LexFather

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090616/...iveway_tickets



TOLEDO, Ohio – Residents of Toledo, Ohio, are complaining that they received $25 tickets for parking their vehicles in their own driveways.

Mayor Carty Finkbeiner (FINK'-by-ner) says he stands by the citations handed out last week by the Division of Streets, Bridges and Harbor. He says the tickets were issued under a city law against parking on unpaved surfaces, including gravel driveways.

During a news conference Monday, Finkbeiner ignored a reporter's question of whether the crackdown and fines were related to the city's budget crisis.

The three-term mayor faces a recall vote in November. Critics have claimed he's wasted city money.

City Councilman D. Michael Collins calls the ticketing "Mickey Mouse nonsense." He has told residents he'll try to have the citations rescinded.

JessePS

Oh boy what an idiot cop.

Allen K

iTrader: (4)

Well that's one way to get the people to recall the mayor

Threxx

This guy, like so many other politicians, sounds like a real slimeball.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carty_F...er#Controversy

Still nowhere even remotely close to the same league as the POS mayor we have here in Memphis, though.

Faymester

My property + my car = park it up-side-down on my roof if I want to

Threxx

Aside from that, the cop doesn't have a right to search your property without a warrant but if something is in plain view they can absolutely issue a citation and hand it to you at your front door without any legal issues at all.

I am absolutely no cop lover... in general I have a negative opinion of them. And the stuff done in this story is a bunch of BS that I'd throw a fit over... but I'm just trying to clarify what is and is within your rights and the rights of the cops.

passnu2

iTrader: (33)

this city must be hurting bad for $$...

Jewcano

iTrader: (4)

Cop was just doing his job. Based on what the Mayor said though, he is the real idiot. He won't be serving anymore terms there.

mmarshall

Unlike speed and red light cameras, where a safety argument can (arguably) be made, tickets like this are nonsense, and nothing but pure revenue. A homeowner can't be expected to hire a paving company to cover his or her driveway just because he or she owns a car. I honestly think this will get tossed out in court.........if the court and judge is honest (Ohio, and especially some of the smaller towns, has a history of questionable and sometimes corrupt ticketing practices.)

BLK98GS3

Sounds like this is something that would cost the City/County more to fight then the actual revenue it generates.....dumb move

mmarshall

Not if you have dishonest local courts. The big question, of course, is how far up the citizens who received tickets would want to fight it. They have to find and hire their lawyers...the city, of course, already has lawyers who work for them.

sc-driver

iTrader: (7)

Reminds me of when my friend got a ticket for parking on HIS lawn.

lalexusgs

I just recently found out in our local City Hall that in CA parking on your own driveway is illegal too.

Jujharoo

When the city budget is in trouble, you'll see law from 1700s being enforced.


I got a ticket back in 2006. 3 years later they suspended my license for not having proof insurance. I realized it when I got pulled over and cop told me that I am driving under suspension. I have moved few times in the past 2-3 years so they might not have my correct address, because I didn't get the notice in mail.

Anyway, I was driving my buddy's car in 2006 when i got pilled over, so I called him and got his insurance card from 2006, took it to BMV, now they want me to prove that his insurance would have covered me in case of an accident. What insurance company is going to agree with that? Especially when the policy is no longer good and my buddy has switched insurance company since.

Ohio is ridiculous.

pvmike1

Class action suit. Someone's going to make money on this, and it's not going to be the city.