How I Got Out of A Ticket Using Codebook
Well technically it was my dad. First off I need to say that I do not condone using handicapped spaces if you are not handicapped. That being said, here goes...
About 2 years ago my dad met me for lunch at a local Chinese restaurant. I parked my service van in back lot, my dad showed up and met me inside. We ate talked and about hour later we head to the parking lot to leave. I noticed a note under his wipers and a ticket under that. I read it; turns out he got a ticket for parking in handicap spot. Called the cop, said someone reported it, so they have to respond. I thought it was dumb because the space looked like a hack job, sign was faded, covered by a tree, and there was a bank of spots closer to building. They had just changed the fine from $200 to $550. My parents are retired so I decided to do a little digging to see if I could figure something out.
I figured like with plumbing, ADA standards for parking spaces apply minimum guidelines and all these must be met to qualify a spot as handicapped. Sure enough, after reading the Texas Accessibility Standard, this spot did not qualify as a handicap spot. The deficiencies I found:
Improper signage and striping
Improper slope of parking spot
Location allows for traffic but barriers needed to protect those crossing said traffic
Incorrect spacing of striping
So I print all this out, go with my dad to court. He talks to the prosecutor and they want him to pay. He says no, according to TAS this spot does not qualify as handicap spot. She says there is video, he does not dispute that the argument is, how can you enforce a law when this space does not meet minimum requirements as required by law. Ticket unenforceable. She drops fine to $300, dad refused to pay, she drops it to $100. My dad tells her he's ready to defend himself in court in front of a judge. She finally gets it that it would be embarrassing to lose to regular citizen with no law training who was aided by his son who's a plumber.
Ticket dismissed. The lesson? We engage in our profession which is dictated by codes and regulations that are minimum standards. This applies to other areas that affect us everyday. My dad made an honest mistake, and I would have told him to move but even I had no idea it was a handicap spot.
Right now in Tx there is a big deal going down with red light cameras. Turns out a lot of them are unenforceable and it's a bureaucratic loophole that could keep you from having to pay the fine.
Cheers!
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About 2 years ago my dad met me for lunch at a local Chinese restaurant. I parked my service van in back lot, my dad showed up and met me inside. We ate talked and about hour later we head to the parking lot to leave. I noticed a note under his wipers and a ticket under that. I read it; turns out he got a ticket for parking in handicap spot. Called the cop, said someone reported it, so they have to respond. I thought it was dumb because the space looked like a hack job, sign was faded, covered by a tree, and there was a bank of spots closer to building. They had just changed the fine from $200 to $550. My parents are retired so I decided to do a little digging to see if I could figure something out.
I figured like with plumbing, ADA standards for parking spaces apply minimum guidelines and all these must be met to qualify a spot as handicapped. Sure enough, after reading the Texas Accessibility Standard, this spot did not qualify as a handicap spot. The deficiencies I found:
Improper signage and striping
Improper slope of parking spot
Location allows for traffic but barriers needed to protect those crossing said traffic
Incorrect spacing of striping
So I print all this out, go with my dad to court. He talks to the prosecutor and they want him to pay. He says no, according to TAS this spot does not qualify as handicap spot. She says there is video, he does not dispute that the argument is, how can you enforce a law when this space does not meet minimum requirements as required by law. Ticket unenforceable. She drops fine to $300, dad refused to pay, she drops it to $100. My dad tells her he's ready to defend himself in court in front of a judge. She finally gets it that it would be embarrassing to lose to regular citizen with no law training who was aided by his son who's a plumber.
Ticket dismissed. The lesson? We engage in our profession which is dictated by codes and regulations that are minimum standards. This applies to other areas that affect us everyday. My dad made an honest mistake, and I would have told him to move but even I had no idea it was a handicap spot.
Right now in Tx there is a big deal going down with red light cameras. Turns out a lot of them are unenforceable and it's a bureaucratic loophole that could keep you from having to pay the fine.
Cheers!
Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
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