Nov 8, 2006 7:26 pm US/Eastern
CBS 2 Report: How To Beat That Parking Ticket
A Former Parking Ticket Judge Shows Us How
By Dave Carlin
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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A former Parking Ticket Judge shows CBS 2 how to avoid paying those expensive tickets, legally.
Are you fed up with paying those ridiculously expensive parking tickets? A former Parking Ticket Judge gave CBS 2's Dave Carlin advice so drivers can beat the system without lying or doing anything unethical.
Haskell Nussbaum was a Parking Ticket Judge in Brooklyn for six months. He says it was just long enough to get enough insider information and write a book called "Beat That Parking Ticket. "I realized this would be something that people would benefit from," Nussbaum said.
He estimates as many as 25 percent of all tickets are tossed out on technicalities.
We examined one ticket on a windshield on the Upper West Side. It looked unbeatable because the meter was expired. But Nussbaum says you should always take the time to check the ticket carefully for mistakes. Make sure the license plate and registration numbers are correct. Even if you find no flubs Nussbaum says "don't pay up yet."
He says when you get a ticket you should always fight it. The first step is to respond by sending in the orange envelope but not the actual ticket. Locate the summons or ticket number, which is on the side of the ticket, and write it on a piece a paper.
By not including the actual ticket you create extra room for error.
Nussbaum says your case is looked up on a computer screen and sometimes the scanning equipment is not up to par. If errors were made by the officer writing the ticket or by city court employees you deserve to have your ticket dismissed, even if you broke the law. He says you also deserve to have your side of the story heard.
Write your defense on the paper. Some excuses actually work. They include: The meter was broken. Snow covered the curb. Signs were missing. You hurt your leg, but you may need a doctor's note for that one.
Don't expect any excuse to fly if you park illegally in a handicapped space. Or double-park in a no stopping zone like Delivery Truck Driver Leo Perez, who said he was busy and had no choice but to double park. Nussbaum says it won't work and there is an extra strike against Leo because he double-parked in a no stopping bike lane.
Knowing where to park is key. Helping New Yorkers find spaces and avoid ticket traps is Sam Schwartz, also known as Gridlock Sam. He told us the number one worst place for parking is Manhattan's Fifth Avenue. A Gridlock Sam survey found New York City drivers spend an average 30 minutes circling around for a free parking space. That's why he says parking in garages, while pricey is often the smarter way to go.
Schwartz advises drivers to beware of confusing signs and avoid no stopping zones and and hidden unmarked pedestrian ramps. You can use Schwartz and Nussbaum's advice to drive your way to a ticket-free future or get out of the way, like Buzz Gelbtuch. He relies on his "Good Old Metrocard." Not driving anymore guarantees him no more parking tickets.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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