University parking trying to extort money from me? Buahaha I win!

[mb]

On 9/5 I got a $25 parking ticket. I parked on campus before 6PM in an unmetered spot. I was clearly in the wrong and I'm not disputing that.
The ticket stated that it could be paid in person at the parking services office, by placing it in the drop box outside of the parking office, or by mailing it. It also says there is a $15 late fee charged after 10 calendar days.

Since I don't have stamps and I didn't really feel like going to the post office, mailing it was not an option.
Since I don't have a parking pass, I can't drive to and park on campus to pay it in person. Free-for-all parking doesn't start until 6PM, and the office is closed after 5PM M-F and closed on the weekends. So that wasn't an option either since I didn't want another parking ticket.

So I decided to place it in the drop box. I did so on the 14th (9 calendar days) around 9PM after my class. I figured they would get it on the 15th and everything should be OK. Well yesterday my mom got an e-mail saying I owe $15 to Parking services because my payment was received late on 9/18.

First of all, how did my moms email address get tied to my license plate when I have never registered my car with the university and no one has ever given my moms email address to them? She only just signed up for gmail 4 months ago... and the car is in my dads name, not hers or mine. How on earth was the connection made??

Second, how the ****** can they claim my payment wasn't received until the 18th!? They know damn well that the check was in there when they opened on Friday.

They have no proof I didn't put it in there Thursday night, but then again I unfortunately have no proof that I did.

Should I just pay the late fee and be done with it (assuming they process that in a timely manner)? It's their word against mine, and I don't think anyone is going to believe a student's word over theirs.

Edit: they dropped the late fee! I am the winnar!

 

[FoBoT]

Aye, since you have no proof, then you have no proo' Gar.

 

[mugs]

Is your mom at all involved in paying for your college? That's the only reason I can think of that they'd send her the e-mail. The car has nothing to do with it.

 

[mb]

Originally posted by: mugs
Is your mom at all involved in paying for your college? That's the only reason I can think of that they'd send her the e-mail. The car has nothing to do with it.

She has mailed my tuition checks in the past, but it's not like she ever had to include an e-mail address.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: supafly

Originally posted by: mugs
Is your mom at all involved in paying for your college? That's the only reason I can think of that they'd send her the e-mail. The car has nothing to do with it.

She has mailed my tuition checks in the past, but it's not like she ever had to include an e-mail address.

She must have given them her e-mail address at some point. I don't think they'd go to the effort of tracking her e-mail address down when they surely have her phone number and address.

 

[mb]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: supafly

Originally posted by: mugs
Is your mom at all involved in paying for your college? That's the only reason I can think of that they'd send her the e-mail. The car has nothing to do with it.

She has mailed my tuition checks in the past, but it's not like she ever had to include an e-mail address.

She must have given them her e-mail address at some point. I don't think they'd go to the effort of tracking her e-mail address down when they surely have her phone number and address.

She doesn't even use her gmail address for anything other than using Picasa to e-mail pictures to family members. She has a hotmail address for ebay and whatnot.. but it didn't even go there.
Even stranger, the email was addressed to me even though it went to her account that is in her name. I mean, they must know my @.edu address so why wouldn't it get sent there?
I can't think of any way they would have her gmail address. The only way I can see them having it is if she gave it to them over the last 4 months, but there was never a reason to. I've only had one tuition bill since she got gmail, and I paid it myself.

 

[altonb1]

Arrr...Shiver me timbers. They need a good raping and pillaging, they does. Fight th' good fight and make them walk the plank. Arrr!

 

[imported_Rat]

I did so on the 14th (9 calendar days) around 9PM after my class.

You were wrong. Pay it. That's the end of the business day and the next day breaks the deadline. It doens't matter if they processed it the 18th or the 28th.

And you waited till the last day to send payment. That in itself was a gamble.

Hopefully you've learned two valuable life lessons, but perhaps not.

 

[mb]

Originally posted by: Rat

I did so on the 14th (9 calendar days) around 9PM after my class.

You were wrong. Pay it. That's the end of the business day and the next day breaks the deadline. It doens't matter if they processed it the 18th or the 28th.

And you waited till the last day to send payment. That in itself was a gamble.

Hopefully you've learned two valuable life lessons, but perhaps not.

Yeah, I know I waited too long, but putting it in the drop box on the 14th should mean they will get it on the 15th. If they retreived it and processed it on the 15th, no late fee should be added. Paying on the 15th day is perfectly acceptable and within the terms.

Sigh All this because I wanted to see my professor before class.

 

[Thraxen]

Originally posted by: Rat

I did so on the 14th (9 calendar days) around 9PM after my class.

You were wrong. Pay it. That's the end of the business day and the next day breaks the deadline. It doens't matter if they processed it the 18th or the 28th.

And you waited till the last day to send payment. That in itself was a gamble.

Hopefully you've learned two valuable life lessons, but perhaps not.

The OP says there is a charge "after" 10 days, so he was not late. To me it sounds like they simply didn't check the drop box on that Friday and instead checked it the following Monday (thus the 18th processing date). I would refuse to pay.

 

[dmcowen674]

The pwnage is strong in this one

 

[imported_Rat]

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: Rat

I did so on the 14th (9 calendar days) around 9PM after my class.

You were wrong. Pay it. That's the end of the business day and the next day breaks the deadline. It doens't matter if they processed it the 18th or the 28th.

And you waited till the last day to send payment. That in itself was a gamble.

Hopefully you've learned two valuable life lessons, but perhaps not.

The OP says there is a charge "after" 10 days, so he was not late. To me it sounds like they simply didn't check the drop box on that Friday and instead checked it the following Monday (thus the 18th processing date). I would refuse to pay.

"After 10 days" would lie on the 10th calendar day.

 

[mb]

Originally posted by: Rat

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: Rat

I did so on the 14th (9 calendar days) around 9PM after my class.

You were wrong. Pay it. That's the end of the business day and the next day breaks the deadline. It doens't matter if they processed it the 18th or the 28th.

And you waited till the last day to send payment. That in itself was a gamble.

Hopefully you've learned two valuable life lessons, but perhaps not.

The OP says there is a charge "after" 10 days, so he was not late. To me it sounds like they simply didn't check the drop box on that Friday and instead checked it the following Monday (thus the 18th processing date). I would refuse to pay.

"After 10 days" would lie on the 10th calendar day.

Huh? How is the 10th day considered to be after the 10th day?

 

[brikis98]

fight it. you don't lose anything for trying, at worst you end up paying the $15 anyway.

go in there and demand a manager, remind them how it's hard to get there without a car, but obviously you can't get there on time with a car either. tell them it was in the drop box, you're innocent until proven guilty (burden of proof is on them), etc. in all likelihood, it'll be easier for them to drop the fine than deal with you, so be a pain in the ass about it

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: supafly

Originally posted by: Rat

Originally posted by: Thraxen

Originally posted by: Rat

I did so on the 14th (9 calendar days) around 9PM after my class.

You were wrong. Pay it. That's the end of the business day and the next day breaks the deadline. It doens't matter if they processed it the 18th or the 28th.

And you waited till the last day to send payment. That in itself was a gamble.

Hopefully you've learned two valuable life lessons, but perhaps not.

The OP says there is a charge "after" 10 days, so he was not late. To me it sounds like they simply didn't check the drop box on that Friday and instead checked it the following Monday (thus the 18th processing date). I would refuse to pay.

"After 10 days" would lie on the 10th calendar day.

Huh? How is the 10th day considered to be after the 10th day?

Rat has only been here for 8 days and already ATOT is rubbing off on him. You're right, you had until the 15th to pay the ticket.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: supafly

She doesn't even use her gmail address for anything other than using Picasa to e-mail pictures to family members. She has a hotmail address for ebay and whatnot.. but it didn't even go there.
Even stranger, the email was addressed to me even though it went to her account that is in her name. I mean, they must know my @.edu address so why wouldn't it get sent there?
I can't think of any way they would have her gmail address. The only way I can see them having it is if she gave it to them over the last 4 months, but there was never a reason to. I've only had one tuition bill since she got gmail, and I paid it myself.

Occam's razor man... what's the simplest explanation for how they got your mom's e-mail address?

Or you could just ask them.

 

[mb]

Hot damn, they dropped the fee!

 

[mugs]

Good work.

 

[mcvickj]

Originally posted by: supafly

Originally posted by: Rat

I did so on the 14th (9 calendar days) around 9PM after my class.

You were wrong. Pay it. That's the end of the business day and the next day breaks the deadline. It doens't matter if they processed it the 18th or the 28th.

And you waited till the last day to send payment. That in itself was a gamble.

Hopefully you've learned two valuable life lessons, but perhaps not.

Yeah, I know I waited too long, but putting it in the drop box on the 14th should mean they will get it on the 15th. If they retreived it and processed it on the 15th, no late fee should be added. Paying on the 15th day is perfectly acceptable and within the terms.

Sigh All this because I wanted to see my professor before class.

Paying the fine the day before or the day it is due is fine but I certainly wouldn't chance it sitting it a box hoping someone is going to check the box and find your payment. You should have delivered it in person since you waited until the 11th hour. Is a $15 charge worth your time? Only you can decide that.

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

It's only $15. Pay it and move on... personally I wouldn't waste any effort stressing over something minimal like that.

 

[mb]

Originally posted by: mcvickj
Paying the fine the day before or the day it is due is fine but I certainly wouldn't chance it sitting it a box hoping someone is going to check the box and find your payment. You should have delivered it in person since you waited until the 11th hour. Is a $15 charge worth your time? Only you can decide that.

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead
It's only $15. Pay it and move on... personally I wouldn't waste any effort stressing over something minimal like that.

I guess you two didn't notice, but they dropped the $15 fee.

 

[Juno]

Originally posted by: supafly
Hot damn, they dropped the fee!

now, get the parking permit.

 

[mb]

Originally posted by: Juno

Originally posted by: supafly
Hot damn, they dropped the fee!

now, get the parking permit.

Nah, I don't really need one. I'll just make sure to get there at 6:00 instead of 5:50 thinking there's no way they'll ticket me that late.

 

[dainthomas]

I used to drive my gf's car to school back in 93-94. When she bought it, her dad signed the loan papers (although she paid). Problem is, her parents split and he moved to Reno. So I had at least several dozen parking tickets over that time span that I never paid. I assume they tried sending a bill to her dad, but knowing him even if he got a bill he'd just chuck it.

I got several parking tickets about five years ago from the city of Portland just before I turned my lease in. Never heard anything about that either.

 

[Juno]

Originally posted by: supafly

Originally posted by: Juno

Originally posted by: supafly
Hot damn, they dropped the fee!

now, get the parking permit.

Nah, I don't really need one. I'll just make sure to get there at 6:00 instead of 5:50 thinking there's no way they'll ticket me that late.

your university charges for commuter parking permit? my university gives out for free but you'll have to park really far away unless pay for a reserved parking permit.