A DRIVER was slammed with a ticket even though he parked legally.
The disabled driver was shocked after being unable to find handicap spots in the parking lot.
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After an Astros game in Texas, one driver said he couldn’t find a handicapped parking space by the ballpark, as reported by ABC News’ Texas affiliate, KTRK-TV.
The driver, George Ware, said he placed a placard up to indicate his disability status but got a ticket anyway.
Ware parked on Texas Avenue near San Jacinto Street, which was recently under construction.
“I put a placard up, and I got a ticket anyway,” Ware said.
Usually, Ware parked near the ballpark ramps where there used to be handicap spots.
However, after construction subsided, the handicap signs vanished.
“There were a lot of them, but when they started repaving and started redirecting a lot of those parking areas, they changed those and never put the signs back up,” Ware said.
While the city did not address this issue directly, they did give KTRK-TV an update regarding the missing handicap spots.
On an old map of the downtown area, handicap spots were clearly marked for those who needed them.
However, when the KTRK-TV crew drove down to that location, they found that spots were mysteriously gone.
The city later confirmed that the map was outdated and removed it altogether.
A spokesperson for the city said they are working on making a new map.
The representative also said the handicap spots have been relocated but the exact location was not provided.
“It’s important to have those because if you’re needing the extra space to open the door, you can’t when there’s an F-450 truck parked there with the mirrors out and you’ve got to get out of your vehicle,” Ware said.
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
According to the American Disabilities Act (ADA), the total size of a parking lot will determine how many accessible parking spaces must be in place.
In Texas, if a lot has one to 25 parking spaces, they are required to have one accessible space.
If a lot has over 1,000 parking spaces, there needs to be 20 plus one for every 100 spots over 1,000.
There are approximately 25,000 parking spaces available within a half-mile radius of Daikin Park where the Houston Astros play, according to the Major League Baseball website.
This includes private lots, garages, and on-street parking.
Many handicapped drivers, like Ware, depend on these spots for easy accessibility when commuting.
