Toronto Parking Ticket Advice?

[RogerRabbit]

I just got another Toronto parking ticket

I want to fight it, has anyone been successful in winning and what worked for you, in terms of a defense?

1. Has anyone used this service, are they legit:

http://www.torontoparkingtickets.com/Index.html

2. Is this true:

http://www.fightthemetermaid.com/FAQ.htm

"Why does the back of the ticket say that payment is due in 15 days?

I do not know. There is absolutely NO reason for this.​

“It should be noted that no time limitation is placed upon the defendant’s exercising the option of paying the set fine or requesting a trial. Therefore, even though the prescribed form of the [ticket] advises the defendant that he may take such action within 15 days, he or she cannot be precluded from paying the set fine or requesting a trial until a conviction has actually been entered.”"




​

 

[hunter001]

What is the infraction? It doesn't seem worth it to hire anyone to fight a parking ticket unless it was a hanicapped spot.

 

[lick_a_lot]

Bottom line ... ask yourself .. did I do it?

Don't come up with the "I was only 2 minutes" crap .. no parking means exactly that "NO" ... not 2 minutes for jackass to get a latte.

Pay the ticket if you were in the wrong and stop wasting tax dollars fighting them.

 

[MuffDiver]

Yes, after all, why should you be inconvenienced by parking legally when you can block a lane of a busy street while the rest of us have to fight to change lanes to go around you.

I really hate stupid people.

 

[oldjones]

The problem is, the city jacked up the ticket prices to the point that the punishment doesn't fit the "crime" anymore. I mean $60 for 5 minutes in no-parking zone, even if it's a non-rush hour, half-the-vehicle-legal-half-not, hazard lights on, pouring-rain situation. Speaking from experience...

What part of "No Parking" did you not understand? The "half-the-vehicle-not" part, I guess? Hazard lamps mean "Don't drive into me", not "Have mercy, O meter maid, working outdoors in the pouring rain". And if I had the teensiest trouble getting around your inconsiderately parked car, I'd say $60 was too little.

Like you, we all choose to park illegally from time to time, and hope we'll get away with it. You didn't this time. take your quite reasonable lumps and don't whine.

PS> Like the folks who read the silly note saying, "Back in five", how's the meter maid s'posed to know it was only five minutes?

 

[hairyfucker]

My advice. Pay the ticket and move on.

 

[emvee]

I've fought a number of tickets and won them all. The key - have a good reason for fighting it, and bring evidence if you can (eg. photo of location, signs). Have facts (eg. measure distances, exact word of signs). Act and dress professionally, speak to the judge respectfully and refer to him by his proper title ("Your worship", I think for traffic court).

 

[LazMan]

A bow (slight) towards the bench upon entrance, and exit; and refering to the JP or Judge as your Worship, are some of the old-english hold-overs in our legal system.

As for fighting the ticket; be polite, but also be SURE that you're solidly in the right, too. Photos, measurements, etc, help.

It would help us help you if you could lay out the situation a little, as well as exactly what your ticket was for...

Laz

 

[RogerRabbit]

What is your defense anyways?

There must be a tried and true charter argument that has been used before in matters similar to this (e.g. tax, human rights, etc.) or can you recommend one o wise sage...



p.s this guy was on the right track:

http://www.fightthemetermaid.com/

, but then again I want a flat tax like Hong Kong...

 

[RogerRabbit]

the status quo is unacceptable...

I've fought a number of tickets and won them all. The key - have a good reason for fighting it, and bring evidence if you can (eg. photo of location, signs). Have facts (eg. measure distances, exact word of signs). Act and dress professionally, speak to the judge respectfully and refer to him by his proper title ("Your worship", I think for traffic court).

Thanks to you and Laz, this has worked for me before, we must stand for our rights!

 

[MuffDiver]

Yes, the right to inconvenience others and get off free of charge. So, do you always have this sense of entitlement?

You still have not disclosed the circumstances that led to this ticket.

You people make me #$%^ sick.

 

[oldjones]

Thanks to you

I've fought a number of tickets and won them all. The key - have a good reason for fighting it, and bring evidence if you can (eg. photo of location, signs). Have facts (eg. measure distances, exact word of signs). Act and dress professionally, speak to the judge respectfully and refer to him by his proper title ("Your worship", I think for traffic court).

and Laz,

A bow (slight) towards the bench upon entrance, and exit; and refering to the JP or Judge as your Worship, are some of the old-english hold-overs in our legal system.

As for fighting the ticket; be polite, but also be SURE that you're solidly in the right, too. Photos, measurements, etc, help.

It would help us help you if you could lay out the situation a little, as well as exactly what your ticket was for...

Laz

this has worked for me before, we must stand for our rights!

I trust it has not escaped your notice that the advice above is to contest the ticket on the facts and respect the process. If you were parked where and when the ticket says, the only other defence is that the ticket is defective in some other way: citing the wrong law, or signed by an officer not present to testify, f'rinstance. Either one would infringe on the right to fair treatment which was established in British law long before charters of rights. The law has to be just and fair even to offenders.

But absent any info from you as to why you deserve to get off, I'd be inclined to think if you manage to, it would only be encouraging those who think rights are a sham, letting criminals—and they 'know' who the criminals are w/o the bother of due process—go unpunished.

Something about, "Do the crime do the time" comes to mind.

 

[LazMan]

When I get a legit ticket, I pay it - no fuss, no muss.

I do get a fairly good number of invalid tickets, too - I have a street access permit for my job, and am allowed (within certain limitations) to stop/park/block traffic as required for the nature of my work. Not many of the green hornets are familar with a street permit, and even when presented with the forms (which are on display on my dash) - they issue the ticket. Once a ticket's issued, the only official remedy is court. Years ago, we used to just goto Metro hall with the tickets, and the permit, and they'd be taken care of; but that's no longer the case...

My gut says the OP's trying to get off a legit ticket, as the circumstances around the ticket haven't been forthcoming... Anyways...

Laz

 

[BuffNaked]

Offer to pay on the condition they provide the contract that you signed saying you are required to pay. That will be the end of that.

 

[emvee]

Yes, the right to inconvenience others and get off free of charge. So, do you always have this sense of entitlement?

You still have not disclosed the circumstances that led to this ticket.

You people make me #$%^ sick.

Umm, the thread was about general advice on fighting tickets. He has no obligation to reveal the facts to get that advice.

Remember, the burden of proof is on the crown. Some of you guys are assuming he's guilty without knowing ANYTHING about the case at hand. Nice!

FACT - A lot of tickets are not issued properly.

 

[MuffDiver]

Sure - parking enforcement goes around writing tickets for no good reason. While I'm confident mistakes are made, I'm sure most tickets are legit and we're talking semantics as to whether the ticket was issued "properly" as you put it.

The FACT is I see many instances every day where someone is in a situation of inconvenience and rather than cope, they merely do as they choose and make things difficult for others.

 

[papasmerf]

Here is he question.....where you parked illegally???????

 

[Moraff]

Umm, the thread was about general advice on fighting tickets. He has no obligation to reveal the facts to get that advice.

Remember, the burden of proof is on the crown. Some of you guys are assuming he's guilty without knowing ANYTHING about the case at hand. Nice!

FACT - A lot of tickets are not issued properly.

yes but the advice to be given will be different depending on whether the OP is trying to fight an improperly given ticket or is merely seeking ways to weasel out of one he garnered justly.