XPost: phl.misc, phl.sports, phl.talk   
   XPost: phl.transportation   
   From: liberty@once.net   
      
   "ill"  wrote in message   
   news:daue5g$c79c$1@netnews.upenn.edu...   
   > Hey Stupid.. the City of Philadelphia had nothing to do with it.   
   >   
   > Our Republican controlled state took over the Parking Authority...go whine   
   > to Harrisburg..oh wait you did and no one cared.   
   >   
   > ..I never park at anything blue in paint or meter...it's you're own fault   
   > for "assuming" the space was fine.   
      
   I didn't assume anything, asshole, I READ THE SIGNS, which DID NOT prohibit   
   parking at the time I was there.   
      
   > I've received parking tickets in Huntington Beach and in NYC...both   
   > expected the same from me...pay the fine, or notify them by their rules   
   > then try to fight it...both wanted me (or a local lawyer) to appear if I   
   > felt I wasn't guilty....that's what you're supposed to do...appear before   
   > someone to plead your case..   
      
   I will not take a day off and travel 180 miles round trip, which would be a   
   punishment for no offense, even if I did get off by doing so. If my expenses   
   and losses were fully reimbursed, I would do so.   
   ----------------------------   
      
   >> PHILADELPHIA'S MALICIOUS PARKING TICKET SCAM   
   >>   
   >> Parking spaces reserved for the handicapped are desirable, but   
   >> from the number of them in Philadelphia PA one would think half   
   >> its population is in wheelchairs. These spaces do not exist   
   >> through kindness though, but as an unscrupulously administered   
   >> means of raising revenue through exhorbitant fines. And this   
   >> "city of brotherly love" is not above having its cops write   
   >> completely UNJUSTIFIED $300 FINE TICKETS on out-of-state   
   >> residents' cars as a means of extortion!   
   >>   
   >> I live in NYC and occasionally visit Philadelphia. I do not get   
   >> parking tickets because I always carefully read and obey the   
   >> signs. I was amazed one Sunday in January 2004 to find my car   
   >> ticketed for parking in a space reserved for the handicapped at   
   >> some times, but not on Sunday, when the facility I was parked   
   >> in front of (801 Arch Street) was closed. A bright orange "TOW"   
   >> sticker was glued to my rear window, but fortunately I got   
   >> there before they came to steal my car. And to this day I have   
   >> not been able to completely remove these vandals' glue from my   
   >> window.   
   >>   
   >> I have PHOTOS that PROVE I WAS LEGALLY PARKED and falsely   
   >> ticketed!   
   >>   
   >> I responded promptly with a certified letter stating my   
   >> innocence. I received a reply "- suspending any further action   
   >> pending the outcome of this investigation," and stating,   
   >> "PLEASE DISREGARD ANY FURTHER NOTICES YOU MAY   
   >> RECEIVE BEFORE A FINAL DETERMINATION IS MADE   
   >> CONCERNING THIS."   
   >>   
   >> That was DELIBERATE LIE NUMBER TWO, the first lie being the   
   >> ticket itself. Further action was NOT suspended as I was told;   
   >> HARASSMENT AND THREATS then began. First a NOTICE OF   
   >> DEFAULT, adding a $38 penalty to the $300 fine. Then an OFFICIAL   
   >> NOTIFICATION AND FINAL ORDER. I continued to do as instructed -   
   >> disregard further notices pending a final determination. Next   
   >> came a CIVIL DEFAULT ORDER threatening to sieze my car, and   
   >> then a COLLECTION AGENCY warning containing more threats. Next   
   >> came a CREDIT RATING WARNING, followed soon afterwards by "YOUR   
   >> ACCOUNT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO A CREDIT BUREAU," which if   
   >> true would constitute LIBEL, as no official determination had yet been   
   >> made.   
   >>   
   >> At this point I replied with a strong letter insisting that the   
   >> harassment stop and that a final determination be rendered.   
   >> That came quickly - finding me LIABLE for the alleged   
   >> violation! I was told I had the right to appeal, and if I did   
   >> so I would be informed of the hearing date. Guilty until proven   
   >> innocent!   
   >>   
   >> I submitted a notarized sworn statement testifying to my   
   >> innocence, and indicating that merely examining the signs at the given   
   >> location would   
   >> exonerate me. I received a reply setting a hearing date and stating that   
   >> I may attend,   
   >> but if I did not the review would proceed in my absence and I would be   
   >> notified of the final determination. Two weeks before the   
   >> hearing date however I received another letter CONTRADICTING   
   >> THIS, stating, "IF YOU FAIL TO APPEAR, YOU WILL BE FOUND   
   >> LIABLE FOR THE FULL AMOUNT OF ALL APPLICABLE FINES   
   >> AND PENALTIES."   
   >>   
   >> Philadelphia is over 90 MILES from my New York City home. They   
   >> demand that I take a day off and travel there and back to prove   
   >> my innocence, though they are incapable of proving me guilty -   
   >> and should I fail to appear, that alone proves my guilt! This   
   >> confirmed the suspicion that my out-of-state license plates   
   >> were why I was chosen for a false violation ticket - easy prey.   
   >> Or so these extortionists thought!   
   >>   
   >> I found a means of having the signs photographed to prove my   
   >> innocence, postponed the hearing, and sent in the photos. This   
   >> brought my total expenses caused by Philadelphia's deceitful   
   >> extortion attempt to roughly $70 - plus about a thousand   
   >> dollars worth of inconvenience and aggravation.   
   >>   
   >> The hearing was rescheduled for April 19th. Two weeks prior to   
   >> this I get another letter, again stating "IF YOU FAIL TO   
   >> APPEAR, YOU WILL BE FOUND LIABLE FOR THE FULL AMOUNT   
   >> OF ALL APPLICABLE FINES AND PENALTIES." A few days before the   
   >> hearing however I get yet another letter saying if I do not attend the   
   >> review will proceed in my absence and I will be notified in   
   >> writing of the final determination.   
   >>   
   >> I did not attend the hearing. I received no notification of the   
   >> outcome, but one month after the hearing date I received   
   >> another threatening letter demanding payment of the $338, and   
   >> only two days later another such letter. I responded with a   
   >> certified mail request for the hearing outcome notification due   
   >> me, and that the harassment for payment cease.   
   >>   
   >> My request was received but ignored. One month later I receive   
   >> another threatening letter on a letterhead from the "CITY OF   
   >> PHILADELPHIA LAW DEPARTMENT" - but the envelope it came in was   
   >> from the Parking Violations Branch, as were all the other   
   >> letters I received. It now became clear that the "Bureau of   
   >> Administrative Adjudication" I had been dealing with does not   
   >> adjudicate at all - IT IS MERELY AN UNSCRUPULOUS   
   >> COLLECTION AGENCY!   
   >>   
   >> Seeing I could get no justice from these local-level thieves, I   
   >> then wrote to Pennsylvania Governor Rendell regarding the   
   >> matter. My letter contained all of the above information. I   
   >> received a buck-passing reply from the Department of Community   
   >> and Economic Development, from which I quote: " - resolving   
   >> disputes regarding parking ordinances are matters of local   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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