CPA Ticket

[rich204]

My ordeal with CPA. Photo was taken while I was in the vehicle waiting to pick someone up, I appealed the ticket and got rejected. I told them it was my daily routine. I was in the vehicle at the time. No tint, taken on a cloudy day, Feb 21 17:05.
Yeah, it's a mere 40 bucks but it's about the principal.

This is the second time it has happened in a different vehicle and the ticket was cancelled.

CPA website: "Paid parking tickets are an admission of guilt, and as such an administrative review is unnecessary". I am not guilty of anything.

Apparently they use Sony cameras with res size of 1024x768, 1200x960 and for the license plate camera 640x800.

To my surprise, I requested the photo and they emailed it but in PDF. I brightened it up a bit and you can see my silhouette. Talk about low quality. Why wouldn't they provide the high res photos? I wonder if they send low res photos on purpose?

From CPA Customer Service, "If our officers see a person in a vehicle it is considered occupied and a ticket will not be issued."

Anyway, just sharing my ordeal.

[strombad]

What exactly is your ordeal?

You got a ticket for being illegally parked?

[ken0042]

Were you stopped in a no-stopping zone? (Judging by the date and time.)

[rich204]

Originally Posted by strombad

What exactly is your ordeal?

You got a ticket for being illegally parked?

CPA gave a ticket while I was occupying the vehicle waiting to pick someone up. They overturned my last ticket when I was clearly seen waiting inside my vehicle. My ordeal: How can they determine whether a vehicle is occupied with low res photos?

[strombad]

Maybe I'm missing something, what did you get a ticket for?

[FlamesAddiction]

In most cities, I thought that it didn't matter if you were occupying the car or not.

I think last time they just gave you a break. Unless Calgary is different, then consider yourself lucky.

[Robbob]

I got one of those in with a similar scenario. Unfortunately, in reading the violate, it says something to the fact that you are in a parking zone with out paying. I think out of courtesy they toss most of them out because there really isn't anywhere downtown to pick people up.

[rich204]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

In most cities, I thought that it didn't matter if you were occupying the car or not.

I think last time they just gave you a break. Unless Calgary is different, then consider yourself lucky.

I emailed their customer service and they said if they can see you in the photo, they will overturn the ticket.

[DuffMan]

Get rid of the tint.

[TheGrimm]

I had a similar incident last year only I had pulled over to make a call. I appealed it as such and they overturned it... YMMV but it worked fine for me. I understand them ticketing a person for "waiting" for someone but pulling over to avoid getting a ticket for a phone call seems like a fair excuse.

[rich204]

Originally Posted by DuffMan

Get rid of the tint.

That's the problem, there's no tint.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Without knowing what the citation was for specifically, I can't comment on your argument.

However, I would go to the CPA website (or wherever you got the information on resolutions) and send another email thanking them for the PDF but you understand there should be a high resolution photograph at (insert resoltution here) based on the information available online at (link). Then politely ask for that copy to be made available to you.

The PDF is likely a standard thing because the file size would be much smaller and would suffice for most people.

[Ducay]

Well I'm trying my damnest and still can't see you. Doubt you're going to get an old lady CPA employee to see you without some serious photoshopping

[Burninator]

I got the same ticket doing the same thing and I was visible in the car. Appealed the ticket and it was denied. This was their response.

95679662 - BYLAW 26M96 (s)9(14) - REMAIN IN A SPACE LONGER THAN TIME PURCHASED

Parking is a valuable commodity and short term parking must be available to the public for parking. Enforcement ensures that people using these zones are not remaining in a space longer the time purchased.

Vehicle found parked in a 'zone controlled space' for longer than the period of time for which payment was made.

CPA Investigation:

Section 9(15) of the City of Calgary Traffic Bylaw (CTB) requires that payment be made immediately after parking in a ParkPlus zone. The definition of parked is the same if the vehicle is occupied or not.

CPA is unable to authorize withdrawal of the Parking Infraction Notice. Photo Enforcement personnel have reviewed the photo and could not verify that a passenger was being actively loaded or unloaded OR that the vehicle was being moved. The review found no record of a payment for this license plate.

It doesn't matter if you are visible or not.

[strombad]

So basically, it seems like unless you're there for 30 seconds, you're parked, in which case you should pay.

Why not get out and pop a quarter in?

[squiggs96]

This seems like a scene from Dude, Where's my car?

Seriously dude, what did you get the ticket for?

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by rich204

CPA gave a ticket while I was occupying the vehicle waiting to pick someone up. They overturned my last ticket when I was clearly seen waiting inside my vehicle. My ordeal: How can they determine whether a vehicle is occupied with low res photos?

Yeah, but why would it matter if you're in the car?

What if you were just messing around in your car before you got out and then let it sit there for half an hour?
What if you had just returned after being illegally parked for half an hour?
What if you were just sitting in the car for half an hour taking up a parking spot for some strange reason?

Unless you can prove that:
a) You weren't parked there for any lenght of time prior to, or after the picture was taken
b) You paid either before or shortly after the picture was taken

Then what grounds do you have to actually dispute the ticket?

[strombad]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

This seems like a scene from Dude, Where's my car?

Seriously dude, what did you get the ticket for?

I have come to believe he got a ticket because he parked in a pay spot and did not pay. Though, you wouldn't know it from reading his first few posts.

[guzzy]

Cool story Bro!!!

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by strombad

I have come to believe he got a ticket because he parked in a pay spot and did not pay. Though, you wouldn't know it from reading his first few posts.

And further, occupying the car should nullify said ticket