I love pizza
New member
Cleveland, Ohio
Quick background. I live in the burbs of Cleveland. But made the trip to Downtown Cleveland to pick up some books at the public library. I park on a downtown street, which is near impossible, and drop 4 quarters in the meter good for one hour. Hour later I see a ticket on my windshield. Well it was a handicapped spot. I saw the hours available sign, but missed the handicapped sign just below it. Admittedly 100% my fault. I wasn't trying to scam a quick in a out parking spot, I was planning to be in the library for an hour hence the 4 quarters in the meter. Hell I didn't know handicapped parking existed with metered parking. In Cleveland, there is no logo painted pavement nor painted curb, no handicap notice on the meter either, just the handicapped sign on the light post.
Talked to a cop friend and read advice online on decided to fight it in writing. I filled the required form and added 15 pages and a multitude of photos of my own research. I found per Cleveland's City of Ordinances, the handicapped sign where I parked isn't in compliance, it wasn't the proper height on the light post (3 inches short). I also found there was supposed to be an additional sign posted warning the driver of the $250 fine. This additional sign with the fine was to be posted below the handicapped sign, it wasn't there. In researching I found variances in other meters in the city. Next to the Cleveland Rock and Roll hall of fame there is a handicapped sign plus the parking meter has a blue post and has 4 handicap logos on the meters front and back, so 7 warnings instead of just 1 compared to where I parked so there inconsistencies the codes do not address. So, I did all this work and just got shot down with a form letter today claiming my info could not reverse the $250 fine because it didn't provide "good cause" I didn't BS in any way in the letter, just facts backed with photos, and did express me parking there of was no ill-will or purpose.
Should I appeal and go before a judge (an addtional fee of $61 bucks potentially to throw away) with no added info outside of what I said above to present to the judge? More importantly can I win with sign compliance issues being my argument?? Like getting out a speeding ticket with a radar gun that's not calibrated properly.
Quick background. I live in the burbs of Cleveland. But made the trip to Downtown Cleveland to pick up some books at the public library. I park on a downtown street, which is near impossible, and drop 4 quarters in the meter good for one hour. Hour later I see a ticket on my windshield. Well it was a handicapped spot. I saw the hours available sign, but missed the handicapped sign just below it. Admittedly 100% my fault. I wasn't trying to scam a quick in a out parking spot, I was planning to be in the library for an hour hence the 4 quarters in the meter. Hell I didn't know handicapped parking existed with metered parking. In Cleveland, there is no logo painted pavement nor painted curb, no handicap notice on the meter either, just the handicapped sign on the light post.
Talked to a cop friend and read advice online on decided to fight it in writing. I filled the required form and added 15 pages and a multitude of photos of my own research. I found per Cleveland's City of Ordinances, the handicapped sign where I parked isn't in compliance, it wasn't the proper height on the light post (3 inches short). I also found there was supposed to be an additional sign posted warning the driver of the $250 fine. This additional sign with the fine was to be posted below the handicapped sign, it wasn't there. In researching I found variances in other meters in the city. Next to the Cleveland Rock and Roll hall of fame there is a handicapped sign plus the parking meter has a blue post and has 4 handicap logos on the meters front and back, so 7 warnings instead of just 1 compared to where I parked so there inconsistencies the codes do not address. So, I did all this work and just got shot down with a form letter today claiming my info could not reverse the $250 fine because it didn't provide "good cause" I didn't BS in any way in the letter, just facts backed with photos, and did express me parking there of was no ill-will or purpose.
Should I appeal and go before a judge (an addtional fee of $61 bucks potentially to throw away) with no added info outside of what I said above to present to the judge? More importantly can I win with sign compliance issues being my argument?? Like getting out a speeding ticket with a radar gun that's not calibrated properly.
