Was the parking cop overstepping his authority?

[topoon]

Today I'm picking up a friend about 2 blocks above Bloor St on Yonge. He's on his way out of his office. I'm well aware of the parking signs on yonge st...there is an area from the intersection to a light pole that had the two signs " No Standing" and "No Stopping between 3-6", Past the light pole the only sign was no parking. So i'm pulled over in the "No Parking" zone, with my flasher's on, waiting 2 mins for my friend to come out....

A fat slob of a parking cop waddles up, and tells me i can't park there. I tell him i'm not parking, I'm standing. I tell him i'm not in the "No Stopping" or "No standing" zone...He tells me if i'm pulled over on the side of the road I'm parked, even if my car is running with the hazards on...I tell him I'm allowed to stand here because I'm past the sign, and to go tag the numerous delivery trucks parked in the No Stopping Zone...he then shrugs and begins to type in my info, so i reluctantly drove away...

I just can't help but think this fat slob was getting his kicks by dicking me around!

 

[papasmerf]

You seem to overstepped your authority and out ran common sense for this one.

 

[pencilneckgeek2]

Three Questions

What does the size of the parking officer have to do with anything?

Don't you think he would know the rules about where and when (and what constitutes stopping, standing or parking) better than you?

How do you know he hasn't already ticketed the various delivery trucks parked where they're not supposed to be parked ?

 

[topoon]

How so? The signs are there to tell people where they can park. If you can't "stop" or "stand" in a no parking zone, then why put a No Parking sign up in the first place...just put a NO Standing sign up in its place... From what I've been told...you are allowed to "stand" and wait for someone in a "No Parking" zone, as long as you don't leave your car..ie PARK...otherwise there should just be NO "No parking" zones, and they should all be "No Stopping, or No Standing Zones"

 

[papasmerf]

How so? The signs are there to tell people where they can park. If you can't "stop" or "stand" in a no parking zone, then why put a No Parking sign up in the first place...just put a NO Standing sign up in its place... From what I've been told...you are allowed to "stand" and wait for someone in a "No Parking" zone, as long as you don't leave your car..ie PARK...otherwise there should just be NO "No parking" zones, and they should all be "No Stopping, or No Standing Zones"

Just seeing your attitude here tells me you were argumentative and belligerent with the officer. I say you are lucky you were not booted and towed.

 

[topoon]

I think he was just being a dick, and knew he could write me a ticket that i would have to waste my time fighting if i didn't want to pay it. It was mid-day, the traffic was light, and i wasn't causing any back up behind me...parking police get harrased on a daily basis, and I think they enjoy "giving it back" by overstepping their authority...guess what happens if he writes me a ticket when i'm doing nothing wrong? Over a year later when i finally get my court appearence...he shows up with overtime pay, and says i was in the wrong...how can i prove i wasn't? There is literally no way for him to get in trouble for writing a false ticket...

 

[topoon]

I wasn't beligerent at all, I just told him i wasn't moving because i wasn't breaking any laws...and yes i was argumentative...what's wrong with standing up for your rights? Booted and towed? Do they even have boots in Toronto? And you can't tow a vehicle when someones inside it

 

[drstrangelove]

Can't remember where I read it, but there definitions for parking, standing, and stopping. That's why there are in fact these types of signs. I think the parking guy was overstepping his bounds.

 

[oldjones]

I note that you haven't backed up ypur assertion that you weren't breaking any laws by quoting a single one. The Parking Enforcement Officer studied this stuff, and would have quoted the law he thought you broke on the tag. Then you could have argued it in a useful venue.

But he got you to move, which is the point. So ponder which part of "No" it is, that you have so much trouble with and don't block traffic any more. With or without your flashers.

To answer your question: The only way he overstepped his authority, was by being kind enough to tell you to move before he tagged you for the offence you had already committed. And you insult and deride him for it here. Nice.

 

[Brookstone]

What does the size of the parking officer have to do with anything?

Don't you think he would know the rules about where and when (and what constitutes stopping, standing or parking) better than you?

How do you know he hasn't already ticketed the various delivery trucks parked where they're not supposed to be parked ?

This doesn't really have anything to do with the OPs question, but just want to point out that I do not think just because you are a parking officer, you'd know the rules.
Forgot what all the signs were as this was few years back, but was parked on Dundas, past Spadina. I was allowed to park where I was, but at the same time there were also tow away zone signs and the likes, which I find very confusing. Think there was a total of 3 signs at that location.
So I see a parking officer nearby and walk up to her and ask what these sign mean when I am already allowed to park on the side of the street. She simply said she didn't know.

I'm sure they should know, but how would they ever know if 1 of their officers don't know something. Seriously, be careful when parking downtown, be extra careful of reading the signs properly

 

[healer677]

If the car was running with the hazards -he could have hit you with an idling ticket as well if it idled long enough.

 

[oldjones]

Or perhaps Milhouse, one of the first things they learn is the danger and pointlessness of 'innocent enquiries and chats' about parking rules. Confessing ignorance to someone adequately parked would seem an easy out.

 

[sluryjoe]

I hate to break it to ya, but you were parked.

Was in parking court recently and heard a similar argument.
The JP convicted the driver, since the car was parked and not moving.

Consider yourself lucky he gave you a warning.

I work downtown and have seen parking enforcement who would write up the ticket behind the offending car without notifying the driver, and slap it on the the wipers before they could drive off.

 

[kissMAass]

...
what's wrong with standing up for your rights?
...

Nothing wrong with that, however driving is not a right, it's a privilege that the state can take away at any time.

 

[yahoo40]

you were very lucky . there is also a ticket for being argumentive and wasting time
you were indeed very lucky and the police office was an asshole for not giving you at least three tickets.

 

[Cycleguy007]

Parking tickets?

Meh!

https://terb.cc/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=258211
https://terb.cc/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=2857117&postcount=54

LOL...

 

[Kilgore Trout]

...he then shrugs and begins to type in my info, so i reluctantly drove away...
!

You might be getting an overdue/unpaid parking ticket in the mail in six or eight weeks or so.

If he got your license plate down correctly you are screwed. The fact that he never got a chance to put it on your windshield is irrelevant. His copy will get processed by the clerks at the parking infraction bureau and you'll get the bill mailed to you.
He's probably looking forward to nailing you for getting all chippy, and pugnacious, and in his face.

 

[yahoo40]

You might be getting an overdue/unpaid parking ticket in the mail in six or eight weeks or so.

indeed , and one ticket for running from the scene of incident .

 

[djk]

Just seeing your attitude here tells me you were argumentative and belligerent with the officer. I say you are lucky you were not booted and towed.

Agreed. You can just hear the self entitlement coming off OP's post.

That being said I'd check with parking enforcement in a month to see if a ticket was filed against the license plates. Parking enforcement is not legally required to deliver the ticket to you for an offence.

 

[daty]

You might be getting an overdue/unpaid parking ticket in the mail in six or eight weeks or so.

If he got your license plate down correctly you are screwed. The fact that he never got a chance to put it on your windshield is irrelevant. His copy will get processed by the clerks at the parking infraction bureau and you'll get the bill mailed to you.
He's probably looking forward to nailing you for getting all chippy, and pugnanious, and in his face.

he probably will and maybe more as mentioned by other posters such as the argumentative and idling .............