What follows are excerpts from parking ticket appeals letters filed recently with the New Canaan Parking Bureau. Where available, we’ve included information on the violation for which these people were cited, in what amount, and where and when the violation occurred. We preserve spelling, capital letters and punctuation as written by the appellant.
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“I am writing this letter to explain the reason as to why my car was parked overtime on 3-30-17. I had dinner that evening before (3-29-17), at a restaurant on Forest St. I had little bit to drink + when leaving to go to my car, it was very slippery from the rain. I fell + somebody called the police, stating that I was intoxicated + about to drive. I knew I shouldn’t drive + was just getting into my car to get out of the rain, + then was going to call my son to come get me. But as I opened my door + sat down, the police pulled up alongside my car + were flashing their flash lights, as they got out. They came to my window, I opened it, they asked if I had been drinking? I replied that I had two drinks with dinner. They said that somebody called them saying that I was walking + fell, probably because I was drunk. They told me I could not drive home + needed to leave my car parked there overnight. Which I did. I had my son come get me + the next day he took me to my car around 4:00. I didn’t have any cash to take a taxi + don’t really know many people I could have called to get me a ride to get my car. So I had no choice but to wait for my son to come home from Norwalk Community College around 3:45 to take me. I am asking if somehow, some way these tickets can be dismissed… I am terribly sorry for leaving my car parked over the limit.”
—$30, $40 and $25 tickets for overtime parking and additional violations at 12:04, 2:01 and 4:01 p.m. on March 30 on Forest Street
At South School. Contributed photo
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“I work at a [Main Street retail] store. I was finishing up with a customer so I was 5 minutes late to moving my car. I didn’t want to leave the customer and look like a bad associate.”
—$25 for overtime parking on Cherry Street at 12:02 p.m. on April 19
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“Enclosed, please find payment for ticket [number] in the amount of $25. I made the mistake of thinking I had 90 minutes instead of 60. However, I additionally write to dispute ticket [another number] in the amount of $30 for obstructing a space. When I parked in space #2, a large SUV in space #1 was over the line into #2. Because there were no other spaces easily accessible, I parked next to the SUV already parked in space #1, but had to go over the line into space #3 (which was empty) so that I could fit. The car in space #4 was also on/slightly over the line into space #3, so the only option was to park in #2 somewhat over the line into 3. I will admit that I am not sure if that makes me technically in the ‘right,’ but it seems unfair that I should be penalized when the car in the space next to mine was already obstructing space #2 and the car in space #4 was tightly parked to make parking in space #3 a liability to both of our cars. I would have taken a photo of the situation had I thought it would be an issue.”
—$30 for obstructing space
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“On March 3, 2017, I was driving to New York from Boston when I stopped in New Canaan because of traffic and poor weather on the Merritt Parkway. When I parked on Elm Street I did not see any signs on parking. I looked up two cars and down two cars. I walked to the station, stayed in NYC with friends and returned the next day to find four parking tickets. It was pouring rain so there may have been another but I didn’t see one. I apologize for the infraction but am appealing for the above reasons. I hope you take this into consideration, you have a lovely town.”
—$25, $25, $30 and $40 for overtime parking and violations at 11:44 a.m. on March 30 and 12:26 p.m., 2:23 p.m. and 4:01 p.m. on March 31.
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“Last Friday, April 7th, I met a friend for lunch at Sole in New Canaan. I parked in the Main Street lot (near New Canaan HeathFair store). I went to the self pay meter and with the assistance of a local New Canaan resident who helped me, paid for 2 hours of time using my AMEX card (see attached documentation). At the time, I believed I was parked in space #96 and therefore indicated this when paying. As I realized later that afternoon, it seems I was actually parked in space #95. My two-hour window began at 12:26 PM. Two hours later, I was still enjoying lunch and ran to the meter to pay for additional time right before 2:30 PM. I was surprised to see a ticket on my windshield, but didn’t realize at the time that it indicated that I had failed to pay for my space—I thought I’d missed the two hour timeframe by a mere few minutes. With that, I went back to finish lunch and when I returned to my car was completely surprised to see a second ticket. When I got home, I checked to make sure that AMEX had processed my payment—this was confirmed and copy is attached. I called the Parking Bureau and as we discussed my situation, it was then that I realized my mistake with paying the incorrect parking space. I live in Wilton and don’t often park in downtown New Canaan. I’m relatively unfamiliar with the self-pay parking meters. I sincerely intended to pay for my space and respectfully request that the Parking Commission waive the fees associated with these tickets. I am happy to discuss the matter in person and look forward to hearing back.”
—$40 and $25 for unpaid space and second violation in Morse Court, at 12:26 and 3:11 p.m. on April 7
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“I work in town and pay every day at the school lot. Unfortunately my time was up around 3 that day and I was unable to get out of my workplace on Elm Street until close to 3:30 and when I went to put more money in I got nabbed with the ticket.”
—$25 for unpaid space at Center School Lot at 3:15 p.m. on April 28
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“I parked in front of a business on Burtis Ave on 3/31/17 to use a gift certificate I was given for my birthday (3/31/81) for a massage and pedicure. I pulled into the spot as there was no indication that there was any time limit on parking in the area, there was plenty of open parking in the covered garage provided by the business for use by its customers and I would have definitely taken the extra minute to park there if I was aware of a limitation for parking. There was no sign posted, nor any other indication provided that there was a time limit on parking for my spot or the spot in front of me. There was a sign posted just behind me that stated ‘No Parking, Loading Zone’ and there was another sign up the road quite a ways directly next to the parking garage that stated ’90 Minute Limit for Parking XAM-XPM,’ but nothing in front of or directly by the spot I parked in, which was right in front of the entrance to the building so I assumed it was ok to park there and didn’t see any issue with parking in that spot for an extended period of time. I normally do not get up to New Canaan during the day and was only on site that Friday, my Birthday, to treat myself a little and use a gift certificate. I am asking that you please reconsider waiving this ticket this one time due to lack of signage, road markers or any indicators of a limit on time parking for the spot I parked in and the spot directly in front of me and the fact that there was plenty of available parking in the lot provided by the facility as it was not a busy day for them and I would have parked there immediately had I known there was an issue with parking where I did. I took pictures of the incident and have attached them for you review. I thank you in advance for your time and dismissal of the ticket.”
—$25 for overtime parking at 1:59 p.m. on March 31 on Burtis Avenue
This was actually in Norwalk, though the photo is courtesy of a New Canaan resident. It’s a BMW.
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“I work at [an Elm Street retail shop]. I parked in South Ave thinking that was a 90 minute parking like Elm St. Went to move the car to the permit parking and got a ticket. And the gentleman told me that is a one hour parking which I didn’t know. Never got a ticket before, and I always obey the rules.”
—$25 for overtime parking on South Avenue at 11:02 a.m. on April 17
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“Parked car @ 12:11 pm and received tkt 1 Hr Later.”
—$25 for overtime parking on Pine Street at 1:11 p.m. on April 7
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“I WAS CHARGED $3 TO MY BANK ACCOUNT FOR PARKING ON 3/20. I WAS IN A 6HR SPOT & I RECEIVED A TICKET AT NOON, WHEN I ARRIVED AT 10AM.”
—$25 for unpaid space in Playhouse Lot at 12:01 p.m. on March 20
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“Please be kind and not make me pay $25. I was literally in the spot for 64 minutes, 4 minutes over the 60 minutes. I greatly apologize, as soon as I got this ticket I went to Parking Bureau at 12:25 p.m.”
—$25 for overtime parking at 12:04 p.m. on April 10 on South Avenue
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“IM FROM OUT OF TOWN AND HAVE NOT BEEN TO NEW CANAAN I MANY YRS. I SAW THE SIGN FOR MUNICIPAL PARKING PULLED IN AND PARKED IN SPACE #2. A SIGN SAID TO PAY AT MACHINE AND TO REMEMBER YOUR SPACE, I ASSUMED THAT MEANT UPON LEAVING IS WHEN YOU PAY, THE SIGNAGE WAS/IS UNCLEAR TO THE UNINITIATED. CLARITY IN THE SIGNAGE WOULD HAVE ALLEVIATED THIS ISSUE. P.S THERE WAS NO OBVIOUS NUMBER AT THE PARKING SPACE. CONFUSING TO SAY THE LEAST.”
—$25 for unpaid space in Morse Court at 11:24 a.m. on April 18