本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛I got a parking ticket last Sunday. I went for canoeing on Ontario Lake with my friend that day. The parking lot was full; I drove around and found a space behind a trailer. By judging the distance and the small trailer, I believed that the trailer could get out without any problem if I parked my car behind the trailer.
So I did and paddled on the lake with my friend.
When we came back, we can not find my car. By calling police and than transferred to a towing company, I realized that my car was towed for parking at undesignated parking spot – it was for trailer only!
Spent almost two hours and $120 I got my car back with a parking ticket on my windshield. The ink was unreadable; I did not know how much it could be. But based on my experience I thought it should be around $40.
I called automated Parking Tag system. It mentioned that if I want pay a ticket through the system, additional service charge will be applied. But artificial intelligence of the system is very poor; it can not fig out the exact amount either and refused to accept any amount I would like to offer. So I have to go to a Parking Tag office (in order to save the service charge I reminded myself when I went.)
In the Parking Tag office, I was told the price tag was $105; much higher than I expected or anything reasonable for parking at undesignated area – which is neither a fire route nor handicapped spot by any chance.
The parking tag clerk told me that I could go for a court trial but I would have to wait for a year. Should I care about waiting time? I am not going to see a doctor. When I wait for the trial, I do not need to pay the ticket; so why not? I also asked for a mandarin translator for it is my right to have one even though I do not really need one.
What is the point you may ask. I am not complaining anything to anyone, but just wish lawmakers of Toronto have common sense on how to balance city budget.
If the city raises parking ticket price, more people will go for a court trial; more judges and officers will have to deal with trivial issues; more tax money will be spent on services of court appeals; more wait time for each court appeal and less net tax dollar get into much more important services the city should offer.
While I am waiting my court appeal patiently and enjoying a few cents of interest from the money I will finally have to pay for the parking ticket one year later, I know that I waste my own tax money on this court trial.
Thus I subscribed the following remedy to the city for helping her balance budget better:
1. Reduce parking ticket price.
2. Have discount on paying ticket within 10 days.
3. Collect ticket amount first when one requests a court appeal and refund later if a judge would rule that the penalty should be less.
4. Remove additional service charge of using an automated system. (Is the automated system more expansive than clerks sitting in nice offices around GTA?)
I wish the city can take my remedy before my court appeal to save my money on the ticket and my tax money on the court appeal.
But I know that I have to wait patiently for the court appeal.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
So I did and paddled on the lake with my friend.
When we came back, we can not find my car. By calling police and than transferred to a towing company, I realized that my car was towed for parking at undesignated parking spot – it was for trailer only!
Spent almost two hours and $120 I got my car back with a parking ticket on my windshield. The ink was unreadable; I did not know how much it could be. But based on my experience I thought it should be around $40.
I called automated Parking Tag system. It mentioned that if I want pay a ticket through the system, additional service charge will be applied. But artificial intelligence of the system is very poor; it can not fig out the exact amount either and refused to accept any amount I would like to offer. So I have to go to a Parking Tag office (in order to save the service charge I reminded myself when I went.)
In the Parking Tag office, I was told the price tag was $105; much higher than I expected or anything reasonable for parking at undesignated area – which is neither a fire route nor handicapped spot by any chance.
The parking tag clerk told me that I could go for a court trial but I would have to wait for a year. Should I care about waiting time? I am not going to see a doctor. When I wait for the trial, I do not need to pay the ticket; so why not? I also asked for a mandarin translator for it is my right to have one even though I do not really need one.
What is the point you may ask. I am not complaining anything to anyone, but just wish lawmakers of Toronto have common sense on how to balance city budget.
If the city raises parking ticket price, more people will go for a court trial; more judges and officers will have to deal with trivial issues; more tax money will be spent on services of court appeals; more wait time for each court appeal and less net tax dollar get into much more important services the city should offer.
While I am waiting my court appeal patiently and enjoying a few cents of interest from the money I will finally have to pay for the parking ticket one year later, I know that I waste my own tax money on this court trial.
Thus I subscribed the following remedy to the city for helping her balance budget better:
1. Reduce parking ticket price.
2. Have discount on paying ticket within 10 days.
3. Collect ticket amount first when one requests a court appeal and refund later if a judge would rule that the penalty should be less.
4. Remove additional service charge of using an automated system. (Is the automated system more expansive than clerks sitting in nice offices around GTA?)
I wish the city can take my remedy before my court appeal to save my money on the ticket and my tax money on the court appeal.
But I know that I have to wait patiently for the court appeal.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net