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DRIVERS are facing massive parking fines thanks to thoughtless Amazon contractors who abandoned their trailers in a quiet town and turned it into a truck stop.
Desperate lawmakers in a Massachusetts suburb passed a new rule increasing fees to $50 after drivers parked trucks and trailers on small streets for days at a time.
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The issue has been plaguing Haverhill, a suburb of Boston, where contractors swarm an Amazon warehouse in the town.
The truck drivers would take up space on small streets and Dunkin Donuts parking lots after making their deliveries, Haverhill Councilor Catherine P Rogers said.
The driveway going into the warehouse was also a safety concern because the contractors were blocking fire trucks from entering.
“It would be overnight or a couple of days,” she told public radio station WHAV.
“Basically, Ward Hill has become a truck stop.”
The issue became such a nuisance that Amazon representatives had to meet with Haverhill Mayor Melinda E Barrett so they could come up with a solution.
The Amazon employees realized there was an issue but noted the drivers were contractors and not totally under their control.
“They deliver to Amazon, and as soon as they unload, they’re asked to leave because they don’t work directly with Amazon and work with a third-party company,” Rogers said.
Amazon also said they provide contractors with a list of safe places to park.
However, they understood the problem and are looking to enforce the law on contractors.
To crack down on offenders, the Haverhill City Council voted to increase fines from $25 to $50 in a 10-day ordinance passed on Tuesday.
“We had hoped to change it to a much higher number, but Massachusetts General Law prohibits it,” Mayor Barrett said.
“What we have on file for 10 days raises it to $50 and that is the limit.”
Local lawmakers are looking to advocate for higher fines imposed on the state level.
In a statement, Amazon admitted the contractors were in the wrong and said they are working toward solutions.
“We apologize for the inconvenience this issue has caused in Haverhill, and we’re continuing to reinforce with drivers who are delivering on our behalf where they can park their vehicles and where they cannot,” a spokesperson said.
“The City of Haverhill has been a great partner in this effort, and we’ll continue working with officials until this issue is resolved.”
How to fight a parking ticket
You can avoid being ticketed by following all posted laws and ordinances, but sometimes mistakes are made
Like any form of citation, parking tickets are preventable by reading and obeying posted signage. However, when visiting a new city, or state, or in a hurry, things can be missed and mistakes are made.
Suddenly there’s a ticket you weren’t prepared to pay for. If the ticket is a surprise to you, there are a few things you can do to help your case when appealing a parking ticket.
- Carefully read the ticket. Look for errors like incorrect street names, license plate numbers, vehicle make and model, time and date, etc. Errors would then make the ticket invalid.
- Take photos. Of the vehicle in the parking space, lack of signage, or other vehicles that weren’t cited for performing the same parking job. If the ticket involves parking too close to something like a fire hydrant, a photo showing a reasonable distance would help your case. Make sure metadata with the time and date are accessible. Signs that are obstructed by trees, or are on bent posts, or aren’t “obvious” are great things to photograph, too.
- Make sure the statute that was violated is listed on the ticket. If not listed, the ticket is not valid.
- Promptly follow the appeal instructions on the ticket. All legitimate tickets will have directions for appeal. Waiting until the very last moment weakens your argument and can result in late fees.
- When in court, avoid these phrases as they reduce your credibility and weaken your argument:
- “I didn’t know the law.”
- “I was on my way to move my car.”
- “I can’t afford this ticket.”
- “I’ve been doing this for years.”
- “I checked with the parking officer, who said it was OK.”
- Contact a lawyer. If you’re running into roadblocks and feel stuck, it may be best to reach out to a traffic lawyer in your area. Many have free case consultations.
Source: Reader’s Digest
PARKING FURY
The parking fury comes as a man has raged over excessive $100 fines after 5,600 tickets were handed out.
Plus, drivers are facing $100 fines under a new rule banning overnight parking.
And voters were left stranded after parking and trying to get into a busy polling location.
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