In addition to a $105 towing charge, I recently got a $60 parking ticket. I thought I'd go down to 55 John Street and put up a bit of a fuss. As I waited in line at Metro Hall I realized I'd have gladly paid $60 to be anywhere else, but the damn principle of it all wouldn't let me cough up the coin.
My primary beef with this process is that you have to physically visit 55 John Street and wait in line to challenge a parking ticket. You can't request a trial over the phone or online, and that just seems wrong. It's as if they're purposely making it a real pain in the ass so you'll just pay the fee. Most sensible people just wouldn't be bothered.
My other issue is with the overwhelming sense there's no incentive for the civil servants to move the line along. There are four service windows at 55 John Street but for most of the time I was there only two were open and for a while only one. With an hour left in their work day, one of the two working clerks went on her 15 minute break. Us poor stupid folk in line just got angrier and angrier as we waited and waited.
Forced to visit Metro Hall between 8:30am and 4:30pm and then forced to wait in line for an hour, I'm getting my trial date. One of the questions on the request form asks if you're going to bring evidence that contradicts the stated offence. I said no. The clerk asked me why I was requesting a trial date if I couldn't argue against the charge. I told her the truth. My plan is to look really sweet and innocent, reference the $105 I've already coughed up and beg for mercy.
If nothing else, it should give me some interesting blogging material.
