Parking ticket in Los Angeles...

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
California, Los Angeles County

Hello everyone. Here's my story and hopefully you guys can help me out.

So this morning I went to the gym and was looking for some street parking. The street where I wanted to park had signs saying "1 hour parking 8am - 6pm EXCEPT SUNDAYS." Today was a Saturday so naturally I kept looking.

Then I came across a strip of street that had the sign "1 hour parking 8am - 6pm EXCEPT ---- - SUN" in those exact letters (the dashes represent marks on the sign).

Now to my defense. There were signs that explicitly spelled out SUNDAY, then there were signs that explicitly spelled out SUN and had some words scratched out. I know that when LA city posts signs that say "SUN" instead of "SUNDAY," it is preceded by the words "SAT &" as well. I noticed that the "SAT &" part was scratched out on my particular sign. After receiving the ticket, I noticed all the "SAT &" words on that strip of street were scratched out leaving only the bare metal exposed as opposed to the white enamel background and green enamel writing that usually covers it.

I got the ticket for being in violation. Do I have any grounds to fight the ticket? I drove around the area and found the exact same street sign that said "1 hour parking 8am - 6pm EXCEPT SAT & SUN" nearby, but the "SAT &" part wasn't scratched out. There were also a host of stickers on that particular sign, but there were other signs that just had the scratches.

And when I say scratches, I don't mean that I could still make out a "SAT &" in green letters. I mean these words were really taken out. If I looked closely though, I could almost make out some green.

So that's my case. Eager to hear your input. Thanks.

** EDIT **

By the way, it was metered parking and I was at the gym from 8-10a. I didn't put any coins in the meter.

shemkham said:

Do I have any grounds to fight the ticket?

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Go take a picture of the sign and others adjacent. Show it to the court. Argue that you were not aware that 'someone' might have removed the 'Sat' with or without authorization. Also that it is up to the city/county to maintain proper signage if the removal was NOT authorized.
Better than even that your ticket will be dismissed.

By the way, it was metered parking and I was at the gym from 8-10a. I didn't put any coins in the meter.

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Ooops.. that one might get you.

just my luck, i took your advice and went to take photos of the signs. i walked up and down the block taking pictures of the different signs.

i get back to my car to find a bike cop writing me another ticket. and i'm parked in the SAME spot.

i explain to him what i was doing and that i got a ticket not just 3 hours ago in the same spot. he tells me that i can tell the court that i got 2 tickets in one day and they'll cancel one. he also tells me that i can fight the ticket on the grounds that i wrote above.

is he right about the 2-tickets in one day thing?

anyways so i plead with him and he says he voided the ticket he just wrote me and showed me on his little handheld contraption that he voided it with a "meter broken" application. he never actually gave me a paper ticket, but should i take his word for it that he voided it?

i couldn't think quick enough to get a photo of him and his contraption as proof that he voided it. but i'm still a little worried that the ticket will go through, and since i don't have anything tangible saying i got a second ticket, that it will process without me knowing, accruing tons of penalty fines.

what do you guys think?

i'll try to attach the photos in a bit. thanks.

Did you receive a ticket for the meter? If so, you're stuck. You didn't pay the meter.