Slog - Comments on If You've Ever Been Mad About a Parking Ticket, Read This http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t KC Superior Court ruled today that the city of Seattle issued thousands of parking tickets (on holidays) when they weren't supposed to. Part of the problem—as with the main plaintiff in the case—was that holidays that fall on a Saturday (like New Year's Day 2005) are supposed to be honored by meter maids on the previous Friday. I just talked to one of the attorneys on the case, DeWelle Ellsworth, and he says the case will now go to the damages phase, and he estimates that the city is looking at refunds of up to $500,000 for the 4,000 people... Copyright 2008 Thu, 07 Jun 2007 14:33:06 -0800 Tue, 12 Jun 2007 14:24:37 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Carollani hehehe

"...refunds of up toe $650,000..."

]]> Carollani http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737732 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737732 News Thu, 07 Jun 2007 14:37:16 -0800 Comment by Carollani Sorry, I'm not the spelling police but that made me giggle.

]]> Carollani http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737733 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737733 News Thu, 07 Jun 2007 14:39:06 -0800 Comment by Dougsf If these were proper Federal holidays, then why didn't parking enforcement have the day off? Do regular SPD give parking tickets?

]]> Dougsf http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737735 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737735 News Thu, 07 Jun 2007 14:41:48 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle Dougsf has a very very good point.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737738 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737738 News Thu, 07 Jun 2007 14:43:21 -0800 Comment by Amy Kate Horn I don't get why a holiday that falls on a Saturday wouldn't mean free parking on that Saturday rather than the preceding Friday. So people actually do have to pay to park on Saturday holidays? Weird.

]]> Amy Kate Horn http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737745 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737745 News Thu, 07 Jun 2007 14:46:52 -0800 Comment by monkey That's just what I was thinking, Amy K.H.

And VERY good point, Dougsf.

]]> monkey http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737751 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737751 News Thu, 07 Jun 2007 14:54:01 -0800 Comment by Josh Feit AKH @ 5,
No, she parked on a Friday. The "Holiday-ness" of the next day should have exempted her from paying.

]]> Josh Feit http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737752 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737752 News Thu, 07 Jun 2007 14:55:50 -0800 Comment by SeMe i got ticketed that day picking up my friend at king st. center. r they gonna mail me my 35 bucks?

]]> SeMe http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737755 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737755 News Thu, 07 Jun 2007 15:02:23 -0800 Comment by DOUG. @3: There are still non-holiday-exempt parking situations that require enforcement (i.e. fire hydrants).

The better point is made @5. Were BOTH Friday 12/31 and Saturday 1/1 parking holidays?

]]> DOUG. http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737763 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737763 News Thu, 07 Jun 2007 15:13:01 -0800 Comment by Dougsf Not sure how I'd rule on this one, but really, the sign says SUNDAYS and HOLIDAYS, and her ticket was issued on neither. Because Federal agencies recognize the day preceding the rare Saturday holiday (NASDAQ and NYSE are also closed that day), does that mean the city traffic code honors this the same way? I almost can't believe this hasn't come up before.

Does Seattle take this to higher court? Here's what might come to light if they do:

"Constitutionally, there are no "national holidays" in the United States because Congress only has authority to create holidays for federal institutions (including federally-owned properties) and employees, and for the District of Columbia. Instead, there are federal holidays, state holidays, city holidays, and so on."

Like I mentioned before, the simple rule of thumb I'd follow is "If meter maids have the day off, parking is a go".

I really don't know why this is so fascinating to me. Someone learn me some legal stuff!

]]> Dougsf http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737774 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737774 News Thu, 07 Jun 2007 15:19:26 -0800 Comment by keshmeshi It still seems like most meter maids would have the day off. How many do they need just to enforce handicapped parking and no parking in front of fire hydrants, driveways?

]]> keshmeshi http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737816 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737816 News Thu, 07 Jun 2007 15:49:53 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle @10 - it's not the sign, it's the RCW that is the law. So if the sign says alternate Tuesdays and the law says that means alternate Monday nights, then it's the law that decides it.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737849 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737849 News Thu, 07 Jun 2007 16:15:01 -0800 Comment by nipper hmmm, i've been ticketed on a holiday (the ONE day I drove to work, knowing parking would be free, in three years), so...how far back does this Class Action reach?

]]> nipper http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737875 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c737875 News Thu, 07 Jun 2007 16:32:54 -0800 Comment by Boomer in NYC I dunno. But now I just want a Meter Maid uniform so bad.

]]> Boomer in NYC http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c738062 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c738062 News Thu, 07 Jun 2007 20:58:33 -0800 Comment by Bill MSN I NIIPET
MSN

]]> Bill http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c741336 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c741336 News Tue, 12 Jun 2007 14:24:18 -0800 Comment by Bill MSN I NIIPET
MSN

]]> Bill http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c741337 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/06/if_youve_ever_been_mad_about_a_parking_t#c741337 News Tue, 12 Jun 2007 14:24:37 -0800