A DRIVER has been slapped with a $75 ticket despite claiming that her car was not technically parked.
The woman claimed she was hit with the fine after making two stops at the beach, saying both lasted barely a minute.
WFLAFlorida resident Jackie Deppe was charged $75 for parking[/caption] Deppe said she believes that the parking system mistook her two drop offs as one long stayWFLAThe saga happened earlier this month at a paid parking area near the Redington Shores pier, Florida, roughly thirty miles from Tampa.
Jackie Deppe said she was simply dropping off beach gear and later returning to pick it up.
“I pulled in and pulled out and pulled in and pulled out again,” she told NBC local affiliate WFLA.
But weeks later, she got a surprise in the mail – an invoice claiming her car was parked for nearly four hours.
The notice included timestamped images showing her vehicle entering and exiting the lot.
Deppe lives nearby and had walked back and forth between her house and the beach.
We spent the day on the beach, hanging out,” she said.
“Somewhere around 5:00, I walked back home. I got my car to go back, picked them up, and then left.”
She was snapped by surveillance cameras before being hit with the penalty.
The driver believes that the system mistook her two-drop offs as one long stay.
She is refusing to pay $75. “I don’t feel that I owe it,” she said.
“It says on here that failure to pay is subject to the vehicle getting booted or towed. Well, if I’m not parked there, they can’t boot me and they can’t tow me.”
Signs at the lot, managed by the company Premium Parking, say the area is under 24/7 surveillance.
How to fight a parking ticket
You can avoid being ticketed by following all posted laws and ordinances, but sometimes mistakes are made
Like any form of citation, parking tickets are preventable by reading and obeying posted signage. However, when visiting a new city, or state, or in a hurry, things can be missed and mistakes are made.
Suddenly there’s a ticket you weren’t prepared to pay for. If the ticket is a surprise to you, there are a few things you can do to help your case when appealing a parking ticket.
Carefully read the ticket. Look for errors like incorrect street names, license plate numbers, vehicle make and model, time and date, etc. Errors would then make the ticket invalid. Take photos. Of the vehicle in the parking space, lack of signage, or other vehicles that weren’t cited for performing the same parking job. If the ticket involves parking too close to something like a fire hydrant, a photo showing a reasonable distance would help your case. Make sure metadata with the time and date are accessible. Signs that are obstructed by trees, or are on bent posts, or aren’t “obvious” are great things to photograph, too. Make sure the statute that was violated is listed on the ticket. If not listed, the ticket is not valid. Promptly follow the appeal instructions on the ticket. All legitimate tickets will have directions for appeal. Waiting until the very last moment weakens your argument and can result in late fees. When in court, avoid these phrases as they reduce your credibility and weaken your argument: “I didn’t know the law.” “I was on my way to move my car.” “I can’t afford this ticket.” “I’ve been doing this for years.” “I checked with the parking officer, who said it was OK.” Contact a lawyer. If you’re running into roadblocks and feel stuck, it may be best to reach out to a traffic lawyer in your area. Many have free case consultations.Source: Reader’s Digest
Deppe said the footage should show her car never stayed and never occupied a parking spot.
Beachgoers told WFLA that the lot is mostly used for drop-offs, not parking.
“$75 ticket for a minute is kind of crazy,” Alexie Latorre.said.
in an email statement to The U.S. Sun, a Premium Parking representative said their policy allows cars a 15-minute grace period to pay for parking.
If payment isn’t made during that time, an invoice is issued, and customers can dispute it online.
Deppe said they already have all the proof they need in their footage.
But, she is not the only one who has been hit with unexpected bills.
The U.S. Sun reported how Texas driver Glenn Roberts was hit with a hefty $3,000 fine over a rental car that he said it was returned without a scratch.
And, Melanie Viveros was clobbered with a $300 fine – despite paying for parking.
She was hit with the bill after attending a Post Malone concert in Texas.
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