Parking Ticket Appeal
Any person who feels that a parking ticket was issued in error may contest the parking ticket by filing a notice of appeal on the Public Safety website or at the Public Safety Office. An appeal must be filed in accordance within the timelines and the procedures set forth on the parking notice.
According to college policy, disregarding of a parking ticket will result in the charging of costs to the student’s account and renewal of vehicle registration is contingent upon compliance. These charges will be treated on the same basis as any other debt due the College.
Notice: The following procedure is effective with the 2005-2006 academic year.
All persons receiving a citation have a right to appeal within (3) days of the date of Notice of Parking ticket. To file an appeal, complete the form and sign the statements. The results of the appeal will be mailed to you usually within ten (10) working days.
GENERAL REASONS THAT VIOLATIONS WON’T BE DISMISSED
Below are some commonly listed reasons given for violating parking regulations. While these reasons may seem valid to the violator, they do not address the laws of Pennsylvania and the policies of The College. These reasons generally will not result in the violations being dismissed, or the violator being successful on appeal.
No errand, no matter how short or how important to the driver short of a bona fide medical emergency, is an acceptable excuse for illegal parking. A short errand is a very common excuse. It is not a valid reason for illegal parking.
Being late does not permit the driver the privilege of parking illegally.
Other than being an invalid excuse, this, in fact, confirms the driver’s liability. It is driver’s responsibility to locate legal parking.
Drivers are required to look for signs when parking. This may mean checking an entire lot from corner to corner. Drivers are also required to abide by the directions on the signs. A person indicating that they did not see a sign preventing parking is not an acceptable excuse.
A violation is not based on a certain percentage of the vehicle being illegally parked. If part of the vehicle extends into a restricted area, the violation is the same as if the entire vehicle encroached.
Many drivers seem to think that evidence of a short stay mitigates the offense. It does not. The purpose of parking regulations is to restrict from certain places or permitted at times, motor vehicles, which are not in motion. The presence of a passenger, a sign or blinking lights does not satisfy this purpose and, therefore, does not constitute a valid reason to dismiss a violation.
This explanation is one of the most common claims. Even if true, parking in a prohibited area is still a violation.
Sometimes this excuse is raised as discriminatory enforcement. The officer may have had to leave the area before checking all the vehicles, however, a parking citation stands on its own.
The registered owner has joint responsibility with whoever was driving his or her car. Unless it can be shown by the registered owner that the car was driven without permission, the registered owner, renter or lessee is responsible for a parking citation.
Generally speaking, employees have no authority to give permission to break the law or college policy. Whenever possible, an officer will caution about illegal parking, but silence by an official does not waive parking restrictions.
This normally is not the case, however, inadequate staffing or other priorities may give rise to violations not being enforced continually; but, nowhere does apparent failure to enforce parking laws constitute a valid excuse for illegal parking.
This is never a valid excuse for illegally parking. Nobody should be rewarded for getting away with prior violations.
Telephone Ext.: 1349 | Off Campus: (717) 245-1349