Drivers In West New York Frustrated By Tickets For 'Improper Parking'
WEST NEW YORK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- It's one thing to get a ticket for not feeding the meter, but have you heard of getting one for barely crossing a parking line on the street?
With 13 minutes left on the meter, CBS 2's Christine Sloan saw one driver in West New York get a ticket for improper parking.
The reason?
"My wheel is on the white line," said Candida Rosario of Fairview.
Rosario wasn't the only driver who got slapped with a ticket for crossing the white line on one particular street in West New York.
"That's my first time I see something like that," Rosario said.
Off camera, one parking enforcement officer told CBS 2's Sloan the driver was taking up two spots, which is a violation, but Rosario said that wasn't the case.
"She's going to see me in court because I don't want to pay the ticket," Rosario said.
The same thing happens to people every day in West New York.
CBS 2's Sloan went to the West New York Parking Authority to get its side. The director wasn't in, but on the phone said a ticket for barely going over the white line is little over the top.
His office manager, though, said when drivers park over the line, it takes away spaces others can use.
"I can understand you figure a person is going to park behind them and another behind them and they're all going to get a ticket," said the parking authority's Doreen Clark.
CBS 2 followed one parking enforcement officer and found most of the tickets given out are well deserved.
The West New York Parking Authority said illegal parking is really a big problem in town.
The day that CBS 2 shot this story, 289 tickets were given out -- five of them for improper parking. The authority said it's not harassing drivers, just enforcing the law.
The parking authority said it only keeps $5 from each ticket for operating expenses and the rest goes to the town and state.
Has this ever happened to you? Please offer your thoughts in the comments section below ...
