So I head down to Seattle Center the other night for a class. I'm probably 45 minutes early, not in any sort of rush, couldn't care less where I actually park. On 2nd Ave, between the Children's Theatre and the Pacific Science Center, there is a long stretch of curb with signs (at stop-sign height) that say "Bus load/unload only 8am-6pm". The curb is white as illustrated (*cough*) below
x--------------white (~100')---------x driveway (red) x--white-(2 car len.)--x-red (hyd)-x
As it was 6:45 or so, I knew (or assumed) that anyplace along the white curb would be fine (having parked there before the previous evening). At any rate, my concern was that i was far enough from the hydrant (red curb). As I had met that criteria, I grabbed the stuff I needed for class from the trunk and then walked around on the street side of the car to avoid the people on the sidewalk and walked around to the driveway.
Flash forward to 10pm as I get out of the class and walk back toward my car. Most of the cars parked along the curb had since cleared out. Lo and behold I see a little envelope on the window. Yay. So I check out how much it will cost me for apparently parking too close to a hydrant. $250. (11.72.065 IN MARKED DISABLED $250.00) Double-yay. Only the violation listed is that I parked in a disabled slot. EEK?! I look forward and see a knee-height post with a disabled sign on it in the next car-length area in front of my car. In front of my car was another such post, but with no sign on it. My heart sinks. I had parked between the empty knee-height post and the hydrant, making sure my car didn't stretch into the red zone.
driveway x<- sign-(1 car length)-x<-empty post.(1 car length) wht/red.hydrant
So here's my situation. I either (1) pay the fine flat out, (2) request a mitigation hearing where I admit to doing the deed but explain the circumstances, (3) request a hearing where I can supoena witnesses and contest the violation.
So had I been in a big hurry, I could have seen stopping for a minute in a disabled spot, but not parking. I'd more likely park blocks away and just walk. The only signs I had seen where the "Bus only, 8am-6pm" ones. Had assumed that, since the curb was white, it was just like the other white curb up ahead. Having seen the situation with no other cars around, I start wondering about the empty post, whether it had at one time had a disabled sign on it. If that's the case, would I have just cause for parking there?
Hearing-wise, I'll be performing in a couple of children's shows in the coming months, during the day. In the back of my mind I worry about a hearing being scheduled when I need to perform, and I don't have an understudy. In that case, am I basically forced to up and pay the $250? Don't exactly have that sort of money laying around. The actor's life and what not...
Will head down there to get some pictures if possible. Here's a map of the area until then. Happened on the east side of 2nd Ave, just north of the Science Center.
ticket1.jpg a view along the 100' or so showing white curb and bus-only signs.
ticket2.jpg view of white curb (along 100' stretch)
ticket3.jpg red zone break, this is what I listed as "driveway" up top.
ticket5.jpg view north, right at red-zone / driveway showing disabled parking sign.
ticket6.jpg view looking west, south-west from red-zone. Can see hydrant behind 3rd white car as well as both posts, one with a sign, one without.
ticket7.jpg view north from empty post.
ticket8.jpg view south from empty post. This is where I had parked.
Cliffs:
----------
1. $250 ticket for parking in a disabled spot
2. Didn't know it was a disabled spot
3. Not sure what to do.
x--------------white (~100')---------x driveway (red) x--white-(2 car len.)--x-red (hyd)-x
As it was 6:45 or so, I knew (or assumed) that anyplace along the white curb would be fine (having parked there before the previous evening). At any rate, my concern was that i was far enough from the hydrant (red curb). As I had met that criteria, I grabbed the stuff I needed for class from the trunk and then walked around on the street side of the car to avoid the people on the sidewalk and walked around to the driveway.
Flash forward to 10pm as I get out of the class and walk back toward my car. Most of the cars parked along the curb had since cleared out. Lo and behold I see a little envelope on the window. Yay. So I check out how much it will cost me for apparently parking too close to a hydrant. $250. (11.72.065 IN MARKED DISABLED $250.00) Double-yay. Only the violation listed is that I parked in a disabled slot. EEK?! I look forward and see a knee-height post with a disabled sign on it in the next car-length area in front of my car. In front of my car was another such post, but with no sign on it. My heart sinks. I had parked between the empty knee-height post and the hydrant, making sure my car didn't stretch into the red zone.
driveway x<- sign-(1 car length)-x<-empty post.(1 car length) wht/red.hydrant
So here's my situation. I either (1) pay the fine flat out, (2) request a mitigation hearing where I admit to doing the deed but explain the circumstances, (3) request a hearing where I can supoena witnesses and contest the violation.
So had I been in a big hurry, I could have seen stopping for a minute in a disabled spot, but not parking. I'd more likely park blocks away and just walk. The only signs I had seen where the "Bus only, 8am-6pm" ones. Had assumed that, since the curb was white, it was just like the other white curb up ahead. Having seen the situation with no other cars around, I start wondering about the empty post, whether it had at one time had a disabled sign on it. If that's the case, would I have just cause for parking there?
Hearing-wise, I'll be performing in a couple of children's shows in the coming months, during the day. In the back of my mind I worry about a hearing being scheduled when I need to perform, and I don't have an understudy. In that case, am I basically forced to up and pay the $250? Don't exactly have that sort of money laying around. The actor's life and what not...
Will head down there to get some pictures if possible. Here's a map of the area until then. Happened on the east side of 2nd Ave, just north of the Science Center.
ticket1.jpg a view along the 100' or so showing white curb and bus-only signs.
ticket2.jpg view of white curb (along 100' stretch)
ticket3.jpg red zone break, this is what I listed as "driveway" up top.
ticket5.jpg view north, right at red-zone / driveway showing disabled parking sign.
ticket6.jpg view looking west, south-west from red-zone. Can see hydrant behind 3rd white car as well as both posts, one with a sign, one without.
ticket7.jpg view north from empty post.
ticket8.jpg view south from empty post. This is where I had parked.
Cliffs:
----------
1. $250 ticket for parking in a disabled spot
2. Didn't know it was a disabled spot
3. Not sure what to do.
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