At the very least hopefully I can find out where they expect us to use as a loading and unloading zone because there is none designated right now. In fact it is fair to say most students use this particular area for that purpose.
At the very least hopefully I can find out where they expect us to use as a loading and unloading zone because there is none designated right now. In fact it is fair to say most students use this particular area for that purpose.
Thats really messed up that you got a ticket. Not saying it makes me any kinda authority on the subject, but for what its worth... my brother is severely handicapped and my family has to use handicapped parking. If you got open spaces and aren't even in park, that is bs that they would give you a ticket... especially if you are sitting in the car. Tech cops always seem pretty anxious to be jerks.
In life, there are rules, such as not parking in handicapped zones. Handicapped zones are created for those with physical disabilities to have a place to park near handicapped ramps, etc. They are not designated as loading zones or temporary parking zones. There are people hired to enforce the rules. These people are called Police. They get paid to enforce the rules. When you choose to break the rules, there is very good chance you will cross paths with these people. Don't be surprised when they enforce the rules, because that is what they are paid to do. Unless I am mistaken, Tech has no designated loading zones at any dorm or at University Park. I haven't seen any.
If you have the time, fight it.
I'm amazed at the legalism on this board. The spirit of the law was not broken here.
Last edited by Soonerdawg; 05-05-2008 at 07:54 AM.
You may want to try and find out what the definition of a "parked car" in Louisiana is. Just because you don't have it in park doesn't necessarily mean you're not considered a parked car. With that said, the officer probably should have just asked you to move, but some of them can be A$$holes.
I hydroplaned on I-20 about 8 months ago and hit a car that had hydroplaned about 2 minutes before me. The Lincoln Parish sheriffs came and worked the wreck, were real considerate, etc. About 30 minutes into all this as the wrecker is pulling the first car out, a State Trooper stopped, walked up to me and said "I need your information". The Sheriff indicated he had everything and that it was under control. The ST then told the Sheriff to give him the information. He then got back in his car for about 5 minutes and came out with tickets for “failure to maintain control”. His reasoning was that there was no water on the interstate when he showed up (yeah 20 minutes later) and then other cars were not running off (though 2 did in the exact same place). I was going to fight it, but through a friend got the DA to drop it to a seat belt violations. I guess my point is there are some a$$holes in every profession.
Juice:
Look up the definition of "standing" in Title 32 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes.
It has been a while since I read that part of the code, but it sounds like that was what you were doing.
Standing is different than parking and if the statute you were cited with doesn't include standing, you probably have a pretty good argument.
Good Luck.
Once when i lived in UP about 2 or 3 years ago they were working on the parking lots and the only available spots were taken by 6 o'clock. Several of us who lived in UP began the idea of "creating new parking spaces" and just sticking our cars at the ends of the rows. This worked well for a bit until everyone caught on... and all took our new spots. So there were a few times when I was forced to park in a handicapped spot while running to my apartment and back to get things for class. All this to say fighting it is worthless, the Police Chief of the time tried to intimidate me into just paying the ticket by saying things like "If I could I would run your car over with a tank" (not making this up). Not backing down I said "well if you won't talk to me reasonably then I guess I'll just do the next thing I need to do." I asked him what the next thing to do was, he said to schedule a hearing which I told him I would like to. My hearing was scheduled during finals week in the middle of my class, needless to say the ticket was paid. I'm glad to see that the Tech Police are working so hard to keep our campus safe from criminals like me.
There ARE rules in life that should be followed, but in this particular case, a little leniency would have been appreciated. It's one thing to leave your car parked in a handicapped spot, but sitting in your car with the car running, waiting on someone (with other handicapped spots available) is different. The officer could have asked him to move. The speed limit on the interstate is 70, so would you not be upset if you got a ticket for going 72? It's against the law, and you COULD HAVE wrecked and hurt someone.
I got a ticket during a Tech baseball game this year, while parked in student parking at the apartments across Alabama from J.C. Love. I know you can just mark visitor and mail the ticket in, but it irritated me. Why are they patrolling lots next to the baseball stadium during a game when there is no place to park next to the stadium?
I got a ticket for parking in faculty parking during a quick trip into the bookstore. I was in there for maybe 10 minutes. It pissed me off and I threw it in the trash. Yes I could have written visitor on it and sent it in but it made me mad. I spent $75.00 in that bookstore that morning, I didn't see the need to spend another .41 to let them know I was visiting.
Last Friday, I was northbound on Tech Drive stopped for a red light at the intersection with Alabama. I was in the outside lane. On the inside northbound lane was a Miller Beer truck. Behind the beer truck was a car. Behind that car was a Tech Police car.
When the light for the southbound Tech Drive traffic turned green, the northbound stayed red because the southbound has a protected turn light to allow the southbound traffic to make a left turn onto eastbound Alabama. Instead of waiting for the light to turn green for the northbound traffic, the Miller Beer truck drove right through the red light. The car behind the truck just followed the truck right through the light. Of course, the Tech Police car went through the light with his lights flashing.
You would think that the officer would have stopped the truck, because that driver intentionally busted the red light, while the car behind the truck clearly thought the light had changed, and just followed the truck through. However, instead of stopping the truck, the officer stopped the car.
I don't know if the officer gave the driver a ticket, but I certainly hope he took into account how that went down.
Juice call Lt Moore and tell her you want to appeal the ticket before the traffic committe.
Before you go straight to the Traffic and Parking Committee, you should talk with the Traffic Office and Lt. Moore to see if you can get the ticket voided first.
If you want to appeal the ticket, you'll first have to go to the Traffic Office between 8 AM and 4:30 PM and talk to Ms. Mona Cannon.
If Ms. Mona can't get the ticket voided, then you can ask to talk with Lt. Debra Moore. Lt. Moore should have a set time every day to see students about tickets (usually around 1-2 pm).
If Lt. Moore can't void the ticket, then you can talk to her about appealing the ticket before the Traffic and Parking Committee. The committee meets at least once per quarter.
I stopped by today and they wouldn't even let me talk to anybody (which is all I really wanted to do). Instead I took a step I really didn't want to and filed an appeal with the Traffic and Parking Committee. I am not sure if I will even have time for this so they might get me to pay the ticket and be done with it. I know that is exactly what they want and they are able to take advantage of college kids because some of us don't have the time to go through this process.
I guess one good thing about this situation is I have learned about all the stupid stuff they write tickets for. For example did you know that if back into a parking spot you can get a ticket? Even if it is a double parking section and you pull all the way through into a parking spot they can and will give you a ticket. I learned even recently they have been taking advantage of the poor gravel parking lot and giving people a ticket if they say you are past the "lines" of a parking spot.