Best way to dispute a "No Standing Taxi Stand" ticket given in error??

[HWells7]

Please help with this conundrum! I received this ticket on SUNDAY, and there were other cars parked on the same street presumably reading the signs the way I did. I read the signs to read that you could stand there because it was a Sunday, even though it was a taxi stand. I do not believe that I read the sign wrong having almost 20 years of experience driving in NYC.

The ticket read: NO STANDING TAXI STAND, DAYS/HRS: ALL DAYS, ALL HOURS. As you will see below, the sign did NOT state "all days, all hours." Rather, the three signs together state that only taxis can stand there from 4pm-7pm except on Sundays, period. Otherwise open to all.

There were three signs, one on top of the other:

FIRST SIGN, ON TOP: "No Standing 4pm-7pm Except Sunday"
SECOND SIGN: "Taxi Stand"
THRID SIGN: "No standing" (facing the opposite direction to where I and several other cars were parking. No cars were parked beyond the No Standing sign so this didn't apply to me or anyone else parked on the street.)

What is the best way to argue this? Could I skip the fact that the signs suggested that I COULD park there on a Sunday and just state that the ticket says ALL DAYS ALL HOURS, BUT THE SIGN DID NOT? I have photos of everything and sorry for the caps! Thank you in advance!!!

 

[Silverplum]

Please don't start multiple threads. Keep all of your questions in your first thread, here: forum.freeadvice.com/parking-tickets-non-moving-violations-44/can-you-appeal-order-turn-plates-due-lapse-insurance-coverage-617053.html

 

[adjusterjack]

Please don't start multiple threads.

He didn't.

The other post is about insurance lapsing. It's not related to this one.

 

[adjusterjack]

FIRST SIGN, ON TOP: "No Standing 4pm-7pm Except Sunday"
SECOND SIGN: "Taxi Stand"

Those are the two signs that apply to you.

I may live in AZ but I've had more than twice as many years driving in NYC than you have had.

I read that you can stand anywhere except in the taxi stand no matter when.

Here's the NYC code that you probably got cited with:

(2) No standing—taxi stand. No person shall stand or park a vehicle other than a taxi in a taxi stand when any such stand has been officially designated and appropriately posted except that the operator of a vehicle may temporarily stand therein for the purpose of expeditiously receiving and discharging passengers provided such standing does not interfere with any taxi about to enter or leave such zone.

http://rules.cityofnewyork.us/content/section-4-08-parking-stopping-standing

It's about a quarter of the way down the page. Use your "find" feature if you have trouble getting to it.

It's pretty clear to me that "Taxi Stand" means stay the heck out of the "Taxi Stand" no matter what anything else says unless the "Taxi Stand" sign, itself, says otherwise.

By the way, it doesn't matter what other drivers did. You know that, don't you?

 

[justalayman]

Those are the two signs that apply to you.

I may live in AZ but I've had more than twice as many years driving in NYC than you have had.

I read that you can stand anywhere except in the taxi stand no matter when.

Here's the NYC code that you probably got cited with:

(2) No standing—taxi stand. No person shall stand or park a vehicle other than a taxi in a taxi stand when any such stand has been officially designated and appropriately posted except that the operator of a vehicle may temporarily stand therein for the purpose of expeditiously receiving and discharging passengers provided such standing does not interfere with any taxi about to enter or leave such zone.

http://rules.cityofnewyork.us/content/section-4-08-parking-stopping-standing

It's about a quarter of the way down the page. Use your "find" feature if you have trouble getting to it.

It's pretty clear to me that "Taxi Stand" means stay the heck out of the "Taxi Stand" no matter what anything else says unless the "Taxi Stand" sign, itself, says otherwise.

By the way, it doesn't matter what other drivers did. You know that, don't you?

while that makes sense, that makes the sign on top make no sense.

FIRST SIGN, ON TOP: "No Standing 4pm-7pm Except Sunday"

since you cannot stand anytime, adding that sign is meaningless and simply causes confusion.


I would make an attempt to fight the ticket based on the fact it is confusing, unless the fine is greater if you contest it.

 

[HWells7]

He didn't.

The other post is about insurance lapsing. It's not related to this one.

She But thank you for looking out!

 

[HWells7]

while that makes sense, that makes the sign on top make no sense.



since you cannot stand anytime, adding that sign is meaningless and simply causes confusion.


I would make an attempt to fight the ticket based on the fact it is confusing, unless the fine is greater if you contest it.

Thanks so much, that's what I'm going to shoot for. I thought maybe I could go with the fact that the ticket states that the sign says all days all hours but it doesn't, but either way the sign was misleading. Thanks again.

 

[HighwayMan]

By not including all the sign information you're making it difficult. The one sign doesn't just say "taxi stand" and nothing else.

I'm leaning towards "there is no standing from 4-7 for everyone and it's a taxi stand the rest of the time."

 

[HWells7]

By not including all the sign information you're making it difficult. The one sign doesn't just say "taxi stand" and nothing else.

I'm leaning towards "there is no standing from 4-7 for everyone and it's a taxi stand the rest of the time."

I'm sorry to tell you this, Highway Man, but that second sign does indeed just say "Taxi Stand" and absolutely nothing else, and I have the photos to prove it. Two little words in red on white sign with an arrow, and an illustration of a little stick figure hailing a cab. And the ticket states NO STANDING TAXI STAND, DAYS/HRS: ALL DAYS/ALL TIMES, which is quite different than "Taxi Stand."

 

[adjusterjack]

Thanks so much, that's what I'm going to shoot for. I thought maybe I could go with the fact that the ticket states that the sign says all days all hours but it doesn't, but either way the sign was misleading. Thanks again.

I don't think it matters much what the ticket says. I think it matters more how the law is written.

I'm sorry to tell you this, Highway Man, but that second sign does indeed just say "Taxi Stand" and absolutely nothing else, and I have the photos to prove it. Two little words in red on white sign with an arrow, and an illustration of a little stick figure hailing a cab.

Right. Apparently that's the new format on the right side of this link and the old format on the left said "No Standing Anytime Taxi Stand" with a two ended arrow:

http://www.sheepsheadbites.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/3-Taxi-Stand-585x342.jpg

 

[HWells7]

I don't think it matters much what the ticket says. I think it matters more how the law is written.



Right. Apparently that's the new format on the right side of this link and the old format on the left said "No Standing Anytime Taxi Stand" with a two ended arrow:

http://www.sheepsheadbites.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/3-Taxi-Stand-585x342.jpg

Fair enough, but that's not why I felt ok with parking there. I was mislead by the first "no standing 4pm-7pm except sunday" sign. Had just the taxi stand sign been there alone - even though there was no mention of "no standing all days, all times" - there is no way I would have parked there. I just meant that when a ticket is inaccurate (the sign didn't include hours but the ticket states that it did) it can be dismissed for this reason.

 

[FlyingRon]

Do you have a picture of the sign? Which way the sign is "facing" is immaterial. Absent arrows it applies to the entire block on the side of the street the sign is on.

 

[adjusterjack]

I just meant that when a ticket is inaccurate (the sign didn't include hours but the ticket states that it did) it can be dismissed for this reason.

Playing devil's advocate for the moment, there's nothing inaccurate about the ticket. It says:

NO STANDING TAXI STAND, DAYS/HRS: ALL DAYS, ALL HOURS.

And the law says:

(2) No standing—taxi stand. No person shall stand or park a vehicle other than a taxi in a taxi stand when any such stand has been officially designated and appropriately posted ...

You might have some chance with that "appropriately posted" phrase considering the other sign right on top of it. Might be worth a try. No guarantees, though.