Question about my $250 Bart "Parking Ticket"
So I pulled into the bus lane not seeing the signs but probably aware the spot was not a drop off zone and dropped the person off and drove away. Down the street I got Bart Police behind me and pulled over and issued a $250 dollar ticket. It was for parking even though I was unloading and gone quickly. I'll admit I was doing something against the rules but a $250 ticket is a little harsh.
Any chance of getting the fine reduced? I'd like to support my local transportation service even though I never use it, but I am afraid a fine like this will leave me unable to support Bart and all its current troubles. Thanks in advance and great site with some funny stuff.
Your ticket isn't from BART,
Your ticket isn't from BART, but whatever county you got it in. Getting the fine reduced will take going to court about it.
Why would BART Police be
Why would BART Police be allowed to give out tickets for the county?
Are they considered deputized officers for the count or something?
I was under the impression that BART Police were considered some sort of different category of officer and had some kind of restrictions on where & when they could give out tickets, kind of like how CHP & normal Police have different kind of jurisdiction issues, or how campus police in the UC System give out tickets that are on a different system than county tickets.
Are BART Police considered regular commissioned officers for the county?
This is old now, but I'll
This is old now, but I'll respond anyway.
All cops in California, including university and transit cops, can enforce the law anywhere in the state.
They generally don't, because they are being paid to patrol a specific area by their community, and have better things to do than paperwork for stuff that's not their responsibility. Thus, you may see BART Police cars drive right past double parked or speeding cars and not do anything. But if it were serious, like someone getting the snot beat out of them on the side of the road, you bet they can stop and take care of it.
No Dukes of Hazzard stuff going on around here.
Weird. When I was going to a
Weird.
When I was going to a UC (admittedly a while ago) the cops gave out special UC system tickets that weren't part of the county system.
Or maybe I'm thinking the meter maids?
It's been a long time.
UC, Ha [University of
UC, Ha [University of Comedians] Please no more HA,HA,HA, Its well known that the only thing that comes out of UC Is more renters for S.F.
::yawn:: Fuck off,
::yawn::
Fuck off, failtroll.
A lot of agencies, including
A lot of agencies, including BART, have contracted the collections part of their parking tickets to an outside company, so the letterhead on the non-payment nastygrams may not have the name of the agency who gave you the ticket on it.
As far as the UCs go, the UC system has its own police department with its own territory. It wouldn't be part of the county because it's not enforced by the county. It's like a little isolated bubble cut out of the city or county it is in, patrolled by the UC Police.
I always thought that if you
I always thought that if you wear a badge and a gun you can pretty much uphold the law anywhere.
I could buy a badge and a gun
I could buy a badge and a gun (and a uniform and police decals for my car) off the internet.
Would that allow me to uphold the law anywhere?
Well, not exactly cause you
Well, not exactly cause you dont look like one. And the internet doesnt sell looks,Oh, and aa likeable attitude either. So I think NOT.
But the internet does sell
But the internet does sell books filled with tips on how to write above a 3rd grade level and how not be such a stupid shit-eating moron.
I suggest you look into buying a couple.
You might learn something if
You might learn something if you will tune into channel 910am 3-7pm, I am sure you would greatly benifit from the experience. Oh and also the internet doesnt sell books on how to climb back up into yourself, but you have done quite a great job of it so far. Just a little more and we wont have to bother with you anymore.
Yeah, you can take your
Yeah, you can take your right-wing conspiracy theory bullshit radio station and go fuck yourself with it, pal.
http://910knew.com/main.html
Anybody who is anti-UHC and pro-for profit health care is a fucking moron. Period.
We can disagree about how UHC should be implemented, but anyone who thinks that the current for-profit health care system is something that should be sustained is either woefully ignorant or a corporate tool.
My ride and I almost got a
My ride and I almost got a ticket once when we did the same thing. He dropped me off and went on his way quickly and I got a talking to from someone who appeared to be just a meter maid. I think because the car didn't have a license plate (it was really newly bought) they let it slide, although I got the impression I wasn't deferential or apologetic enough to the yakking meter maid.
Unfortunately in this economy, I would imagine they wouldn't be too flexible. They want money, just like everyone else. Unless you can prove the sign is somehow not visible then I'd guess there's not a lot you can do. I wish you the best of luck though. Personally I feel like if you don't ride BART all that often and depending on how old the station is, you might not know the special bus lanes and the drop off lanes and bike lanes and everything.
Yes, I mean even at the
Yes, I mean even at the airport they just move you along as long as you're in the vehicle and moving. Running someone down a block later for making an illegal stop and giving them a parking ticket, like it was a moving violation seems a little desperate. Not to mention the person I unloaded feels awful and we both now have a horrible impression of BART who probably needs some customers. I'll call tomorrow and see if they can work a deal or at the least a payment plan. If not I'll move on and Bart can continue hemorrhaging money.
The purpose of the bus zone
The purpose of the bus zone is not for pax loading/unloading. If everyone thought it would be okay to take up the bus lane for 15 seconds at a time, then buses would never be able to safely pull into the stop. Most BART passengers don't think it's a big deal because an overwhelming majority of them drive (in the suburbs)... but you need to be aware that it creates a hazard to passengers, especially those with disabilities or the elderly.
I can understand the rule "
I can understand the rule " YouseeBerkeley" and readily admit the error. I explained to the cop that I had never been to the Bart station and was dropping off my girlfriend's father who is elderly. The signs were very small and I did not see a sign for an unloading zone. My frustration is that giving $250 dollar fines to new weekend customers who are using your product may not be a winning idea.
Again, thanks for your time, I know my fine is trivial to the bigger issues going on with Bart. Good luck!
Hey, at least they didn't
Hey, at least they didn't shoot you. Sorry, bad joke.
What station was this at? Maybe there's been an ongoing problem with cars clogging up the bus zone and BART police have decided to clamp down. Kinda doubt that though.
This was on a weekend? That's really suspicious. I doubt that there's very much bus service at most BART stations on weekends.
Seems more likely that you got nabbed by an over-zealous or quota-seeking officer. Crappy deal; hope you can get it reduced.
Are you sure it was BART
Are you sure it was BART police? A few months back, I dropped off a friend at Lake Merritt Station and got a ticket a week later from Alameda County Sheriffs Transit Division. I was only in the red for less than 15 seconds to drop him off but still got ticketed for being in a bus loading zone. I didn't see any cop in the area. After I got my ticket I started noticing the ALCO sheriffs like to park their dark blue pickup truck on the opposite corner waiting for violators. I tried to fight my ticket to no avail.
Alameda County Sheriff Dept
Alameda County Sheriff Dept have been running this racket for quite a while. See http://www.ibabuzz.com/transportation/2006/06/12/kiss-n-violate/
Youmad, if you actually were busted by the Sheriff not BART Police, then you can be 100% certain that you were nabbed for no reason other than to generate revenue for Alameda County.
Great link. Thanks for the
Great link. Thanks for the info.
i also got a ticket from
i also got a ticket from Alameda County Sheriff's Department. BART police don't do this.
It was Bart police, it was at
It was Bart police, it was at the Oakland Colosseum Bart station on a Sunday. I just called the ticket line and witnessed the machine I would have to fight in order to get someone with power to listen or reduce it. I will be paying the fine and will move on. Bart police in Oakland making friends and pushing away customers, nice :)
Even CHP tickets go thru the
Even CHP tickets go thru the county courts, so if you get a speeding ticket in Walnut Creek from the CHP, you go to court in Martinez.
That was in reply to Master
That was in reply to Master Chief above. Sux posting from the iPhone...LOL