I lost my job of 12 years after complaining about $400 parking fees for staff – but we recorded it to prove them wrong

A UNIVERSITY professor sounded off after he lost his job following a parking fee dispute.

Initial controversy erupted on campus after a $400 parking fee was assigned to all professors.

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Ted Roberts, a professor at Tarleton State University, was fired after speaking up in a meeting, according to Beneath The Surface News .

Professor Roberts was angered after the university launched a new $400 fee for staff to park their cars on campus.

He spoke up at an April meeting with the school’s president.

Before the meeting, Roberts had been teaching ROTC cadets in the school’s history department for 12 years.

But top brass at the university said the professor’s words toward the school president was “intolerable.”

Other faculty at the meeting described Roberts’ arguments as “tense” but not unprofessional, according to the publication.

He was fired two weeks after the incident.

Students and faculty quickly defended the professor arguing that he should be reinstated.

Still, last week, officials in head offices at the university sent a letter to university staff calling the professor’s behavior “defamatory.”

Following the letter, a recording of the April meeting was leaked to Beneath the Surface News .

The publication reported more than 10,000 individuals have listened to the recording.

After the recording was released, Professor Roberts received a new contract to remain part of the university staff on Saturday, the publication reported.

He will teach in the College of Leadership and Military Science for the same rate of pay at the start of the next semester in September.

“Words cannot adequately express my profound sense of gratitude and thanks for all of you who read my story and commented, then posted, and reposted again,” the professor wrote in a letter published on the publication’s site.

“It often moved me to tears to read the genuine words of support so many of you sent.”

How to fight a parking ticket

You can avoid being ticketed by following all posted laws and ordinances, but sometimes mistakes are made

Like any form of citation, parking tickets are preventable by reading and obeying posted signage. However, when visiting a new city, or state, or in a hurry, things can be missed and mistakes are made.

Suddenly there’s a ticket you weren’t prepared to pay for. If the ticket is a surprise to you, there are a few things you can do to help your case when appealing a parking ticket.

• Carefully read the ticket. Look for errors like incorrect street names, license plate numbers, vehicle make and model, time and date, etc. Errors would then make the ticket invalid.
• Take photos. Of the vehicle in the parking space, lack of signage, or other vehicles that weren’t cited for performing the same parking job. If the ticket involves parking too close to something like a fire hydrant, a photo showing a reasonable distance would help your case. Make sure metadata with the time and date are accessible. Signs that are obstructed by trees, or are on bent posts, or aren’t “obvious” are great things to photograph, too.
• Make sure the statute that was violated is listed on the ticket. If not listed, the ticket is not valid.
• Promptly follow the appeal instructions on the ticket. All legitimate tickets will have directions for appeal. Waiting until the very last moment weakens your argument and can result in late fees.
• When in court, avoid these phrases as they reduce your credibility and weaken your argument:
  • “I didn’t know the law.”
  • “I was on my way to move my car.”
  • “I can’t afford this ticket.”
  • “I’ve been doing this for years.”
  • “I checked with the parking officer, who said it was OK.”
• Contact a lawyer. If you’re running into roadblocks and feel stuck, it may be best to reach out to a traffic lawyer in your area. Many have free case consultations.

Source: Reader’s Digest

MORE PARKING DRAMA

Dozens of other drivers have also spoken out after encountering troubling parking issues.

Several Houston drivers have been asked to pay $370 after a police impersonator told them to park in a bus lane.

Police said they’re investigating the alleged impersonator.

But several officials said they have no idea who had advised the drivers to break the parking rules.

Several drivers are also ringing alarm bells after an unidentified pickup truck allegedly towed multiple cars from the street.

Officials are investigating the potential vehicle thefts after several people complained about their cars being nabbed.