‘We’re making them money by parking in our driveways,’ homeowner after she was fined despite using her land – The US Sun

A HOMEOWNER is furious after his wife received parking fines despite using her own garage.

John Harris, a resident of Clear Lake, Texas, about 20 miles south of Houston, was hit with hefty fees charged by the city of Houston’s parking management.

two

The eGovernment Center has handed out nearly 2,000 tickets for “blocking or parking on the sidewalk” since October.

“I’ve gotten two in the last six months,” John said angrily.

Last week, the owner claimed the last fine was issued to his wife while she was getting her granddaughter out of the car.

He continued: “My neighbor even called and said they are going to give you a fine.

“My wife had arrived less than five minutes ago.”

Other residents also shared their complaints about the law, as five other residents on nearby streets also received a citation for it in December 2016.

Resident Janis Clouette said she started parking like this after her son went to college and left the car, according to KTRK-TV.

“If they want to go out and bring the sidewalk closer to the street, then we’ll fix it,” she said.

“We’re making a lot of money just parking in our garages.

“If they want to come out and bring the sidewalk closer to the street, then we’ll fit in.

But as it stands, I don’t see them doing that.

“I think they need to give us a break. We are hardworking people.

“This area of ​​NASA has been hit hard by the oil and the problems that NASA has had. People are struggling here.

“We don’t need this city of Houston nickel-and-diming us too.”

The City of Houston’s Parking Management Division, known as ParkHouston, defended the decision.

“If there is not enough passage for someone in a wheelchair, that vehicle will receive a ticket because the sidewalk is for everyone and we have to think about everyone when it is used in this way,” said spokeswoman Maria Irshad.

“In many situations, garages have been turned into guest rooms, media rooms or something else.

“And that’s where you should put your car.”

The US Sun has reached out to the city of Houston for comment.

This comes after news that drivers are facing larger fines of up to $500 after a city launched a new plan to reduce traffic and crack down on illegal parking.

The reinforced penalties, which came into force on April 19, also aim to increase the safety of residents and visitors.

The changes are taking place in San Marcos, Texas, a city of about 70,000 people that is part of the Greater Austin Metropolitan Area.

How to Fight a Parking Ticket

You can avoid being fined by following all published laws and regulations, but sometimes mistakes are made

Like any form of citation, parking tickets can be avoided by reading and obeying posted signage. However, when visiting a new city, or state, or in a hurry, things can be missed and mistakes can be made.

Suddenly there’s a ticket you weren’t prepared to pay for. If the ticket comes as a surprise to you, there are some things you can do to help your case when appealing a parking ticket.

• Read the ticket carefully. Look for errors such as incorrect street names, license plate numbers, vehicle make and model, time and date, etc. Errors would render the ticket invalid.
• Take pictures. The vehicle in the space, lack of signage, or other vehicles that were not cited for performing the same parking service. 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 time and date is accessible. Signs that are obstructed by trees, or on crooked posts, or that are not “obvious” are also great things to photograph.
• Make sure the statute that was violated is listed on the ticket. If it is not listed, the ticket is not valid.
• Immediately follow the appeal instructions on the ticket. All legitimate tickets will have appeal instructions. Waiting until the 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 going to move my car.”
  • “I can’t pay this ticket.”
  • “I’ve been doing this for years.”
  • “I checked with the parking officer, who said everything was fine.”
• Contact a lawyer. If you are facing obstacles and feel stuck, you may want to contact a traffic lawyer in your area. Many have free case consultations.

Source: Reader Summary