Parking Ticket at Richmond / York Street

[snakemanuver]

Hey so here's my story. Friends from out of town booked a room at Sheraton Center Hotel on York St / Richmond St. W
Not wanting to pay for parking, I parked my bike on the North West corner of the intersection, near a tree on the curb but far as I could from the sidewalk. The whole street had trees with bicycles locked to them so I thought I would be fine. Heres a look on Street view
https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=shera...wY--Ziuh3PUS2p_NE2xEgQ&cbp=12,318.16,,0,13.87

The next morning I got a ticket for 'Unauthorized Parking on Boulevard' code 337

 

[RetroGrouch]

Bike parking on sidewalks is a grey area, some officers enforce it, some don't. It depends on who and where. Scooters are technically allowed to park on sidewalks so you can take the ticket to court and argue that point.

 

[A.K.]

So, what's the damage? $25? Does it worth your time and hassle to fight it, or just suck it up, pay and forget it?

 

[Rob MacLennan]

Bike parking on sidewalks is a grey area, some officers enforce it, some don't. It depends on who and where. Scooters are technically allowed to park on sidewalks so you can take the ticket to court and argue that point.

Actually it isn't a grey area, as far as the law is concerned. It's illegal, by bylaw. It also doesn't help that this is a no parking and a timed no stopping zone. Contrary to urban myth it's also illegal for scooters, though they are far less likely to receive a ticket for it. It's completely legal for bicycles, on the other hand, so seeing bicycles present shouldn't be taken as license to park for motorcyclists. In a case like this the only real hope is that like so many other parking tickets, with the overloaded courts, it just falls by the wayside.

Like A.K. said, it might be one of those cases in which paying the ticket is the reasonable strategy. You have to consider how much you would lose for a day off work, parking cost, etc., then compare it to the fine.

 

[Grimmy]

Not to mention, a parking ticket does not affect your license or insurance in any way shape or form.

Imagine your motor vehicle was a car instead of a motorbike - there is no difference as far as the bylaw is concerned. Park in the appropriate place for the vehicle - motorized vs pedals