. Keep change in your car at all times. If you regularly park in areas with meters, put more than enough money in the meter, at least 20 minutes extra than the current time. Some parking meters move their watches up 15-20 minutes to write fraudulent tickets.

2. Read the information on the parking meters including the hours in effect and any restrictions.

3. Read the parking signs for any restrictions with available times the space is to be used for parking. Check for permanent and temporary signs. If you park at a space with a parking meter and a parking sign follow the parking sign to be safe.

4. Be sure your vehicle registration and tags are clearly displayed on your car and are current.

5. Get a receipt when parking on a parking lot with an attendant. Receipts must be placed visible in the front windshield to avoid getting a ticket or being towed.

6. Don't park near fire lanes, bus zones, intersections, handicapped spaces, snow emergency routes, near schools or corners.

7. "No Stopping" and "No Parking" are not the same. You can stop in a no parking zone for up to five minutes to load and unload a passenger, but cannot in a no stopping zone which will result in getting a ticket even if the car is occupied.

8. When parking in parking lots or parking garages be sure to park in spaces that have lines on both sides of the parking space.