Street Cleaning Ticket while trying to jumpstart dead car battery

[ainjill]

What is the name of your state? NJ

I live on a two way street. On the side of the road I live on, there is no parking for street cleaning 3-5pm Mondays and Thursdays. On the opposite side of my street there is no parking for street cleaning 3-5pm Tuesdays and Fridays.

This past Monday I parked on the opposite side of the street, since there was street cleaning on my side. Then on Tuesday around 2:30pm, I go to my car to move the car from across the street so I don't get a ticket, but the car wouldn't start. Apparently the battery died.

I don't know how to jump start a car, nor would I have attempted to that day because I'm 8 months pregnant and God knows how dangerous that might be, especially on a 92 degree day. I called my brother to jump start the car for me. I had to wait a while for him to come. Someone told me that if I put a sign on my car saying that the car won't start, they won't ticket you, so I put a sign just in case.

By the time my brother came by, it was already almost 3:00pm. I had to leave him to go to my weekly dr's appt. He said that the parking authority came a few mins later and was about to ticket both my car and his car for being parked on the street during street cleaning WHILE my brother was trying to jump start my car.

Fortunately the cop said that he won't issue the ticket until the street cleaner arrives, so my brother tried to jump start the car as quickly as he could. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to do it quickly enough and by the time the cleaner came, my car got a ticket issued at 3:38pm for Street Cleaning (luckily my brother wasn't ticketed).

I understand that I'm guilty of being parked there during no parking hours, but I know of other tickets that have been waived when a sign was put on their car that didn't start.

My question is: Should I try disputing this ticket in court?
and if I do, do I need to submit any evidence that my car battery was dead? (I'd have no idea how to)

Thanks a lot

[Zigner]

You can *try* disputing it. But you were in violation. Additionally...your brother got there at 3 pm but the car was still there at 3:38 pm? Something seems fishy there. (Don't get mad at me for saying it...the "court" will say the same thing.)

[moburkes]

No, not worth it. Its not their fault that you waited to the last minute to move your car. Its not their fault that your car wouldn't start. It is not their fault that, regardless of the whos and whys and hows, that your vehicle hadn't been moved. There are no exceptions to the law.

[Ozark_Sophist]

Learn how to jump-start your vehicle and change a tire. It could save your life.

Unless something else was wrong with your car, the process should have required less than five minutes.

[xylene]

Ozark is right.

Also you can get a 'booster pack" for you to carry in your trunk, and that can get you motoring in under a minute

If your battery died without explanation (such as leaving a light on), the battery either needs to be replaced or your car is not fully charging it.

You should have a mechanic take a look at it.

[The Occultist]

I don't really buy that posting a sign that your car won't start will somehow exempt you from parking violations. If that were the case, I'd just put such a sign on my car every time I parked illegally. As would everybody else. Nobody would ever get ticketed again!

[Zigner]

Originally Posted by The Occultist

I don't really buy that posting a sign that your car won't start will somehow exempt you from parking violations. If that were the case, I'd just put such a sign on my car every time I parked illegally. As would everybody else. Nobody would ever get ticketed again!

There is not such law. I think the sign is put up in the hopes that the ticket wouldn't be given based upon the kind heart of the officer.

[The Occultist]

Originally Posted by Zigner

There is not such law. I think the sign is put up in the hopes that the ticket wouldn't be given based upon the kind heart of the officer.

Uh huh. Good luck with that. I'm not saying they don't have kind hearts, but they have a job to do.

[Zigner]

Originally Posted by The Occultist

Uh huh. Good luck with that. I'm not saying they don't have kind hearts, but they have a job to do.

Oh, I agree with you on that one! I think one has less than a 1/2% chance of getting out of the ticket with the old "Broke down in the street" trick.

[msiron]

They have a job to do alright... we are all nothing but income generating fools for the towns, states and country.

[The Occultist]

Yes, because police officers receive larger stipends when they write more tickets

[patstew]

And no laws are EVER broken for which a fine must be paid.

[The Occultist]

If it takes a fine to keep you from breaking the law, I fully support it.

Guess what? Stop breaking the law, and you won't be "generating... for the towns, states and country". I really don't see the problem here.