Woman surprised to receive $75 ticket for ‘parking legally’ at tourist hotspot – then she’s urged to double-check it
Even though they may have been in a legal location, drivers visiting a busy tourist area have received parking charges.
However, police are asking the drivers who were given tickets to carefully review the slip they were given.
One woman told Atlanta News First, “I was parked legally when I got a ticket.”
Over the weekend, the woman parked on Piedmont Avenue in Atlanta.
She presented the outlet with her ticket, which listed her car’s name, model, and color.
She received a $75 “illegal parking” ticket.
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The ticket further mentioned that the driver’s license plate was recorded and that there would be a $125 fine if the payment was not made within 15 days.
The woman wasn’t the only one who was shocked.
According to police, fines like the woman’s appeared on almost every car parked close by.
And one local says it’s not a recent phenomenon.
“They’re handing them out left and right when there’s an event,” Rick told Atlanta News First.
However, a large number of the vehicles were indeed lawfully parked.
Woman who paid $58 to park in lot during concert shocked to receive $80 fine – then she looked up the company
A new resident named Jack told Atlanta News First, “I was worried about that. I was examining the sign, wondering if it was legal or not because I was able to find this one open spot.”
Visitors might not double-check these phony tickets, but locals who are familiar with the region and the fraud do.
The Midtown Atlanta region is a popular destination for scammers because to the large number of tourists that visit it.
A car with a Texas license plate was spotted parked in the same spot where the fake tickets were distributed, according to Atlanta News First.
Additionally, phony QR codes have been appearing in nearby parking garages.
Unaware that they are fake, drivers scan those to pay for parking.
They are merely scanning. They don’t stop to consider what they are using their information for. Where is the repository for this data? The Better Business Bureau’s Simone Williams told Atlanta News First.
Residents were now given an urgent notification by Atlanta police.
How to fight a parking ticket
Following all established laws and ordinances will help you avoid getting a ticket, but occasionally people make mistakes.
Parking tickets can be avoided by reading and following posted signage, just like any other type of citation. However, mistakes can be made and things missed when traveling in a hurry or when visiting a new state or city.
All of a sudden, a ticket appears that you weren’t ready to pay for. There are a few things you can do to support your appeal of a parking ticket if you were surprised by it.
- Carefully read the ticket. Look for errors like incorrect street names, license plate numbers, vehicle make and model, time and date, etc. Errors would then make the ticket invalid.
- Take photos. Of the vehicle in the parking space, lack of signage, or other vehicles that weren’t cited for performing the same parking job. 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 the time and date are accessible. Signs that are obstructed by trees, or are on bent posts, or aren’t “obvious” are great things to photograph, too.
- Make sure the statute that was violated is listed on the ticket. If not listed, the ticket is not valid.
- Promptly follow the appeal instructions on the ticket. All legitimate tickets will have directions for appeal. Waiting until the very 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 on my way to move my car.”
- “I can t afford this ticket.”
- “I ve been doing this for years.”
- “I checked with the parking officer, who said it was OK.”
- Contact a lawyer. If you’re running into roadblocks and feel stuck, it may be best to reach out to a traffic lawyer in your area. Many have free case consultations.
Source: Digest of Readers
Police reminded locals that ATLPlus handles the majority of parking enforcement.
“Our citations are always issued on-street and never in a parking lot or garage,” according to the ATLPlus website.
In addition to payment choices, ATLPlus tickets always include information about the infraction and how to appeal.
“ATLPlus encourages citizens who have inquiries concerning the legitimacy of a parking citation to get in touch with them. According to a statement from the Atlanta Police Department, residents should report any suspected fake parking citations to the police by calling 311 or 911.
Additionally, although Atlanta police do issue parking tickets, they don’t look like the ones that ATLPlus issues.
The Atlanta Municipal Court handles tickets issued by Atlanta police.
Atlanta police posted pictures of each ticket.
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The ATLPlus tickets are yellow and read “Atlanta Police Citation,” but the police-issued citations are white and read “The Municipal Court of Atlanta” at the top.
If someone believes they have been issued a fake parking ticket, they should report it to the police by calling 311 or 911.
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