Woo. I got my first parking ticket after I came 5 minute too late when my meter expired. Damn, I almost never see these parking enforcers out on the street yet they are always there to hand out violations. They are almost ninjas.

Anyway, this is my first time getting a vehicular violation of any sort, so I'm not sure what to do. The fine is a damn $30. But is it worth it to try to dispute? I assume different states/countries handle these violation little differently. From what I've heard, you can get it easily reduced (to maybe around $15). Anyone got a parking ticket before, and what did you do with it?

Also, quick question: How do they calculate if you been in a "meter-less" 2-hour parking spot on the street? I haven't got a straight answer but I'm guessing they make rounds on the streets?

They chalk/mark your tire then come back in just over two hours. If your tire is still marked, they write you a ticket. You can try disputing it, but it won't work.

Funny, I thought the chalk marking system isn't used much anymore in major cities.

*cue Brian*

Some still use it. Others have advanced to red paint that is hard to wipe off.

In Seattle, you see them going around in these little cars... they are really funny looking. Easily fit though traffic.

They do the chalk thing in Annapolis.

Just pay it. It has been my experience that parking officials are incredibly stubborn and obstinate. They'll write you up if your permit expires at 16:00:00 and it's 16:00:05.

Our city did away with parking meters and fines for parking.

Dispute a parking ticket..? Your meter expired, didn't it? Just pay the fine and be done with it.

But isn't the revenue from fines and meters for the city pretty good?

Red light cameras have become the new cash cows for San Diego and surrounding cities.

At $271 a pop, yeah. And I've seen one particular intersection flash a lot.

Where I work they chalk tires. However it is rare. I often leave my car in a 2 hour spot for 9 -10 hours and never move it. Never gotten a ticket before. I would just pay it.

I never said our city leaders were smart.

Honestly, I have no idea if they were getting decent revenues from meters or not.

It's absolute murder to get parked in Edinburgh in the city centre apparently thanks to the road layout and the use of meters.

We have those here in Albuquerque. But the police do not enforce it, they hire outside agencies to issue and distribute tickets, which is why if you contest your ticket it will usually get dropped, a lot of people just pay it, unfortunately.

There was a big scandal about that here in San Diego a few years ago (Scandalous San Diego!) I can't recall the exact details but it involved companies getting kickbacks from the tickets by the red-light cameras.

For a red light camera ticket to stick, they have to have a shot of your car, a clear shot of the lisence plate and a clear shot of you driving.

So, in other words, you can beat a ticket if you are driving someone else's car or are wearing a mask that hides you identity.

The one's here just get your license plate and a video of you breaking said violation. No pictures of the driver.

In Ca, they have to be able to prove that you were driving the car, which makes enough sense to me.

[QUOTE=Cool Matty]*cue Brian*[/QUOTE]
Meh, for a parking ticket, it's a non-moving violation so it doesn't affect your insurance. I fought a parking ticket and won once because I actually reparked my car. The ahole meter slut lied and said she chalked my tire, which is complete crap because I checked for that. Plus, I watch them go through and type license plate numbers into their computer, they never actually get out to chalk your tire, but of course they swear they do when they get to court.

For 30 bucks, it's not worth it for me. Fighting it is silly, but you can probably go in there, admit guilt, give some sob story about how you were only a couple of minutes late because the lady at the grocery store just HAD to change the cash register tape right when you were trying to check out or some other bullcrap like that. Around here, they generally knock a few bucks off, but you'll waste an hour or two to save 15 bucks.

In WA, the registered owner is responsible for all parking tickets even if the car was on loan to someone else.