Disputing a parking ticket

[Dave98]

So I'm planning on heading over to one of the Parking Tag Operation centers to dispute a parking ticket I got this morning.

Anyone wanna let me in on how much of a pain in the ass this is going to be? I'm thinking of going over there in the morning right when they open up before I go to work.


As for an explanation of my situation... simply put, I parked my car in one of the wheelchair spots outside of the hospital emergency entrance. I was admitting my grandfather and YES, we do have a wheelchair parking spot tag. I was literally inside for about 10 minutes before coming out and the ticket was already on my windshield. Wondering if they'll have any leniency towards this.

It's only a $30 ticket but it's still $30!

[Shaner]

Can you move those wheelchair permits from car to car, or are they registered to one car only? If it's the latter, then why would they be lenient? Just because you say that your disabled grandfather was with you doesn't mean he was (I'm not calling you a liar, I'm just telling you the way it is), and even still, it doesn't give you the right to park in that spot. You should have dropped him off at the front door then went and parked elsewhere.

With that said, you're going to have to spend a day in court for a $30 ticket. Doesn't seem worth it for me.

[Dave98]

Sorry, I left out the actual reason for the ticket lol. The ticket wasn't for parking in the wheelchair spot. It was for not buying a parking stub and having it on the dash at the time parking enforcement passed by.

Plus, I just assumed this would be something you just walk up to a counter for. If it's something I need to spend substantially more time on then I won't bother.

[Kasakato]

The fine for not having a permit in a wheelchair spot is much more expensive. Are you sure its a legal ticket? Only those yellow Toronto notices are valid as far as I know. Check out the motors section of RFD.

[Whitedart]

Sorry, I left out the actual reason for the ticket lol. The ticket wasn't for parking in the wheelchair spot. It was for not buying a parking stub and having it on the dash at the time parking enforcement passed by.

Plus, I just assumed this would be something you just walk up to a counter for. If it's something I need to spend substantially more time on then I won't bother.

So this was a metered/pay parking area, and you did not pay? What is your defence for not paying?

Clearly it was not for parking in a disabled space without a permit.

[Dave98]

The fine for not having a permit in a wheelchair spot is much more expensive. Are you sure its a legal ticket? Only those yellow Toronto notices are valid as far as I know. Check out the motors section of RFD.

Sorry, see edited post above.

So this was a metered/pay parking area, and you did not pay? What is your defence for not paying?

Clearly it was not for parking in a disabled space without a permit.

I don't have a defense for not paying. In hindsight, I should have paid it before going in but simply said, I just didn't consider it a priority because I was trying to get my grandfather admitted to emergency. I'm not trying to say I didn't screw up. I'm asking if it would be any point in trying to dispute it.

[Shaner]

Sure, if you have loads of free time and absolutely no money, then yes, fight this ticket.

But no, you don't just walk up to a counter and plead your case. You'll have to spend the day in traffic court. You'll have to get there at 8-9 am and who knows when your case will proceed, it may not be until the afternoon.

[joey3k]

i was actually at king/john disputting a ticket i got on sunday: park in permit area without valid permit.

Funny thing is that I DO have a permit and it is valid :)

The line went quite fast, they had 3 people behind the bulletproof glass dealing with the public....
State your case. They might cancel the ticket on the spot (as they did for me once they realized that my permit had an error that the city was responsible for.)

If they don't cancel the ticket, file for a court date. You will not get a court date in the mail due to the current back log and therefore you will walk away without paying a dime.

good luck!

ps. I had to wait about 10mins, went at 2pm.

[iam_immigrant]

Be prepared to wait. And don't forget you have to find parking, unless you work in the area.

I've seen someone come out after waiting to pay a parking ticket only to come out and find another on his windshield.


And I've NEVER ever seen, never, any car with a handicap permit pay for parking. EVER.

[gretzky99]

And I've NEVER ever seen, never, any car with a handicap permit pay for parking. EVER.

For street parking, yes, you can basically park anywhere for free with a handicap permit. THis includes metered parking streets, no parking zones, 1 hour parking zones etc...If you have a handicap permit you can park there for FREE.

However, in a private parking lot (i.e. hospital parking lot), you must pay. The only priviledge you have is that you can park in the handicap spots.

[dealtaker]

For street parking, yes, you can basically park anywhere for free with a handicap permit. THis includes metered parking streets, no parking zones, 1 hour parking zones etc...If you have a handicap permit you can park there for FREE.

...
Where are you getting this from?
Some unwritten law?

[iam_immigrant]

Where are you getting this from?
Some unwritten law?

I guess since you need to park close enough to where you're going, walking all the way to a ticket terminal and then back to the car is out of the question.

[gretzky99]

Where are you getting this from?
Some unwritten law?


http://www.toronto.ca/transportation/parking/disabled_parking.htm

[BornRuff]

Sorry, I left out the actual reason for the ticket lol. The ticket wasn't for parking in the wheelchair spot. It was for not buying a parking stub and having it on the dash at the time parking enforcement passed by.

Plus, I just assumed this would be something you just walk up to a counter for. If it's something I need to spend substantially more time on then I won't bother.

Read the ticket very carefully, are you sure it is a city of Toronto parking ticket? The hospital I work at issues tickets for people not paying for parking, but the tickets are issued by a private company. Private companies have no actual authority to force you to pay these fines, the ticket actually says in small print that money paid is a donation to the hospital.

I'm willing to bet that that parking ticket is not a real one, and you can just throw it out unless you feel like donating to the hospital.

[Electricute]

thats total BS, parking in a disabled parking in a hospital zone is only $30??

godamn, i parked at college and bathurst at 9:30pm on a saturday night for less than 10 min, beside the pole and i got a ticket for $420...cause it was close to a loading zone...

i took it to court and just waiting for a court date, not sure what im going to say yet

[jp06]

thats total BS, parking in a disabled parking in a hospital zone is only $30??

godamn, i parked at college and bathurst at 9:30pm on a saturday night for less than 10 min, beside the pole and i got a ticket for $420...cause it was close to a loading zone...

i took it to court and just waiting for a court date, not sure what im going to say yet

are you sure the ticket was because it's a loading zone? I've seen some HANDICAP signs that also said "Loading Zone" on it. So It might be a HANDICAP parking ticket for that amount.

[Electricute]

are you sure the ticket was because it's a loading zone? I've seen some HANDICAP signs that also said "Loading Zone" on it. So It might be a HANDICAP parking ticket for that amount.

says loading zone on it

[Dave98]

Sorry guys, I didn't make my posts very clear.

What I meant was that I got a ticket for not paying for parking beforehand. It just happened to be a handicap spot.

But I ended up just paying it off. It's not worth my time going to court over.



and yes, it was a legitimate yellow parking ticket and not one issued by hospital parking enforcement. It does seem weird that the city can collect on private property parking infractions though but oh well.

[Canuck32]

Some municipalities will cut a ticket in half just by asking. I have experience doing this with Markham and Brampton, and possibly Toronto.

[thechampion116]

thats total BS, parking in a disabled parking in a hospital zone is only $30??

godamn, i parked at college and bathurst at 9:30pm on a saturday night for less than 10 min, beside the pole and i got a ticket for $420...cause it was close to a loading zone...

i took it to court and just waiting for a court date, not sure what im going to say yet

my mom had a parking ticket for stopping in a school zone (at least 20 cars stopped in the same region and only she got a ticket).

So she went to court and others were there as well, seemingly with different ranges of parking tickets. What happened? well the judge basically outright told everyone that there was no use in fighting the tickets and that if you plead guilty you only half, so thats the way it went down the whole session.

[HighFlyer]

It does seem weird that the city can collect on private property parking infractions though but oh well.
The U of T issues tickets that are from the city of Toronto.

[majesus]

Sure, if you have loads of free time and absolutely no money, then yes, fight this ticket.

But no, you don't just walk up to a counter and plead your case. You'll have to spend the day in traffic court. You'll have to get there at 8-9 am and who knows when your case will proceed, it may not be until the afternoon.

Good to love the system.

[Renton]

You'll have to get there at 8-9 am and who knows when your case will proceed, it may not be until the afternoon.
Not true, I was scheduled in court for 3pm and I was out in 20 minutes. No parking agents showed up in the 9-10 cases that were before me.