Off Duty Meter Maid Issuing Parking Citations

[Rlmccants]

Washington DC

Is it legal for an off duty meter maid to issue parking citations?

I believe I am being targeted by a meter maid in my neighborhood on her way to work in the mornings, and would like to know if I have any recourse.

Thanks for any help provided.

 

[justalayman]

I know this seems like it is just too easy to be the obviously correct action but;


you must realize that the easy way to avoid this is to not be parked illegally, right?



and how do you know the ticket agent is not on the clock when issuing the ticket?

 

[tranquility]

Um...are you parking illegally?

Frankly, I don't know. But, if you're parking illegally, you have NO remedy.

 

[Rlmccants]

Since I've been unemployed for over a year, my car registration is expired. So technically, while I'm not parking in a no-parking zone, I'm parked illegally.

I'm parked in a residential neighborhood far from downtown, where meter maids don't drive by. The tickets come at around 7:30 am, which lead me to believe that this is done by someone on her way to work...

 

[justalayman]

Dude, you are simply lucky they haven;t just impounded your car.

but here is what you do:

call up the parking enforcement agency and tell them you are tired of them ticketing your car just because it does not have a current registration. I am sure they will get a good chuckle out of your scenario.

really dude, comply with the laws and you won't have trouble like this.

 

[ecmst12]

How does your imagined scenario make more sense then the meter person's shift starting at 6:30 or 7?

You're being targeted because you always park in the same area and they know your registration is expired. If you don't fix the problem, one of these days you will have a visit from the tow truck or the boot fairy. Your registration is cheaper then either of those scenarios, or obviously continuing to get many tickets.

 

[Rlmccants]

While I think its more likely that the meter maid is on her way to work, you're absolutely right...its possible that her shift has already started.

My question was whether or not an off duty meter maid can act in an official capacity ---issue parking citations.

If the answer is "no", then my next step would be to determine if the person issuing the ticket was "on duty" or "off duty.

 

[justalayman]

While I think its more likely that the meter maid is on her way to work, you're absolutely right...its possible that her shift has already started.

My question was whether or not an off duty meter maid can act in an official capacity ---issue parking citations.

If the answer is "no", then my next step would be to determine if the person issuing the ticket was "on duty" or "off duty.

No, your next step would be to make your car legal.

and I would bet that a ticket agent can issue a ticket anytime they have their little ticket book or electronic ticket machine.


and you are sure the ticket is being issued by the parking enforcement authority (what ever their official name is) and not some nice officer that has not yet had the car towed?

 

[Rlmccants]

If I had the money to get the car registered, then it would be done. But being unemployed for over a year forces a person to focus on certain fundamental priorities like food and shelter, and, unfortunately, certain responsibilities get put on the back burner due to lack of funds.....car registration. The constant tickets for lack of registration has put me in a deeper hole, over $1,000 in outstanding tickets that have to be paid before the car can be registered.

And yes, police officers in DC issue hand written tickets, whereas the meter maids issue electronic tickets.

But thanks for telling me what I SHOULD do, and not answering the question. I thought this was a forum to have legal questions answered.

 

[Isis1]

If I had the money to get the car registered, then it would be done. But being unemployed for over a year forces a person to focus on certain fundamental priorities like food and shelter, and, unfortunately, certain responsibilities get put on the back burner due to lack of funds.....car registration. The constant tickets for lack of registration has put me in a deeper hole, over $1,000 in outstanding tickets that have to be paid before the car can be registered.

And yes, police officers in DC issue hand written tickets, whereas the meter maids issue electronic tickets.

But thanks for telling me what I SHOULD do, and not answering the question. I thought this was a forum to have legal questions answered.

but your legal questions was answered. your legal remedy is to register the vehicle. what the meter maid is doing is not illegal. you are a sure ticket every morning. at this point, you might as well stand there in the morning with a cup of coffee for the officer.

if you cannot afford the car, maybe you should sell it?

are you aware you could have registered it as NON OP and had it stored somewhere off of public proporty? might not help now until those tickets are paid.


surprise the officer. don't have your car there the next morning.

 

[Rlmccants]

The question was not about my own compliance with the law, and so the answer i was seeking was not about how I can become compliant. I KNOW that the simple solution is to get my car registered, but thank you all for stating the obvious.

The question was whether or not an agent of the government can act in an official capacity, while they are not "on the clock".

While the most recent response stated that the meter maid's actions were not illegal, it would have been nice to have some kind of detailed response as to why those actions are legal.

But thanks for your response.

 

[Isis1]

The question was not about my own compliance with the law, and so the answer i was seeking was not about how I can become compliant. I KNOW that the simple solution is to get my car registered, but thank you all for stating the obvious.

The question was whether or not an agent of the government can act in an official capacity, while they are not "on the clock".

While the most recent response stated that the meter maid's actions were not illegal, it would have been nice to have some kind of detailed response as to why those actions are legal.

But thanks for your response.

because it's their job to uphold the law regardless if they are on duty or not.

even if you fought this all the way to the supreme court, you are not getting out of that ticket. and even IF it were against the policy, doesn't make it against the law.

 

[FlyingRon]

What makes you think that meter maids don't hit residential neighborhoods in DC? I can tell you they most certainly do. Residents complain frequently about parking in their own neighborhoods. Abusers of the residential parking restriction is a prime complaint, followed by abandoned or unregistered vehicles taking up space.

Your tickets are quickly mounting up to what registration would cost you.
You also do know that you're flirting with a tow. An unregistered car that never moves is a prime target.

 

[justalayman]

The question was whether or not an agent of the government can act in an official capacity, while they are not "on the clock".
.

In any situation where I was able to find an actual answer to that question, it was yes, they can. I think that is about as good as you are going to get.


Here's a simple thing for you to do:

call the ticketing office and ask them. You can make up a whole story to go along with it if you want. Maybe something like: you have a friend that writes tickets and you think she may be doing something wrong and you want to help her by stopping her if she is. She has this habit of writing tickets to cars parked illegally even when we are going out to dinner or a movie when she is obviously not on the clock. It just seemed wrong to me and I just don't want her to get into trouble if is.

 

[swalsh411]

Don't you have a buddy somewhere that can store your car for you off the street?