I received a parking ticket recently & asked for the cop's copy so I can work up my fight against it. Come to find out the cop put more comments on the cop's copy than mine. This ticket is suppose to be a carbon copy of the cop's. My ticket had only this as comments: beige pickup. The comments on the cop's include false accusations saying I was "blocking area to handicap parking space" when I was not. In fact I was parked parallel to a handicap spot about 10 feet away. The area I parked did not have any sign designating it as handicap or to not park there. It was not a loading zone, not a fire zone or a fire hydrant. The space I parked was in Walmart roughly 30 feet by 8 feet and was painted with yellow diagonal lines. FYI I was ticketed for "parking in a prohibited area" in Walmart (in Texas).
2007-01-12 15:01:15 · 10 answers · asked by BET36972 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
According to the ADA (American Disabilites Act) the handicap spot should have 8 feet. If it was for people who own a vehicle that use a lift the parking spot must be indicated with a sign. I talked to a cop about this and he said the spot must have a sign not to park there in order to a get a citation. The reason why I'm fighting this ticket is because I have seen many people park where I have parked & not get a ticket while a cop is around. BTW ticket fines are very expensive...especially for a student.
2007-01-12 15:36:27 · update #1
And another thing, I did not mouth off to the cop or any cops for that matter. I know the consequences.
2007-01-12 15:47:26 · update #2
Where I work the officers copy of the citation includes an area where the officer writes his own notes and comments to assist him in preparation for court later. These notes and comments will not appear on your copy. It is illegal for an officer to change the substantive portions of the citation after it is given to you. The officer can not add new charges, change or delete charges, etc, but the officer can make his case notes on the citation.
For several years I oversaw a volunteer citizen unit that wrote handicapped parking space violations in my town. In California, the laws relating to handicapped parking spaces are extremely strict. The law lays out what kind of signs must be present, how the signs must be displayed, what color or paint and markings must be present and how these marking must be laid out. I found that most people beat these parking tickets because, although they parked in a handicapped space illegally, the space was not marked in accordance with California's extremely strict marking laws. Odds are good Texas has the same kind of regulations. If you want to beat your ticket you should learn every little detail that has to be present for a citation to be issued and seek out the ones that were not present. If the law says the handicapped space must be marked with a sign, and it is not, you will likely win. If the law says the sign must be 40 " to 60" off the ground and the sign is too high or too low, you will likely win. Get the drift? Document your evidence with photographs and take it to court.
2007-01-13 18:36:15 · answer #1 · answered by James P 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You won't like my answer, but here it is:
1. The police have a seperate portion on the back of their copy for their comments. Your copy is not a report its a summons promising that you'll appear and take care of it or simply pay.
2. If you parked in an area with yellow painted lines then you did park in a prohibited area. I have worked for three police agencies in two different states and to the best of my knowledge yellow lines areas in parking lots are always prohibited. I assume this is the same across the whole country.
3. If you don't believe me, take a picture of where you parked and show the judge or hearing officer.
4. Or, just pay the lousy parking ticket. I just got one myself by another officer in my own department. I paid it and didn't try to get it reduced. I just acepted responsibility.
2007-01-12 15:18:01 · answer #2 · answered by Jawsh3539 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You were parked in an illegal space if the lines were diagonal extending from both sides of the parking/no parking area. The ticket should have all comments on it before you sign it.
2007-01-12 15:13:19 · answer #3 · answered by Teacher 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yellow diagonal lines is part of the handicapped spot. It is so that a wheelchair can have room to get out of a lift in the van.
2007-01-12 15:09:49 · answer #4 · answered by redunicorn 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
anytime there are yellow diagonal lines painted, that means you are not to park there. These areas are normally next to handicap spaces so that handicap people have extra room getting in and out of their cars, using wheelchairs, etc etc, And to answer your question police can do pretty much what ever they want, and usually do.
2007-01-12 15:08:35 · answer #5 · answered by The Pig! 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes the cop can add coments and even pass them along to the judge and or prosecutor....so don't be a bad ***. Usually people that mouth off to the cop make things a little harder on themselves come there court date..my advice is to park where you know its a designated parking spot.Believe me I know.
2007-01-12 15:09:17 · answer #6 · answered by jo jo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course he can add comments. The writes notes so he can remember the incident when it goes to course. Take responsibility, you knew you parked where you should not have.
2007-01-13 01:03:07 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Back in the day, we used to do that, but only if the person cited was a real dick (or there was something else the judge needed to know). That's been a few years, though.
2007-01-12 15:10:10 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. The citation is your notice to appear. His copies are for his notes on the incident.
2007-01-12 15:08:55 · answer #9 · answered by Ranger473 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Oh Dude!~! it's you again...You got another ticket.
Yes. It's no different than writing a supplemental report. Sounds like you flunked the attitude test.
2007-01-12 15:11:02 · answer #10 · answered by Dumb Dave 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋