More $75 tickets in WMNF

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RoySwkr

RoySwkr

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I had hoped that the WMNF $75 parking tickets were a bad dream that had gone away, but they have come back. Five cars parked near the gate (but not blocking it) on Zealand Road got them Sunday. They were issued by the "Central Violations Bureau" (Talk about an Orwellian name!) with no WMNF contact info.

Perhaps you don't feel sorry for somebody who gets a ticket for parking in a signed No Parking zone, but I feel the amount is wildly excessive. (I think $10 is a more customary charge elsewhere.)

Given the number of petty regulations in the WMNF, probably half of all hikers break one every visit often unintentionally, and thinking of a $75 fine isn't fun.
 
RoySwkr said:
I had hoped that the WMNF $75 parking tickets were a bad dream that had gone away, but they have come back. Five cars parked near the gate (but not blocking it) on Zealand Road got them Sunday. They were issued by the "Central Violations Bureau" (Talk about an Orwellian name!) with no WMNF contact info.

Perhaps you don't feel sorry for somebody who gets a ticket for parking in a signed No Parking zone, but I feel the amount is wildly excessive. (I think $10 is a more customary charge elsewhere.)

Given the number of petty regulations in the WMNF, probably half of all hikers break one every visit often unintentionally, and thinking of a $75 fine isn't fun.
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Bridge removal doesn't come cheaply. Have to rebuild the reserves somehow ;)
 
I completely agree that the amount is excessive. I think a $25-30 fine is enough to send a message and stop people from parking there. Honestly, I think some people are unaware of the winter lot that's just a short ways down the street. That might sound crazy but I am one of the stupid people that had been in Crawford Notch many times over the past few years, and just recently realized that there even was a winter lot for that trailhead.
 
Playing devil's advocate -- would $10 fine keep me from parking there? Probably not; I'd see it as a cost of doing business. $75 would certainly get my attention!

I think they should indicate the parking fine on the no parking signs, so it is an actual deterrent rather than punitive only. I like the way Pennsylvania posts the fines for speeding. No mystery -- you get caught, this is what it'll cost ya!

Kinda like the no littering signs along the highway...my wife and I used to laugh about how littering became progressively more expensive heading from New York to Maine.
 
$75 may be unreasonable for failure to pay in advance for "fee area" parking, but it is very reasonable for parking in an area well & visibly posted as "No Parking". Consider that many people are spending $30-50 just in gas to get there in the first place. Boston parking fines range from $35 to $200 depending on the specific violation. A $10 parking ticket is often treated as simply the "cost of a parking space."
 
Oh, in Southern California those who don't pay their Recreation Fee to park get hit with $100.
 
MichaelJ said:
$75 may be unreasonable for failure to pay in advance for "fee area" parking, but it is very reasonable for parking in an area well & visibly posted as "No Parking". Consider that many people are spending $30-50 just in gas to get there in the first place. Boston parking fines range from $35 to $200 depending on the specific violation. A $10 parking ticket is often treated as simply the "cost of a parking space."
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That's a good point about it being a no-parking area vs. a fee area. Forget what I said before! =)
 
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I agree it's excessive, but I am curious about something. I am pretty sure Salty's had contact info for the USFS. Is it possible these tickets were handed out by the State Police (who patroll the area constantly) and not USFS? Not saying it makes it any better, but it does change who we blame for issuing the ticket. :D

Brian
 
The Central Violations Bureau is a national clearing house to pay fines. As Boris said "It is Mr. Big"

I plan on fighting back. I am going to get one of those little parking pass stickers and I will show them who is boss. They won't fool with me!!
 
PA Ridgerunner said:
Playing devil's advocate -- would $10 fine keep me from parking there? Probably not; I'd see it as a cost of doing business. $75 would certainly get my attention!

I think they should indicate the parking fine on the no parking signs, so it is an actual deterrent rather than punitive only. I like the way Pennsylvania posts the fines for speeding. No mystery -- you get caught, this is what it'll cost ya!

Kinda like the no littering signs along the highway...my wife and I used to laugh about how littering became progressively more expensive heading from New York to Maine.
Click to expand...

I have to agree with PA Ridgerunner on this one. Sorry Salty:rolleyes:
 
PA Ridgerunner said:
Playing devil's advocate -- would $10 fine keep me from parking there? Probably not; I'd see it as a cost of doing business. $75 would certainly get my attention!

I think they should indicate the parking fine on the no parking signs, so it is an actual deterrent rather than punitive only. I like the way Pennsylvania posts the fines for speeding. No mystery -- you get caught, this is what it'll cost ya!

Kinda like the no littering signs along the highway...my wife and I used to laugh about how littering became progressively more expensive heading from New York to Maine.
Click to expand...

If you want the pain to be equal, just make it equal to your AGI/1000.
I heard there was a speeder in CH that got hit with an enormous fine ($100,000+) because they use this system.
 
What really bothers me is that this method removes payments from the local or state,making failure to respond a U.S. offense. In N.H. many minor offenses,(like skateboarding on a sidewalk) can result in loss of your driver's license if not paid.
I picture your income tax return being attached, federal warrants out for you...etc. if you don't pay that $75.
 
MichaelJ said:
$75 may be unreasonable for failure to pay in advance for "fee area" parking, but it is very reasonable for parking in an area well & visibly posted as "No Parking".
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Note that by paying the ticket "you may be admitting to a criminal offense and a conviction may appear in a public record with adverse consequences to you."
http://www.cvb.uscourts.gov/instructions.html

Probably no lender or future employer will get excited about a parking ticket, but failing to pay at a fee area if written up as "theft of services" might not be a good thing to admit to.
 
In these "hard times" many agencies/goverments are using fines (let it be parking. speeding, etc) as a source of revenue. In the last year I have seen FS law enforement coming down harder on these, I has one that they came down on. Also last month when I drove from GA to New England and back I saw more police out than ever before with many cars pulled over. I have a friend that is a deputy sherif here in GA that has told me that they are being told to pull more folks over and for the full fine.

I know in GA there was a new "super speeder" fine tacled on to drivers going faster than 80mph on the highway and 70mph elsewhere, another $200 is added.
 
brianW said:
... In the last year I have seen FS law enforement coming down harder on these, I has one that they came down on. Also last month when I drove from GA to New England and back I saw more police out than ever before with many cars pulled over.
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That's interesting. In the West, there seems to be fewer state and county cops patrolling the roads. Yesterday my wife and I drove about 500 miles from our home to Flagstaff and only saw 2, both in Arizona. A year or so ago you'd have seen at least 25.
 
You think 75 bucks for a parking ticket is tuck’n it to you?

Try checking your bag at the airport to find it’s over 50 lbs. They make ya bend over and grab your ankles for that one.
 
States are using fines more in tough times.

I got a letter from the State of Rhode Island yesterday asking me to pay excise tax due for my vehicle - I haven't lived in Rhode Island since 1997.
 
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