DRIVERS have been left furious over a new parking ban that switches places every week.
RVs are now being forced out of temporary tow-away zones for street cleaning in San Jose, California.
Michael Petronella, who lives in an RV, speaking to KRON-TV about his concerns about the temporary parking ban[/caption]
City officials chose 30 temporary banned zones to rotate between clearing throughout the year, establishing a new tow-away zone each week.
After testing the program throughout the year, the city will decide on 10 sites where motorhomes will be banned for good.
Drivers left in limbo have shared their rage over the new street parking rules.
“It’s like a cat and mouse, you know?” Paul Peterson, who lives in an RV, told the San Jose Spotlight.
“Now we’re gonna go … find [another] place to park.”
Michael Petronella, who lives in an RV, said he doesn’t want any “drama” with cops – he just wants a place to live.
“I just want to sleep and wake up the next day,” Petronella said.
Homeless advocate Gail Osmer told the outlet the move is “deplorable” as it leaves people living in RVs with “no place to go.”
“They move back and forth, from one place to another and get kicked out of where they are,” Osmer said.
“Each [council district] should have a safe RV site.”
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said the city is pushing these efforts to help create cleaner streets.
“The neighbors and small business owners and people coming to the parks in these areas deserve some relief,” Mahan said at a news conference.
San Jose resident Tami Simons, who lives near an RV encampment, said she’s glad to see the changes.
“I think it’s a good thing,” Simons told the San Jose Spotlight.
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
“There’s been nothing but trash, debris, noise, lots of junk.
“I’m really pleased to see this happening.”
The parking ban is enforced under a $3.3 million pilot program called Oversized and Lived-In Vehicle Enforcement.
The first site to temporarily ban RVs is Chynoweth Avenue, which had 19 RVs and lived-in vehicles, according to The CW affiliate KRON-TV.
Next week, the four RVs parked on Boynton Avenue will be cleared.
A temporary tow-away zone at Columbus Park, which has about 55 vehicles parked, will be enforced in December.
Once the banned spots are established, city workers post signs and begin enforcing them a few weeks later.
The restrictions stay in place for about a month so all the vehicles are moved and the street is cleaned.
The city is set to open up a safe parking spot next month where RV drivers can stay during the bans.
The parking ban in San Jose started this week[/caption]
