I contested the first ticket I had online. I won. I have a few more during the period a couple of years ago when the city was rabid about it. I was given "parking" tickets twice for blocking an intersection at the Holland Tunnel approach. Nothing since that period.

You don't even have to go to the office to contest NYC parking tickets, you can do so by mail.

I filled in a form and mailed in with a copy of my registration and had got a letter back a few week later saying my ticket was dismissed.

(The ticket had the wrong colour car written on it in my case, which is grounds for dismissal).

Robin.

Thanks for all the replies so far.

The check will be in the mail

My wallet is definitely lighter for the foreseeable future... At least this is a good reason to curb my obssesion for Choc O Pain for the next few weeks.

here's a good math quiz: how many chocolate croissants can one get for $115???

Well, I will say this: I successfully fought a NYC parking ticket a year or two ago. It wasn't particularly onerous or hard to do so.

You don't have to go to court for parking tickets. Instead, they have an office (I went to the office in Downtown, a stone throw away from the WTC area) where you get some forms, a number and you wait. As I recall, I didn't wait too long to be seen/heard. I explained my situation, brought my "proof" and the official dismissed my ticket. I had to do a little oath thing and all was good.

Now, my situation was WAY DIFFERENT. I was in a legal spot. I was ticketed for not having a Unimeter ticket on the dashboard (failure to pay?) but I was actually across the street standing in line at a Unimeter to get my ticket (the one closest to my car was not working, and the one across the street was closer than the one all the way at the end of the block). As I coming back with my ticket, I saw the meter maid writing my ticket. I tried to reason with the idiot, showing her the parking payment stub I had just gotten, to no avail. So, off to contest the ticket a week or two later. It all worked out. The judge even mentioned that happens often (unimeters out of order, or people being ticketed while they are getting they are getting their meter tickets) so it was an easy dismissal.

Based on your circumstances, I don't think you have much of a chance to fight that ticket. It is a tenet of our legal system: ignorantia legis non excusat (ignorance of the law is not a valid excuse).

I agree with the other posters the most cost efficient way to handle it is to pay it. Consider it a lesson learned in reading NYC parking signs.

In future, use this site or get the app - http://nyc.bestparking.com/
Shows you where and when you can park and also where the cheapest garages are.

Unfortunately the only advice I have to give is just pay it.

Unless you happen to have free time available to sit in court, hoping the judge will show leniency and yes I believe you do have to pay court fees to contest the ticket, but I'm not 100% sure.

Pay it and get it over with, before they throw late fees on it

=/

It takes several advanced degrees to interpret the silly parking notices... whenever i've received one i just pay. Not worth taking time off and fighting it.

really nice know about parking tickets details

I recently got a parking ticket in NYC - my fault as I mis-read the two signs only the post - the street allows commercial parking from 8am to 6pm for 3 hours, and anyone to park from 6pm to 10pm for 2 hours. I mis-read and misunderstood, and thought that it's ok to park for 2 hours for passenger cars from 8am - 6pm. I even paid $15 from the parking machine and put the paper in the car window.

Is it worth my time to contest the ticket and go to court and explain my mistake, and hope that the judge will be sympathic and reduce the amount (I figure I'll show the $15 parking fee I paid to show that it was an honest mistake)?

Also, if the judge refuses, do I have to pay extra (on top of the ticket) since I went to court? Also, I assume the court date would be assgined by the DOT / DMV, and not chosen by me, right?

Any advice would be appreciated.