Ben had a bad surprise, right before Christmas; he got a parking ticket since he wasn’t aware of the current parking regulation.
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Hello,

I am from Gatineau but I live in Quebec City for a few years in order to complete my studies. I was visiting my family in law back in Gatineau on December the 23rd.

Unfortunately, I noticed a parking ticket on my dashboard when I was leaving. The offence was registered at 00h23 on December 24th. I was told that the law in Gatineau was that we couldn’t park in the street between midnight and 7am all winter long. It’s regulation I wasn’t aware since in Quebec City it’s only that way during when they remove the snow. (more…)

Handicapped parking places… when they are clearly identify, you should give it a try… talk to Geishaisab about it that had a handicapped space parking ticket…
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Hello,

Two weeks ago, I parked my car by accident in a handicapped parking space to grab a lunch in a small bistro. While eating, I was surprise to see a police car parked in front of my vehicle. I got out straight away to say to the officer that I could park somewhere else, this of course to avoid getting a parking ticket. He refused saying that he already started to fill out the official report.

Could I have the right to park my car elsewhere in order to avoid the parking ticket ? And if that was my right, can I contest this parking ticket ?

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My opinion : (more…)

It seems that Mike checked everything… but the policeman didn’t think the same thing… So he got a Scooter parked in the bus zone Ticket…

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On November 7, 2009 I was accused of infringing Highway Safety Code c.C-24.2 Sec 386 Paragraph 5 “…[stopping] a road vehicle in a zone reserved exclusively for vehicles assigned for public transportation…” This took place on Avenue Mont-Royal in the Plateau, Montreal QC.

The sign indicating a bus stop zone is clearly marked, and there is an arrow that points to the left of the sign. To the right of the sign is a clearly marked municipal street parking zone, with paid meters.

There is a 1.2 meter space from the start of the bus stop zone sign to the markings on the pavement denoting the parking space. (I measured it).

I drive a scooter (under 49cc). My scooter is 65cm wide from handle bar to handle bar (it’s widest point) and 1.8 m in length from the front to back tire. Parked on an angle (facing the direction of traffic) as I was on that day, my vehicle can occupy anywhere between 1.1 m to 1.4m of space (depending also on the positioning of the handlebar and front tire). In other words, I can safely fit the vehicle within that small space before the bus stop sign and after the parking space.

(more…)

It is not always easy to find a parking space, sometimes; we are tempted to park our car at the end of the lane, at the corner of the street. Bad luck… corners are bigger then we taught… Here is how Ginette got a ticket for parking near a stop…
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Hello,

On Friday the 19 of June 2009, I get back to my car after work. I park my car on a small street, on Logan Street at the corner of Tiffin, in Longueil. When I got back, I was chock to see a ticket stuck on my windshield. I get my camera out (I always have her with me), since I don’t understand why I got that ticket.

Then I read that I was parked at less then 5 meters from the stop sign. I am at 8-10 feet from the sign. There is no sign saying from here and on, it is prohibited to park your car (with an arrow). I am sure that with all the pictures I took from all sides, I am able to measure how far I was from the stop sign, but… do I stand a chance ? I believe that it is not very fair to give a ticket for this kind of infraction when it is not clearly marked.

Thank you for your answers, I think I want to contest. I drove for (?) 36 years and I never heard of this rule.
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My opinion : (more…)

Do you remember the big collective protest about the return of the parking prohibition on the lines reserved for bicycle riders at the beginning of April ? A lot of drivers used to park their car there got caught. Patricia was asking herself if a parking collective resort has been organised.
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Hello!
Yesterday I received a ticket from the City of Montreal for an infraction committed on the first of April. It is written on the ticket that I got a ticket on my windshield on that date, but I never did receive it. For the infraction it self, it was a 154$ ticket for parking in a cycle lane zone on the St-Zotique Street. The thing is that there was no sign or line visible on the street.

An article has been publish I believe and I think that many people was in the same situation as mine : (more…)

Finding a parking place… It is totally crazy in Montreal ! Mostly with the new concept of vignettes for the residents. This is great for the residents, but not as much for the visitors, family and businesses, etc.

Furthermore, if the little officers make a mistake regarding the name of the street and give parking ticket to residents that have a vignette, then we have a problem !
Ask Gen about this !
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Hello,
I have a very bizarre parking ticket story and I would like to get you advice on it ! Here it is :

I got a ticket on April 9th by recommended mail ! This never happened to me before. It is the good plate number and my car description that figures on the top on the ticket. I am accused of parking in a space reserved for residents with a vignette on the St-Vallier Street, last February (that’s 2 months ago !).

The thing is I never parked on the St-Vallier Street in my life ! If I was accused from parking myself in an illegal place in Ville Saint-Laurent (far from where I live), it would be easier to contest, but I live on Iberville Street, which is not very far from Saint-Vallier. On February 14th, I had an appointment near Saint-Vallier, on Beaubien.

I parked my car near the actual place, on Beaubien : there is no parking meter, or vignettes on Beaubien. After my appointment, I left for Sherbrooke for the weekend. So I have some alibis, but it is my word against the officer’s one. Is it possible that he may have registered the wrong plate number of a car illegally parked on Saint-Vallier Street and that he got my number by mistake ? (more…)

Jean-Pierre is a normal human being… one that has difficulty to try and find out what is the message on the many parking signs that decorate our streets… He finds himself with a fine and is asking himself if he can contest the ticket for prohibited parking that he got.
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Hello, thank you for this website… it is very instructive !
I just got a parking ticket in Montreal City… I never understood… I went back on location and took some pictures… I look on both sides of the road, and on both side of the car… I don’t understand… there were many signs, but not one of them was related to my ticket…

Can I contest?
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Michael got fooled, like many of us at least once in our lifetime, by those damn no parking sings. In his case, it was a sign that, he said, was altered. So he got himself a nice ticket for parking in an official vehicle only zone!
Here is his story :
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Hello sir, lately I found your website and I believe that it is great… I am writing you since I got a ticket for parking my car in a place I apparently didn’t have the right to park. 58$ total… When I parked my car, I took the time to check out the parking sign. I was written : Official vehicle only, but the arrow was only pointing left saying you that it is prohibited to park at the left of the parking sign. At least, that’s what I taught. I parked my car farther right from the parking sing.

When I got back, I notice I got a ticket, so I went to look at the parking sing : there was white tape or I don’t know what glued on the sign where the arrow was pointing towards the right, but since I was far, I didn’t notice it. Do you believe I have a chance a small this one could be ??? I know it’s a kind of crazy story, but it is serious, there is 50$ on the table.

Thank you
Michael
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My opinion : (more…)

Poor Jean-Charles left his car in the street for the night… Unfortunately for him, he got a ticket for night parking… Indeed, in some cities or community, it is prohibited during winter in order to facilitate the snow removal.

Here is his email:
Hello, yesterday I left my car in the street for the night and I got a ticket. The problem is that the street that is registered on the ticket is not the good one (the door address is good but the street is not, that one is two streets from mine). I looked on the web for two hours… but it’s not clear… they say that it’s maybe incorrect so it’s invalid, I am right ?

42$ is not much, but if I can keep this money for something else, that would be better.

Jean-Charles
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You can always ask for the communication of the evidence to see what is written… but the point is: Did you or didn’t you commit the infraction? That is mainly on what the judge will base his judgment…

Of course that you still could contest what is written on the ticket… but I believe that in this kind of game, you should be represented by a lawyer or at least consult one… What do you think readers?!

When we park our car in the street at places that have a limited time, we need to move our car to avoid getting a ticket. Obviously, officers are not everywhere at the same time checking out. However, the have some “itinerary” that they follow taking plates number and marking the tires of the car noting also the time this way.

Can we contest these tickets?

Here is Nathalie’s story. She got a nice little ticket for staying at the same place and over passing the time allowed, according to the officer…
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Last Friday at 13:30, I parked my car in a street where a road sign precisely said parking 60 minutes. One hour after, near 14:30, I move my car two parking places further… Then, an hour later, near 15:30, I move my car again. I parked it at the same place that I parked the first time (at 13:30), the place was free again. (more…)