The cost for the ticket and tow Stef acquired this afternoon was $127. It upsets me. There must be a way out, I thought. Tonight I drove by the scene of the ‘crime’ looking for anything that might be helpful… and there it was.
The “NO PARKING” sign is mounted on a pole closer to five than six feet above the sidewalk. I consulted the Connecticut State Traffic Commission Regulations.
Sec. 14-298-514 Height
(b) In business, commercial and residential districts where parking and/or pedestrian movement is likely to occur or where there are other obstructions to view, the clearance to the bottom of the sign shall be at least 7 feet. The height to the bottom of a secondary sign mounted below another sign may be 1 foot less than the appropriate height specified above.
Tomorrow I’ll make some measurements and take some photos. I’m pretty sure the ticket is invalid because the warning does not conform to the regs. How I get the tow fee back is another story. It can be done. I just need to figure out how.
Playing lawyer is fun–undoubtedly, more fun than being one.
I won in New Haven in 1998 (or so.) They do refund your towing fee. You have to claim it.
I was a very angry and motivated, indebted law student back then. There was a shredded yellow construction / no-parking cap on the base of a parking meter on Elm between College and High. I looked at the space and thought nothing of parking there- I used my scratch off parking pass (do they still have those?). I came back from class and my car was gone. And a brand new shiny yellow cover was on the meter. Convenient, eh?
Wow, was I livid. I went to some garage in North Haven and fetched my pathetic Dodge Colt, after some choice words with the construction manager. I grabbed a disposable camera (do they still have those?) and took pictures of the shredded cap, still on the ground. I submitted all of the paperwork to the city of New Haven. They sent me a check for all of it a few months later.
I need the money then. Badly. But today, I would do the same thing on principle.
Good luck. Beat ’em.