user 823908234

Posted sign did say "Bicycle Parking Only", like they have for years, at a fairly large, white-paint-bordered area, with a bicycle rack in the middle. Room on each side, within the box, for several scooters.

Law puts a ticked on the vehicle, comes back in an hour. If still there, out ya go. (where's that 'middle-finger smiley'?)

Thanks to them, we've discovered other places to enjoy.

rb23lb

Yep, they really ramped up front plate tickets since the economic downturn in California... I got 2 of them about 2 years ago, to where I did something similar to mike with my daily driver volvo wagon (added two small black eye hooks to my black rubber bumper)... now i just clip on when ever i am on city streets in LA...

after reading this though, I am gonna add some rare earth mags to the benz.... was thinking of getting a remote hideaway plate, but this seems much cheaper and easier....

Sportstick

The part of this thread which perplexes me is the sense of entitlement to lax enforcement. Whether a missing front plate or a scooter in bicycle parking, why would anyone believe they deserve getting away with a violation? Lax enforcement over time might lead some to play the odds, assuming you might escape a violation, but on what possible logic does anyone get indignant for getting caught doing something they knew they should not have been doing in the first place? "Ramping up" just means law enforcement is doing what they should have been doing all along. How can it be challenged due to an improper motive?

StuttgartUSA

Of course people are going to have a ho hum sense about them, when the whole Idea behind these infractions is to collect revenue to support the teet of the Welfare state we have become. Tell me one instance that this is in the best interest and protects the public. Its total BS last time I checked we revolted against such measures by a certain king !

AZN Optics

I don't think it's a sense of entitlement really, it's more what the state and police picks and chooses to enforce. This might get a little too political and rub some the wrong way so mods feel free to delete if you deem so, but with the rampant illegal immigration issues California and several other states have that cops and policymakers are turning a blind eye to, I think it's perfectly natural to feel a little slighted when they place an emphasis on fund collection off normal tax paying citizens. Especially since these funds need to be collected to pay for all the free services these illegal immigrates are enjoying. Of course that's not where all the funds go to (don't even get me started on state pensions and unions), but it's a perception that's out there.

I knew what I was getting into so wouldn't contest, picket, or protest, but I'd still gripe about it a bit as I pay my fines.

Sportstick

I understand your point, but bluntly, any debate on the reason behind the violation is moot. Once enacted by the publicly elected legislature or its administrative agencies, the purpose can be debated elsewhere, new representatives can be elected to create change, but meanwhile, they are to be obeyed, or if not, a violation should be expected. It does not matter if your point on revenue collection is correct while the relevant statute is in effect. Get the law changed, but until then, any complaints about actually having it enforced are meaningless. Even a law eventually found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court is in effect and required to be followed until it is actually overturned.

Sportstick

And, as a moderator, I read your comments as reasonably presented (whether I agree with them or not) and would not consider deleting them.

Regarding emphasizing "fund collection", my point is that everyone who violates the law or local regulations, including all tax-paying citizens who voted in the lawmakers who created the laws, should expect to be cited and pay a fine. If they get away with it, they (or the next guy who escaped) had a lucky day...nothing more and nothing deserved. Failure of the state or federal government to deal with the illegal immigration issue is an unrelated issue and does not justify presuming lax enforcement of traffic regulations is warranted. I guess I think the perspective of the complainers is backwards.

AZN Optics

Might be regional slant as residents in California, Arizona, Texas etc are slapped with it more in the face than some of the more northern states. Not saying you don't also have illegal residents, but not nearly in the quantity we have here.

And that'll be the last I speak on this.

StuttgartUSA

Police officers is actually a incorrect term, they really are called peace officers. There oath is to uphold public safety, not issue tickets for revenue generation. Plus I dont think 99% voted for these laws nor did we vote for the people who came up with them, they are long gone.

Ron Jr

http://youtu.be/Dyjn_RyH0vA

Me talking to the parking patrol. Wish Force Chokes really worked.

user 823908234

I should have explained that 'bicycle parking' is where we were first told to park, years ago. "Just not on the sidewalk", was always the stern admonishment from the scooter vendors. We always did what we were told. Something changed, and someone didn't get the word. I've been driving since 1961, cars and bikes, and other than that scooter thing, have never had a parking ticket. Any legitimate ticket, for that matter.

boschk

Aren't you a good lil' ward of the nanny state.

Sportstick

Nope...lawyer...this is fascinating...every excuse under the sun to think penalties don't or shouldn't apply...immigration, entitlement programs, the clerk told me it was ok, I don't like my government...all of which have nothing to do with an officer writing up a traffic/parking violation...anything except taking responsibility that if you break the law and get caught, you rightfully experience the consequences. The arguments made here would rapidly fail in court, friends!

venchka

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away.....

"Baretta: Don't do the crime if you can't do the time."

Wayne
Front plate & ticket free in Texas.

StuttgartUSA

The funny thing is, I wouldnt really care what the court says either.

user 823908234

Oh yeah?? Well, whatever happened to "Laws were made to be broken!" [he asks as he checks his rear view mirror ] I just wanna be FREE! Power to the people!

"...that if you break the law and get caught, you rightfully experience the consequences."

There it is, in a nutshell! Three words that sum up our disdain for the law. So, don't get caught. I think a famous dead bank robber said that.
This is a fun thread!


Aw crap, I got put on page 2.

C300Sport

Trying to determine which laws to break and which laws to bend can send you down a slippery slope...but...

It doesn't make sense that Ron got a ticket with his stub right there on the dash but it likely stems from some idiot(s) before him trying to "hide" the fact that they threw an old stub up on the dash that just happend to fall where it was hard to read. I am sure they are hoping the parking officer wouldn't bother actually checking it. After years of people trying this, the guys just think "screw it" and ticket everything that doesn't pop right up at them.

It also doesn't make sense to ticket/tow scooters in Key West when people are concienstously trying to follow the rules as they know them. Every time I have been there, scooters are parked everywhere with relatively few bicycles to be seen. If scooters were not allowed in bicycle parking, the city should clearly mark the area. It's not like we are talking about cities like Atlanta, LA or NYC. The scooters there are like flies and are something that city planners are very aware of. To not communicate the rules to the unsuspecting public is very suspect.

Laws are, hopefully, made for legitimate reasons and should be followed but public awareness and reasonable enforcement is a duty the state should be held accountable to.

Devastator187

My intention of this post was to inform that I did not know parking patrol officers can issue a "no front plate" ticket and was wondering if anyone else was cited for the same violation by a parking patrol officer. Please look at my attached picture again, it is not a ticket for anything but "NOTICE OF PARKING CITATION", or illegally parking. I never said that I should be exempt from "no plate violation". Throwing the "righteousness" card seems to be a bit irrelevant.

Sportstick

I agree with you. My growing incredulity was based on the path the entire thread took. My apologies if it seemed my final comment was directed at your first one.

Devastator187

No worries at all , thanks for clarifying.