Monday, October 5, 2009

Forest Hills a hotbed of unfair ticketing

"I live in Forest Hills an area that is continually saturated with Traffic Agents scouring the residential blocks to issue summonses for expired meters. I thought meters were supposed to be used to create turnover for businesses as Bloomberg states, yet, on the blocks along 73rd road to Union Turnpike there are no businesses on the side streets. The entire area is residential apartment buildings. We can not park around the corner as that is the Forest Hills Gardens Private property. While I live in an Apartment building, I have been issued summonses for not moving my car away from the meter after two hours. At 8:01 each morning these agents descend on the residential blocks looking to issue tickets to residents who haven't gotten up at 8:00 am to feed the meters.

What is worse, is that the intersection boxes in the City where they have recently given the Traffic Agents the authority to issue $115 tickets is a set up. I drive to the city and each morning on Park avenue along any of the side streets, the Traffic Agents are hiding behind Vendor Carts and Trucks ready to aggressively ticket anyone whose fender may be sticking out of the box. It is ridiculous to say the ticketing alleviates congestion, if that was the case instead of hiding the agents would stand there and direct traffic to turn to alleviate the congestion.

I also recently received a registration renewal in the mail for the second year in a row that advised to register online or by mail early, each time I have done this which was a minimum of two to three weeks in advance (I tried online and the mail), my registration arrives late and I am issued multiple tickets for failing to display my sticker. when I fight the tickets showing proof that it was mailed in on time and in effect at the time, my tickets are not dismissed as I am told its my fault for not displaying the sticker. I wonder if the sticker purposely arrives late just so I can receive some tickets.

I realize ticketing generates huge revenue, yet this is ridiculous. Bloomberg wants to send the Agents to sensitivity training . why don't we send Bloomberg to sensitivity training and have them issue different directives to the Agents."

Regards,
Cyndi T.


And from the NY Times:

One recent afternoon, I slid into a spot on Queens Boulevard controlled by parking meter No. 417-1003 with a minute left on it. Needing change, I rushed across the street to a tiny bakery to buy three pieces of sugar-free rugelach.

With two quarters in my hand to legalize my relationship with the meter, I loped out of the bakery to find an officer writing a ticket for $35.

I engaged Officer S. Hall in the usual three-pronged, bordering-on-the-nasty argument that New Yorkers have been losing for decades: I just went to get a quarter. … I was gone for a minute. Have a heart.

No, she said, your time was expired.

As I drove away with my ticket, I tried to think of a legal way to get out of paying. I wouldn’t lie. The meter wasn’t broken. I had violated the law. There were no flaws in the information the officer put on the ticket.

But then I thought that the outcome of this story would have been different if a Muni-Meter had held dominion over the same block’s parking spot. Exactly why no Muni-Meters were there, on one of the busiest stretches of Forest Hills, when less bustling blocks nearby had plenty of them, was a mysterious quirk of city planning.


Forest Hills: A somewhat well-off neighborhood which is likely to actually pay its tickets. That's why you're getting hammered. It's not about enforcement, it's about revenue.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Get Heidi Chain on this...she runs the 112 Precinct...She usualy has an opinion on everything! Or is she not interested anymore after her big loss???

Detective McNutty said...

The letter by Cyndi T is exactly what I have seen in Manhattan on 65th st and 2nd ave. There were two traffic agents on the corner and they would wait to ticket drivers blocking the box rather than direct traffic. I have no sympathy for the person getting the ticket but aren't the traffic agents also responsible for directing the traffic and making sure drivers don't block the box.

Anonymous said...

B-berg sends them where the money or the meek live!

Sam said...

The situation sucks but the law is the law and these guys don't care about the person or any arguments.
Always carry quarters, and don't venture to the intersection until its clear.
Its just another responsibility of being a driver.
I've been ticketed for being at an expired meter at 8:01 AM and for not moving my car by 7:00 AM for a school zone. After cursing the ticket writer and the city, it all boils down to being my fault and not being prepared for the circumstances.

Anonymous said...

Tell us something we don't know already.

Anonymous said...

They ticket a City Harvest truck for loading food for the restaurants at a no standing spot on 71st Ave and Austin St. City Harvest for goodness sakes!!!!

Anonymous said...

Ride a bike people and don't worry about parking meters anymore!

Sergey Kadinsky said...

I love the self-righteous poster telling us to ride a bike. What's your advice for rainy or snowy days? Or for shopping trips?

Queens residents use their cars because of need, not because they enjoy paying for title, insurance, gas, inspections, and tickets.

Maybe the anonymous poster is from Manhattan.

Anonymous said...

Sergey Kadinsky said...
I love the self-righteous poster telling us to ride a bike. What's your advice for rainy or snowy days? Or for shopping trips?

Queens residents use their cars because of need, not because they enjoy paying for title, insurance, gas, inspections, and tickets.

Maybe the anonymous poster is from Manhattan.

======
I can honestly say that I love paying for my car. It makes me feel responsible AND..i just saved a ton of money on my car insurance by switching to Geico

Anonymous said...

CyndiT is right. Enforcement should not be about revenue, but about safety. Rite now Bloomy has spent 50 million dollars on his illegal re-election campaign. Remember we didn't allow Rudy extension on term limits in spite of 9-11. BUT this BILLIONAIRE sets TEA's armed with $100 ticket guns to stick up working class NYers.
Then again CyndiT could move from Forest Hills to the residential community of RH a little to the south and not worry about meters. OR maybe to LI where taxes are the bandits that rob.
Keep fightin' CyndiT-U Da Girl!!!!

Anonymous said...

I say hunt down any ticket maid and then play jokes on them such as throwing an egg at them.

Or better yet, jump them when they are alone at
an alley after spotting them giving tickets.

They have this arrogance aura since they are
wearing NYPD style clothing when they are not
NYPD and think because of that, they are not
to be messed with because they are backed by
the cops.

Well, we show them. Just start this pattern
of having meter maids getting jumped and beaten
up after giving tickets. That should stop
them from making act cool and reduce this ticket number.

It's a war against ticket officiers. Need to teach them a lesson. If it cannot be done via legal means, then have to teach them a lesson via illegal means. That way, if they know they will be jumped everytime they give a ticket,
they will be scare and lenient.