‘I was parked for 10 minutes’, smoke driver hit with $90 fine – problem got so bad employees had to speak out

DRIVERS have complained after receiving expensive parking fines minutes after leaving their car.

Several vehicle owners in Boston expressed their frustration days after a public official said he had never received a parking ticket.

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Drivers said they had to pay exorbitant fees in 2019, according to the Boston Herald.

“It’s ridiculous,” Khris Bontos, then 53, told the publication.

“One time I was parked for 10 minutes with a disabled sign and when I got out there was a $90 ticket.”

Bontos said the number of expensive parking tickets were “all about making money”.

Several people spoke to the publication, saying they were charged excessive fees for allegedly illegal parking.

They decided to speak out after then-Boston Mayor Marty Walsh admitted he never received a parking ticket while in office.

Walsh said drivers should be more careful when selecting their parking spaces in the city.

“You can’t park illegally,” he advised.

“I mean, you get a ticket, there’s something wrong there, and I’m asking people to respect the rules of the road. Not parking in front of fire hydrants, not parking in front of ramps for disabled people – these are the main fines we give.”

Drivers did not respond kindly to the mayor’s words, according to the publication.

In the summer of 2018, parking fines skyrocketed and reached record costs.

A ticket in residential neighborhoods costs drivers 33% more. Lost meter tickets increased by 60%.

The increases angered Boston drivers, the publication said.

“The fines are ridiculous and seem to be increasing. I think parking tickets should be around $20. It’s a big scam,” said Elizabeth Britta, another car owner in the city.

“There’s nowhere to park and the garages are outrageous. They’re very expensive.”

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

Anger surrounding rising parking ticket fines called then-council president Andrea Campbell to action.

In 2019, she called for a review of the city’s parking enforcement.

“While our parking meter fund is an important resource for financing major improvements to our city’s road infrastructure, I know that parking fines can be a serious problem for many residents and parking restrictions are not always applied equitably. ,” she told the publication.

Today, parking tickets can cost Boston drivers between $55 and $100, according to Axes.

Drivers will pay more in Boston County compared to the suburbs.

For example, a driver will be charged $100 if they are caught blocking a bike lane in Boston. They will receive $50 in Brookline, Cambridge or Somerville for the same offense.