I Fought the Law...
...and I won!
At the end of May, I received a parking ticket. It was graduation weekend, and I was with my dad. It's a place I've parked many times before and I didn't see any nearby signage. My dad is pretty observant, and he didn't see anything either.
Regardless, when we walked out of the store I heard a grinding noise. I didn't even realize what was going on until I unlocked the car. I was about to be TOWED! You should have seen the look the miserable traffic cop gave me as she skulked back to the tow truck.
I was still in partial shock when I realized there was also a $60 parking ticket stuck under my windshield wiper. Fucking a!!!
Had it been a less expensive ticket, or even if I hadn't have been about to be towed, I might have just paid it. But it was the combination that killed me. I wasn't blocking a driveway or a hydrant, after all. It was a royal pain when I got towed in May, but I was admittedly too close to a hydrant. But this? A ticket AND trying to tow me when my car wasn't creating a potentially dangerous condition? And, where I DIDN'T SEE ANY SIGNS? Hell no! I determined that this was cruel and unusual punishment.
It took two trips to the municipal building. On both occasions I encountered judges with dickish attitudes. Like seriously aggressive and offensive without provocation. (Though I can see how one can develop a prickly manner working there. On my first trip, I witnessed a man insistent on fighting a five-year-old parking ticket, who stood dumbly and unmoving from the service window despite cutting insults from the head judge.) regardless, I'm just not sure what people get out of being assholes straight away.
On my second visit, color photo evidence in-hand and right-hand-raised testimony, my ticket was dismissed. Was it worth all that time? Absolutely, esp given that I was almost towed. (And if you gave ever been to the Brooklyn tow pound, you know what I mean!)
In another victory against the po-po, I did a post on CHB about how the local cops were permanently parked in the bike lane. The story was picked up by Gothamist AND Streetsblog. And you know what? The cops moved the cars.
My blogging technique as of late has been drafting up these mega-long posts on the iPhone while commuting. Right now I am walking down DeKalb Ave!
What else...
Happily, baby Jeffrey is home with mom and dad, and I was able to visit over the weekend. I was able to hold him, and since he was sleeping, I found it very relaxing. I also saw him pee on his own face during changing. I'll being that story out when he's about 16.
I also went a steamed crab and burger BBQ in Jersey City, where I learned how to get a decent amount of meat out of the steaming Old-Bay-seasoned shells.
Work's been better, which is good.
I turn 30 in one week and two days.
At the end of May, I received a parking ticket. It was graduation weekend, and I was with my dad. It's a place I've parked many times before and I didn't see any nearby signage. My dad is pretty observant, and he didn't see anything either.
Regardless, when we walked out of the store I heard a grinding noise. I didn't even realize what was going on until I unlocked the car. I was about to be TOWED! You should have seen the look the miserable traffic cop gave me as she skulked back to the tow truck.
I was still in partial shock when I realized there was also a $60 parking ticket stuck under my windshield wiper. Fucking a!!!
Had it been a less expensive ticket, or even if I hadn't have been about to be towed, I might have just paid it. But it was the combination that killed me. I wasn't blocking a driveway or a hydrant, after all. It was a royal pain when I got towed in May, but I was admittedly too close to a hydrant. But this? A ticket AND trying to tow me when my car wasn't creating a potentially dangerous condition? And, where I DIDN'T SEE ANY SIGNS? Hell no! I determined that this was cruel and unusual punishment.
It took two trips to the municipal building. On both occasions I encountered judges with dickish attitudes. Like seriously aggressive and offensive without provocation. (Though I can see how one can develop a prickly manner working there. On my first trip, I witnessed a man insistent on fighting a five-year-old parking ticket, who stood dumbly and unmoving from the service window despite cutting insults from the head judge.) regardless, I'm just not sure what people get out of being assholes straight away.
On my second visit, color photo evidence in-hand and right-hand-raised testimony, my ticket was dismissed. Was it worth all that time? Absolutely, esp given that I was almost towed. (And if you gave ever been to the Brooklyn tow pound, you know what I mean!)
In another victory against the po-po, I did a post on CHB about how the local cops were permanently parked in the bike lane. The story was picked up by Gothamist AND Streetsblog. And you know what? The cops moved the cars.
My blogging technique as of late has been drafting up these mega-long posts on the iPhone while commuting. Right now I am walking down DeKalb Ave!
What else...
Happily, baby Jeffrey is home with mom and dad, and I was able to visit over the weekend. I was able to hold him, and since he was sleeping, I found it very relaxing. I also saw him pee on his own face during changing. I'll being that story out when he's about 16.
I also went a steamed crab and burger BBQ in Jersey City, where I learned how to get a decent amount of meat out of the steaming Old-Bay-seasoned shells.
Work's been better, which is good.
I turn 30 in one week and two days.
posted by Lesterhead @ 7/02/2008 09:55:00 PM
4 Comments:
At 7/03/2008 10:55:00 AM,
J Heller said…
Just for future reference, you can fight tickets on-line. I have a not-guilty plea in for a parking ticket that I got for parking at a meter that wasn't working. The last time I protested a ticket, I had to appeal after my first plea of not guilty was rejected, and then the ticket was dismissed on the appeal. All was done on-line or via the mail.
At 7/07/2008 10:49:00 AM,
cjaeger1978 said…
Hey Robin! I know it's been awhile, but Dee pointed me to your blog and I had to stop by and say hello. Glad to see you are doing so well, and it'd be great to catch up sometime outside of the internet. And please pass along my congratulations to Mira--her little one is adorable! Sending my best to you all! :)
--Cat (Belcher) Jaeger
At 7/07/2008 04:12:00 PM,
Kath said…
so where did you get the ticket? I need to avoid that spot! Congrats on beating the rap!
I can't wait until your bday.
At 7/09/2008 06:05:00 PM,
J Heller said…
p.s. i fought the law and i won too -- the ticket mentioned above was excused, and all it took was a couple of clicks of the mouse and a few key strokes. Now I'm waiting for a check from NYC for the 25 cents i lost in the broken parking meter.
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