The Real Parking Violation - And Response (3)

  • Sunday, March 29, 2015

Yesterday, March 27, I parked in a designated parking space on Broad Street, just in front of the Read House. I inserted 20 cents into a parking permit machine, and in return received a receipt that indicated I had 16 minutes in that space. My time was to expire at 3:39 p.m. I placed my receipt face up on the dash, grabbed my daughter’s hand and crossed the street.  

About ten minutes later, we returned to my car to find a parking ticket flapping around under my windshield wiper. Because I knew I had not been gone long enough to warrant a ticket, I took a closer look at the ticket and observed that the ticket had been issued at 3:27, 12 minutes before my time was even up.  

Had I not checked closely at the time stamps, I would have just paid the ticket, unknowing that I was getting ripped off. I called the Chattanooga Parking Authority and the woman who answered the phone requested that I take a picture of my receipts as proof and email them to her. I did and she agreed to “take care of it.”   

I got to wondering, how many times does this actually happen? If I’d not been paying attention to the time as closely as I had, I would not have thought to actually check the time stamps. I would have blindly paid the Parking Authority $11 that I did not even owe them. Had I not paid within 30 days, my fee would have been raised to $41.50.  

To alert my friends and the general public about this potential scam, I posted a picture of the ticket and receipt on Facebook with an overwhelming response from others that this had also happened to, and many of them not just once.  

I don’t know what can be done, if anything, but I do feel it is my civic duty to at least warn my fellow citizens and visitors to our city to examine very closely any parking tickets they may get. I also question why this illegal practice (ironic that on my parking ticket I am charged with ‘UNLAWFUL ACTS’) has been allowed to take place as often as it has without any question or repercussion. I ask that if this happens to you, document it and speak up. This parking violation against the drivers in our city should not be allowed to continue.  

Stacie Jackson 

* * *  

Stacie, see my letter to the editor of Feb 23. 

There needs to be an attitude adjustment on somebody's part. The inconvenience of proving we are innocent is totally unnecessary.  It is not acceptable to write everyone tickets and let the innocent "appeal" the injustice.  To that end, I propose that the police take back the parking patrol. That is a legitimate police activity. 

There is also an appearance of conflict of interest when those writing the tickets work for the privately owned parking lots all over town.  The choice seems to be to pay a minimum of $2 to park in a privately owned lot or to be ticketed for parking legally for 50 cents at a kiosk controlled space on the street.  

The damage to the tourist trade and to downtown businesses is unjustified.  It boils down to the inability of the parking ambassadors,as they were called in the beginning, to update their handheld readers with the kiosk often enough. The system needs instant information from the kiosk to the ticket writers. Otherwise, this injustice will continue to force shoppers into the suburbs. 

Please, somebody in authority, work out the kinks, or return it to the police department. 

Harry Presley
Chattanooga 

* * *  

Of the many issues present with the "Parking Authority," one major issue is the apparent lack of accountability.  These untrained workers are given the "authority" to write parking tickets and issue fines yet there is nothing in place to rectify the problem if they incorrectly issue someone a citation.  

Another issue I have is with civilians writing tickets in violation of a city municipal code.  These employees aren't police officers and they don't work for the police department.  Are the employees sworn in by a city judge prior to being allowed to write parking citations?  From where does their authority to uphold the city code come?  

If a police officer went around unlawfully and/or incorrectly arresting people, or even writing them speeding tickets unjustly, there would be a large outcry and repercussions for that individual. Accountability please.  If employees of the Parking Authority continue to write bogus citations they should be written up, disciplined and/or terminated due to their own incompetency.        

Jay Montgomery 
Hixson 

* * * 

I agree with all the points made above. I have received numerous bogus tickets as Staci described.   

Furthermore, a Republic employee in the front office told me that I could not purchase a monthly pass for my husband who is qualified through the hospitality parking program. I had his recent pay stub which is required. We have the same last name, address, and the vehicle is in both our names.  

I explained that his work hours did not jive with their office hours. Still, they insisted that he had to be the one to physically walk into their office and hand over the money for a hospitality parking pass. I explained that due to scheduling during the first five days of the month (when it is prudent to get a monthly pass) he was unable and I was available to take care of this business for him.  

I was standing in their office offering green American cash and they were telling me they could only take the money from my husband. How infuriating. Seems like every time I go in there Republic employees are exasperatingly explaining some new heavy-handed policy. Where are these policies posted?  

I love the hospitality parking program. It is a good value for downtown hospitality employees and has done a lot to keep metered spaces open for customers. But how the program is managed needs to be reformed.  

They don't give you an actual physical parking pass. They just update their system. This does not provide an adequate level of coverage if there are problems with their system. I would prefer to have some form of physical parking pass because paper records always trump electronic ones. Congratulations. Here is a bogus parking ticket. You now get the pleasure of expending time and energy dealing with the wonderful representatives at the Republic Parking office. But don't forget, they will only deal with the "right" person and can only give you their word that they will "take care of it" - no confirmation or tracking numbers. If you ever get towed you have no proof that you disputed the bogus tickets.   

A final word on parking in downtown Chattanooga - don't ever park in the lots where you have to wad up your money and shove it into a slot in a metal box. Only park in lots that issue paper receipts. If your lot doesn't print a receipt, call Republic and request they replace the metal box with one that prints receipts.  

Rhiannon Maynard

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