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How a $900 parking citation became a $25,000 federal lawsuit against SF (San Francisco)
San Francisco Examiner ^ | September 22, 2014 | Jessica Kwong

Posted on 09/22/2014 1:27:57 PM PDT by Navy Patriot

Two San Francisco residents, one of whom is disabled, are furious with what they see as an unjust parking ticket, and they have taken their complaint to federal court.

The lawsuit -- which was served Sept. 12 to The City, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and one of its citation review officers, and the Police Department, its chief and the officer who issued the citation -- claims the Feb. 16 parking ticket was unlawful.

Although the fine has been greatly reduced, the plaintiffs have decided to press on with their complaint.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfexaminer.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: california; disabilityissue; police; profit; quota
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To: rottndog
So....not only do the cripples get access to prime parking spots in the city, but they get to park for free?

So says the "Law", which might explain my tagline.

41 posted on 09/22/2014 3:34:05 PM PDT by Navy Patriot (America, a Rule of Mob nation)
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To: Navy Patriot
In your favor is the fact that the Examiner is a far left loon rag, claimed to be more accurate than the Bay Guardian,....claimed.

I don't know about that at this time. In the past, the Examiner was far left. Then they got bought by a Chinese-American family, and the reporting turned more conservative (or moderate). The Chronicle (that sold off the Examiner) remains very far left. Many Chinese-Americans in SF are moderate or conservative. It then got sold to a Colorado outfit. As for who owns it now, I don't know, it changed hands in the last few years, and may have gone left again (I don't read it).

42 posted on 09/22/2014 4:23:57 PM PDT by roadcat
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To: Uncle Miltie

SF vice-mayor on redlight cameras:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3206686/posts


43 posted on 09/22/2014 4:26:13 PM PDT by TexasGator
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To: Chainmail

Chainmail. Wash. DC is much worse than Alexandria, and sometimes Arlington sucks bigtime too. In DC the signs are pointed in the wrong direction, often contradict each other, have print so small you couldn’t read it with a microscope, are on meters where street lights don’t reach them, and are designed only to raise money.

That is why I never do anything at night in DC unless I have an assured parking space, or a ride.

Liberals are nothing but elected fiscal vampires, and often crooks at that.

San Francisco should be nuked from space. Like the Israelis, give the conservative inhabitants a call to get the hell out of Dodge, and then launch at will.

Nobody will miss this Marxist cancer.


44 posted on 09/22/2014 4:32:18 PM PDT by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
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To: Nevadan
Nevada had been mostly conservative until recent decades when we have had an influx of libs from California and elsewhere. The growing Mexican population, which votes primarily democrat has also impacted our state negatively.

Oh well, you can blame one of my sisters. She moved to Las Vegas a decade ago from SF, along with her Mexican husband and family. Sorry…

I have no clue how many San Franciscans remain conservative. We're outnumbered by the very vocal libs, and keep a low profile. Or try to. When I was working for the city, I constantly caught flak from co-workers for having an American flag and picture of Reagan on my cubicle wall. Management allowed me to keep it despite cries of harassment from co-workers, because I pointed out their socialist postings on their walls. Most people I asked about their origin were from out-of-state. Few conservatives I found were born and raised here same as me. You'd be surprised how many "normal" families live here, the nuts being concentrated in a few neighborhoods (and unfortunately running/ruining things).

45 posted on 09/22/2014 4:35:03 PM PDT by roadcat
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To: roadcat
In the past, the Examiner was far left. Then they got bought by a Chinese-American family, and the reporting turned more conservative (or moderate).

Accurate, but more recently the Ex was sold again, and is currently to the left of Saul Alinsky.

They even carry articles from their (financially) sister publication (donning rubber gloves to type) The Bay Guardian.

46 posted on 09/22/2014 4:37:30 PM PDT by Navy Patriot (America, a Rule of Mob nation)
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To: MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
Greetings from San Francisco, Max!


47 posted on 09/22/2014 4:45:08 PM PDT by Navy Patriot (America, a Rule of Mob nation)
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To: Navy Patriot
Accurate, but more recently the Ex was sold again, and is currently to the left of Saul Alinsky.

So sad. I used to sell the Examiner when I was a kid, on street corners around Seals Stadium when it was torn down. Back then it was a thick afternoon paper and sold well. Everything about the Examiner and Chronicle went downhill when they stopped running Beetle Bailey and other great comic strips. Now they're tiny remnants of rags pretending to be newspapers. Sad.

48 posted on 09/22/2014 4:52:34 PM PDT by roadcat
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To: rockrr
Something like this is often the rest of the story...

Rather than a simple parking ticket and boot removal fee, you are now guilty of destruction of government property AND theft of a vehicle from police impound. At MINIMUM, your fine is now over $1000, PLUS the cost of a new boot. Expect to spend time as a 'guest' of the county.

49 posted on 09/22/2014 5:03:05 PM PDT by steve86 ( Acerbic by nature, not nurture)
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To: roadcat

Been there, done that.


50 posted on 09/22/2014 5:03:33 PM PDT by Navy Patriot (America, a Rule of Mob nation)
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To: Attention Surplus Disorder

If it’s an ADA issue then I believe the lawsuit is a Federal civil rights legal action, and the legal fees are recovered as part of a settlement in a case like that. You have a much better chance of recovering legal fees in a civil rights case than in most others.


51 posted on 09/22/2014 5:07:33 PM PDT by Alberta's Child ("What in the wide, wide world of sports is goin' on here?")
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To: SkyDancer

I took care of a truly disabled friend for 6 years and had no qualm about parking in a disabled parking.

I was usually in a hurry to get back her her home with the medicines she required and every minute counted, as I was required to get back to her home post haste, with her meds.

other time, when I wasn’t pressed for time, I looked for regular spots.

it’s circumstantial, with exigency some times.


52 posted on 09/22/2014 5:14:09 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
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To: Vendome

Bottom line is: you were the one not disabled. How much more time would it have taken you to get in the store? A few minutes. Meanwhile a DP who really needed the spot ... just MHO.


53 posted on 09/22/2014 5:39:20 PM PDT by SkyDancer (I Was Told Nobody Is Perfect But Yet, Here I Am)
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To: Chainmail

I had a similar situation in Newark NJ. Met some friends at a pub, where you could only put 1 hour in the meter at a time (3 20-minute segments). Went out after 1/2 hour to top it off, and there was already a ticket on the car. Paid it rather than lose a day of work; people told me there was no way to get it tossed anyway (this was 20 years ago).

Haven’t eaten in Africa-On-The-Passaic ever since; nearby towns have plenty of better, safer places to eat with parking as well...(and only an additional five or ten minutes driving).


54 posted on 09/22/2014 5:58:58 PM PDT by kearnyirish2 (Affirmative action is economic warfare against white males (and therefore white families).)
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To: SkyDancer

Well, I had the disabled placard but, it is was in the other car.

Bottom line is time was an imperative.

I don’t park in those spaces today and didn’t otherwise.

It’s not like I’m Chinese, Driving a BMW or Mercedes and trying to avoid door dings.

Moreover, I don’t think I’m special nor do I feel gimps have supra rights.

It was a time thing and there was a real imperative to get in and get out.

You may feel this issue is strictly black & white but, for that time I do not.

I go to the malls and see more $60k vehicles parked in those spaces and observe perfectly capable people exiting their vehicles.

I see perfectly healthy people get out of a vehicle to go shopping and my initial thought is “Another A-hole”, then see a passenger exit who really is demonstrably disabled.

I was called out twice for doing the same thing and then they would see my 96 - 101 year old friend get out of the car and they apologized.

When my friend needed meds to resolve a medical issue, which required some immediacy to receive relief I did it.

All other times I park where I usually park: 1st parking spot I can find, at about where the parking entrance is, to mitigate against door dings.

I then walk clear across the parking lot.

Drives my friends nutz but, it’s my car and I really have no problem walking forever.


55 posted on 09/22/2014 6:00:09 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
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To: GrandJediMasterYoda

In NYC it is practically impossible to park legally; years ago I tried and got a ticket.

I have never parked a car in NYC ever since, and rarely set foot there. I live a dozen miles to the west, and it may as well be 1,000 miles away.


56 posted on 09/22/2014 6:03:02 PM PDT by kearnyirish2 (Affirmative action is economic warfare against white males (and therefore white families).)
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To: Vendome

I have no problem with a DP in your car and you park in a DP slot provided that that person has to get out to conduct business. How much time do you save is my point. If time was that imperative maybe a 911 call was in order.


57 posted on 09/22/2014 6:07:25 PM PDT by SkyDancer (I Was Told Nobody Is Perfect But Yet, Here I Am)
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To: SkyDancer

In those particular instances I saved a good 5-10 minutes.

She needed the pain relief from 6 surgeries in one year and I’d do anything to expediently provide that relief.

For her other meds there was no such inperative.

Stop making this about me.

My actions had nothing to do with me.

Shee required pain meds and I would do whatever it took to relieve her.

In another instance, she required an anti - biotic to crush . vancomycin..resistant MRSA.

This condition kills 1/2 the people who contract it at her age and again, every second counts.

She was out of the med and I got it STAT.

WWheni went shopping for regular stuff I just parked as usual.

There were a couple other instances of imperative and that’s just the way it is.

If it is a true emergency I’ll do whatever it takes to make that situation disappear.

For regular living, doing that kind if stuff is just selfish.

Wanna continue beating on me?

Hope whoever takes care of you in a time of desperate need just follows the rules exactly.


58 posted on 09/22/2014 6:36:34 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
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To: SkyDancer

Call 911?

To get a med that is waiting at the pharmacy?

Well yeah, that makes sense and they’ll just ask a million questions before taking action tk resolve somethung I can do with some immediacy.

Further, an ambulance does not stock those meds.


59 posted on 09/22/2014 6:39:16 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
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To: Vendome

Thing is I’m not faulting you directly. It’s people who park in DP slots and say they’re doing something for a DP. They themselves are not. You do what you think is best in your situation. I’m just saying ....


60 posted on 09/22/2014 6:39:56 PM PDT by SkyDancer (I Was Told Nobody Is Perfect But Yet, Here I Am)
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