‘The Car Parked in the Spot to the Left of Me Was a Little Over to the Right’: Parking Ticket Appeals [UPDATED]

[Editor’s Note: We have updated this article by removing the name of a town resident dropped three times in one appellant’s letter.]

Here are excerpts from parking ticket appeals letters filed recently with the New Canaan Parking Bureau:

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“I was parked 3-4 space away from the very small lookin sign. Usually one or two spaces apply to the loading zone not half the block. I didn’t even see the sign. Please send me my court date.”

—$30 for loading zone on Main Street at 10:23 a.m. on April 24 (Darien resident)

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“On Saturday June 9th I was visiting your beautiful city and parked in a large lot thinking, like my town in Virginia, it was free to park on Saturdays and Sundays. I am attaching a photo of the ticket hoping you might forgive an out of towner his first ever ticket. I appreciate your consideration.”

—$25 for unpaid space in Morse Court at 12:46 p.m. on June 9 (Spotsylvania, Va. resident)

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“I am writing to appeal this parking ticket because I feel it was very unfair. Last Friday, I looked for parking on the street (Elm & Main) but there was nothing available so I went into the lot, which was also very full at the time. Luckily, I found a spot so I parked in it. The car parked in the spot to the left of me was a little over to the right so in turn my car was parked slightly to the right (a little over the line. The two spots to the right of me were empty at the time. They are spots to charge electric cars. When I returned to the spot there was a car to the right of me (and they had plenty of space). Needless to say, I was absolutely shocked to see a ticket on my car. There were no other parking spaces at the time I parked. However, I was very conscious of the space next to me when I did park. Even though I know many people park here in town without paying and overstay their time, I do not (even if it is for 5 minutes). I know there are rules in place for reasons and I always acknowledge this. I just feel like this was extremely unfair considering the person to the left of me was slightly in my space. I didn’t even get a warning. A woman who works at J Crew passed by me and saw that I was so upset by the ticket and she saw the way I was parked and couldn’t believe it herself.”

—$30 for obstructing two spaces in Morse Court at 3 p.m. on June 15 (New Canaan resident)

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“My car was parked on the ‘parking allowed’ section of the street, about 10 feet away from ‘No Parking’ sign further down the street and about 30 feet in front of the green sign allowing 2-hour parking. There were no pavement marks suggesting that parking was not allowed in front of the ‘No Parking’ sign. Thank you for considering this matter. The street had ample parking. It was certainly not my intention to break any rules. I apologize if this is what happened inadvertently. I am a long time Pound Ridge resident and I spend many hours in New Canaan every week shopping and taking kids to activities. As you can see, my record with the town is ‘clean’ as I always follow parking regulations in New Canaan.”

—$30 for no parking zone on Locust Avenue, at 2:29 p.m. on April 28 (Pound Ridge, N.Y. resident)

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“I have been working for [a town resident] in New Canaan the past two years. My wife and I help out [the residnet’s] kids with things throughout the work week. My wife received a ticket on Burtis Ave. next to Salon Kiklo while dropping off [the residnet’s] daugther. However, this ticket should not have been issued in the first place and my wife even stated to the person issuing the ticket and they told her ‘I don’t care.’ My wife had been stopped for maybe 15 seconds to drop off a 14-year-old girl to get her hair done. She had her hazards on and let Mr. Scarborough’s daughter out of the car and was preparing to pull away. In that time, the person with badge number 306 came up and started writing a ticket. My wife explained she was dropping off this young girl to get her hair done and had just pulled up. The person issuing the ticket didn’t want to hear it and gave my wife a ticket. I ask that this ticket be thrown out, as it is absolutely unfair to issue a ticket for someone using their hazards properly, dropping someone off, not leaving their car, and then driving off appropriately. The person issuing the ticket was not kind about it either. There is no real reason to issue a ticket for someone dropping a person off, especially a minor, who she was pulling up to the curb for a safe drop-off on the side road. Additionally, Burtis Ave. is a side road that is not busy and should not warrant any ticket for someone being dropped off.”

—$30 for no parking zone on Burtis Avenue at 1:08 p.m. on June 6 (New Canaan resident — registration to a resident)

Related, officer’s report: “My partner and I witnessed the unoccupied vehicle parked in the No Parking zone on Burtis Ave. After the ticket was written, two young ladies returned to their vehicle and were handed the ticket when they were getting in. The conversation was pleasant and understanding between all parties.”

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“As you will see, I was just ten minutes late. As a long time New Canaan resident, I hope you will agree that ten minutes away leeway is a more reasonable time frame than the five minutes that the Parking Office informed me is currently programmed into the machines. I also understand that the five minutes is not actually official town policy, but more a matter of current programming? Given the above, I do hope you will waive the overdue fee in this instance.”

—$25 for unpaid space in Morse Court, at 12:16 p.m. on May 24 (New Canaan resident)

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“I parked in a parking space on Main Street that I have parked in for many years. I was under the assumption that I could park for 2hrs in a legal spot on Main Street. From what I understand there has always been a ‘loading zone’ sign in the same spot for some time, but parked cars were not ticketed until 2 months ago because of the confusion about the 2hr parking sign. I have lived in this town for 12 years and continue to do my shopping with local merchants in town. I parked where I have always parked to do shopping on Main Street and was not aware that I should be looking for new signs or that I might be ticketed now that the loading zone hours are being enforced. I would have welcomed a warning ticket or message about the change. As a regular subscriber of the Advertiser, I think this would have been a great place to let residents know of the change.”

—$30 for loading zone on Main Street, at 10:10 a.m. on May 29 (appelant left no return address)

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“I forgot my wallet that day, so I ran across the street to Chase Bank to make a withdrawal so I could pay for the parking spot. I was only in the bank for a couple of minutes, and when I walked back out to my car, I saw that I got a ticket. I fully intended to pay for parking had I had my wallet on me.”

—$25 for unpaid space in Morse Court, at 10:42 a.m. on June 2 (New Canaan resident)

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“Pulled up to parking spot the ‘NO’ was covered by the potted plant.”

—$30 for loading zone on Main Street at 10:24 a.m. on June 28 (Darien resident)

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“On 6/18/18, I drove up Elm, then took a left turn onto South Avenue and an immediate left into the town parking lot. Vehicle spaces were parked all along the side walk but I noticed there was an available space in approximately the middle of the block. Looking to see if the space was large enough for my car and visually scanning for pedestrians, I noted two signs, both of which said ‘Free Parking for 15 Minutes.’ So, I parked in the space. I picked up a book I had ordered at Elm Street Books and returned to my car to find I had been ticketed. Driving from the spot where I had parked, I looked back and noted that the yellow paint indicating a ‘no parking’ area was faded and worn. It was not clearly visible when I parked my car as I had not been looking at the ground but at the signage. I took a photo of the spot. Later, after stopping at the library on Main Street, I noticed, there was in front of the Wells Fargo Bank, a bright, clearly painted, yellow marked no parking area on the street. But there was ALSO a sign, ‘No Parking,’ at the driver’s vision level. I think in all fairness, this ticket should be nullified.”

—$30 for no parking zone at 10:20 a.m. on June 18 (New Canaan resident)