I know there's many more important things in the world but I wonder if any of you might have some insight into this particular problem:
In November, I travelled to the Heritage Canada building in Gatineau, Quebec and parked my car at a meter on the street outside the building. After parking, I discovered that electronic meter was flashing. It was out of order, a sign most motorists believe means — parking is free today.
I headed in for my appointment but upon returning, I had received a ticket for parking at an expired meter. Who knows when the meter returned to service but it was working upon my return and was apparently working when the meter maid came by.
On the ticket, I checked off the"Not Guilty" box and asked for a trial.
Recently, I got the trial notice in the mai and, to my surprise, the ticket that I could have paid "early" had I pled guilty in September for about $20 now comes with substantial risk. If I want to change my plea now, I will have to pay $57 to get off the hook. If continue, go to trial, and lose, I'll be hit with a $117 charge. Sure would have been nice to know how the fine was going to escalate when I first pled guilty but now it seems, in for a penny, in for a pound …
So here's the question for legal beagles or anyone out there with any experience on this:
Is it a sufficient defence to tell the judge that I was present and prepared to deposit a fee in the meter for time in the parking spot but the meter was defective and would not accept my payment?
Tags: parking tickets, quebec
In Ottawa, you get a ticket for parking at a defective meter. I would assume Gatineau is the same.
Same thing happened to me in Montreal but I paid the $40
Thanks all, over on Twitter, my friend Elizabeth Thompson tells me that: “section 58 of Gatineau parking bylaws says you can't park at a defective meter.”
Sigh. I guess I'm paying the $57…
this is really ridiculous is there action you can take for this such thing.. sure it's not your mistake, but can you explain that to meter maid?
Cheers,
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This is insane. “Can't park at a defective meter” is like it doesn't exist if they don't get paid. Who'd want public property going to proper use, eh? Not like the taxpayers haven't paid for that spot already or anything. *Fork in eye*
Ya its true and many of us face these parking tickets problems. Many of us wont go for a trial by seeing that its a small issue. But whatever may be the issue if we are on true side we can go for trial and get compensated for it. We can find good affordable lawyers, who are much keen interested in their clients.
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john samuel
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