$45 Parking Ticket - Damn!

**Hardhat** · November-10-14, 01:02 PM

Lunchtime today, parked my car on Beaubien Street under the People Mover. Niki's took an extra couple of minutes bringing my carryout pizza. Return to my car, little white meter maid car driving away, ticket on windshield. Result: $45 parking ticket. I haven't received a Detroit parking ticket in a few years, but there used to be an option to pay a reduced fee of only $10 if the ticket was paid in a week or 10 days or so. No reference to that on this parking ticket, just to pay $45 within 30 days, or deny responsibility. I don't know if $45 bucks for a meter infraction is out of line with other big city downtowns, but I feel a bit gouged today. End rant. If nothing else, hopefully this will be a notice for others who might be inclined to skimp on putting the extra quarter in the meter, figuring they could live with a $10 fine.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · November-10-14, 01:26 PM

In San Francisco, its $74 downtown and $64 in other parts of the city

thoro · November-10-14, 01:29 PM

That'll teach you to visit "America's most dangerous city"...as per the FBI.
You just never know who the bad guy is around here.
NYC and Boston were $50 back in the 70's.

**belleislerunner** · November-10-14, 01:43 PM

Considering the meters are good for two hours,either Nikki's was extremely slow [[2 hrs for pizza) or you incorrectly estimated the $2.00 fee. I'd rather put in four quarters each time I use a meter, and at most run out and put in another buck vs. $40 in extra fines for being lazy/not monitoring time - but that choice is yours.

**EastsideAl** · November-10-14, 01:44 PM

NYC parking tickets for meter violations are now $65 in Manhattan south of 96th St., and $35 in the rest of the city. In Chicago it's $65 downtown and $50 in the rest of the city.

**brizee** · November-10-14, 01:45 PM

Kevyn Orr dictated that this spring.

**Scottathew** · November-10-14, 02:13 PM

Just print on a landscape oriented piece of paper:

CITY OF DETROIT
OFFICIAL BUSINESS

Then laminate the paper to make it look even more official. Then place that piece of paper on your driver's side window whenever you don't feel like paying for parking, or want to park illegally.

**313rd** · November-10-14, 03:32 PM

The days of the $10 Discount are over. For us that have been around for years, that was the cheapest parking for events.

Meters were also free after 6:00pm...no longer, now we have to pay until 10:00pm.

$45 is comparable with other big cities.

**Honky Tonk** · November-10-14, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by 313rd

The days of the $10 Discount are over. For us that have been around for years, that was the cheapest parking for events.

Meters were also free after 6:00pm...no longer, now we have to pay until 10:00pm.

$45 is comparable with other big cities.

Sure wish other City services were.

**p69rrh51** · November-10-14, 03:52 PM

Off street parking at all times!

**FormerDetroiter** · November-10-14, 05:06 PM

$63 in Los Angeles
$74 downtown San Francisco $64 any where else

**Lowell** · November-10-14, 05:36 PM

Since we all seem to carry smart phones with timers I advise developing a routine of setting those whenever you feed the meter. A lot of meters are broken. Even pay stations for the new pay by number spaces are sometimes broken. You will get ticketed anyway. So keep a plastic bag and a marker in the car to bag broken meters and leave messages. Oh, and use the the video camera on your phone to document that the device does not work. I beat a ticket that way. But still cost me time and effort.

Here is someone's effort I caught a couple of weeks ago.

**Scottathew** · November-10-14, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Who the hell is "HAEL"?

**Thruster315** · November-10-14, 05:54 PM

I had heard about some folks around Ford Field/ Comerica Park for some major events almost daring the cops to write them tickets because it was still cheaper to pay for that ticket than pay for parking. Economically it makes sense because one could park relatively a lot longer than feed the meter which would run out eventually.

**downtownguy** · November-10-14, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

But still cost me time and effort.

And there's the rub. Many meter maids figure they will write the ticket anyway knowing a lot of folks will opt to pay rather than fight it.

**jiminnm** · November-10-14, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Since we all seem to carry smart phones with timers I advise developing a routine of setting those whenever you feed the meter. A lot of meters are broken. Even pay stations for the new pay by number spaces are sometimes broken. You will get ticketed anyway. So keep a plastic bag and a marker in the car to bag broken meters and leave messages. Oh, and use the the video camera on your phone to document that the device does not work. I beat a ticket that way. But still cost me time and effort.

Here is someone's effort I caught a couple of weeks ago.

The author is clairvoyant, knowing two weeks in advance that the meter would not be working.

**FormerDetroiter** · November-10-14, 06:43 PM

Can't spell either.

**Pickford-Bentler** · November-10-14, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by 48307

Who the hell is "HAEL"?

Apparently someone who got some nookie from Rihanna.

**warsaw7** · November-10-14, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by 48307

Who the hell is "HAEL"?

One of Los Angeles' most heralded graffiti artists #respect

http://www.skateallcities.com/wordpr...atures/haeler/

**poobert** · November-10-14, 10:32 PM

I would gladly pay the $45 if a majority of the parking meters ACTUALLY FUCKING WORKED OR WEREN'T PIECES OF SHIT FROM THE 1970's.

I got a $45 ticket over the summer. Fuck this place in the ass with a tree trunk.

**old guy** · November-10-14, 11:52 PM

I feel your pain. Last year, where I live they attempted to raise the parking tickets from $5 to $7.50. People virtually came out with pitchforks, so they backed off. They did manage to raise the overnight parking at an unpaid meter or up to 24 hours to $7.50. God help us.

**Honky Tonk** · November-11-14, 04:13 AM

Originally Posted by warsaw7

One of Los Angeles' most heralded graffiti artists #respect

Yeah, right. Thanx for the yucks.

**Zacha341** · November-11-14, 04:50 AM

Yeah, I got my first 'shock and awe' increased rate parking meter ticket last spring. I was totally tripped out as I was not aware of the new, eh 'rate'. And I got it off one of those old fashioned meters near the Fisher Building... so I did not have the two hour option. It was one of those older one hour dogs and I was just a few minutes late.

Since then I now park in the lot and just avoid the 'beat the meter' bunk. Downtown they have a few of the modern debit card meters that are a two full hours and I sit my watch. And I don't go far away from the meter as you have figure walk times along with eating. If I want more flexibility I just don't go downtown or park in a lot!

**Zacha341** · November-11-14, 04:53 AM

I think they can put 'another' parking ticket on your car if you stay beyond an hour after the first ticket. I could be wrong, but at $90 you're beyond the New York, Chicago range for parking!

Originally Posted by Thruster315

I had heard about some folks around Ford Field/ Comerica Park for some major events almost daring the cops to write them tickets because it was still cheaper to pay for that ticket than pay for parking. Economically it makes sense because one could park relatively a lot longer than feed the meter which would run out eventually.

**sumas** · November-11-14, 08:35 AM

Try this one for size. Got two different tickets in front of my own home. A neighbors family got her a handicapped sign which goes two ways but installed it on our property line. To add insuilt to injury we have a handicap license. F aught that ticket and got it dismissed. The other ticket was for having an an operable vehicle on the street??? Lisenced, plated, insured... got that dismissed too. The "holy" dodge spirit is alive and well and lives in Brightmore now.

My husband on a mission of mercy got a ticket for turning a left on E grand blvd. New sign but incorrectly placed. Decided to take a pass and pay the ticket. The court lost the payment. That was a fun ordeal.

Imagine my surprise when we got a handwritten refund check from the court. Wonders never cease.