‘Literally couldn’t read,’ driver says as dozens of tickets were issued on ‘blacked out’ meters – city was no help

DRIVERS are seeking answers from city authorities after receiving tickets for unreadable parking meters – the city says the fix will be slow.

The meters are said to last 10 years—after seven, the Arizona sun may have done them in.

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Tucson, Arizona, like many large cities, depends on revenue from downtown parking to generate funds to repair roads, pay for construction projects, and improve safety.

The parking lots and main strip utilize parking meters that accept credit cards and coins to allow drivers to pay by the hour when visiting the area.

It operated for seven years until the meters began to show problems for drivers.

Corky Ward parked in downtown Tucson last week and paid with a credit card.

However, he could not say whether the payment had been processed, due to a meter defect.

“We literally couldn’t read the meter,” he told the NBC affiliate KVOA.

“We just put the credit card in there, tapped the plus sign a few times and assumed it was enough.”

He said the screen was completely blank and, unable to see that the credit card payment had not been processed, he continued.

He was shocked when he returned to a ticket in his car.

Ward isn’t the only driver with parking meter illegibility issues, as the city has received many complaints about issuing tickets despite not being able to read the meter.

Donovan Durband of the city’s Parks Department told the outlet that the warranties on the meters expired after five years.

He suspects Arizona’s famous sun may have fried the solar panels.

“They lasted a while, it’s just that a lot of those screens went bad last year,” he said.

“I think our sunlight is a small part of that.”

Durband is very aware of the problem drivers face and said the city is on the right path to fixing it – it will just take a while.

Unfortunately, I received a ticket that I don’t think is fair considering the screen is completely blacked out. I will fight the fine and hope the city of Tucson can fix the meters, that is the biggest problem here.

Tom, a Tucson resident

“We have to send them to the manufacturer to replace the screens if they go bad or if there is something with the mechanisms themselves,” he said.

Otherwise, the city will not have the resources or funds to resolve them.

“We can do basic things like if there is currency congestion or something like that,” he said.

However, change is on the horizon with new meters that can connect to phones and have 4G connectivity.

He also said police officers should not issue tickets to those who park at faulty parking meters, but drivers have reported otherwise.

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

“I noticed the meter wasn’t working, I didn’t think it was something I should invest a few coins in,” said Tom, a resident.

“Unfortunately, I received a fine that I don’t think is fair considering the screen is completely blacked out. I will fight the fine and hope the city of Tucson can fix the meters, that is the biggest problem here.”

Durband said the city is working to implement a mobile parking app where drivers can pay on their phones and promises to investigate all citations issued on a faulty meter as long as it is disputed within 45 days from the date of issue.