Drivers face ‘nuisance’ parking fine up to $2,000 from vehicle mods – cops say it’s like ‘hiding giraffe in phone booth’

PARKING officials have warned drivers about a hefty $2,000 fine left on car windshields after a common modification.

Multiple states are fighting back against the popular car modification with dozens of road laws , as drivers are susceptible to thousand-dollar fines in several areas.

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Philadelphia’s Parking Authority, or PPA, made a post on X about the “nuisance” offense.

According to the post, cars parked on the street without a license plate are subject to the giant fine .

Police said they’re currently on the lookout for rule-breakers.

“Parking on a public street without a license plate is as obvious as hiding a giraffe in a phone booth,” the PPA said in a post.

“If you’re doing this, it’s time to stop.”

Philadelphia officials classify nuisance vehicles into three categories: hazardous cars broken down, vehicles that haven’t moved for an extended period, and cars without a license plate.

Each fine leaves the car’s owner eligible for fines up to $2,000, police warned.

The PPA also said pedestrians who spot illegal vehicles on the road can report the unregistered cars on this website .

PLATE, PLEASE!

Philadelphia joins a growing list of city and state-wide officials speaking out after drivers illegally ripped their license plate registration from their cars.

Officials in New York City also spoke out after the Metropolitan Transit Authority, or MTA, seized several luxury cars without plates.

The MTA reported confiscating 55 cars in 24 hours after it caught drivers using toll roads without the license plate.

Automatic tolls cannot send payment requests to drivers without their license plates.

State-wide officials said the toll evasion strategy had cost taxpayers over $12.5 million in funds for construction and roadway upkeep.

“This is about fairness and making sure New Yorkers don’t get stuck with the bills that the dead beats won’t pay,” Janno Lieber, the CEO of the MTA, said at a press event in front of several Mercedes and Cadillac vehicles perched on tow trucks.

“It’s your money that they’re taking, and we’re not going to let it happen.”

Tennessee lawmakers also passed legislation after police caught dozens of drivers with plate-flipping devices.

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

The devices illegally allow drivers to cover their plates with opaque or solid devices, helping them avoid tolls and police pursuit.

Police are now handing out $500 tickets for cars with installed devices.

“We don’t have any toll roads today, but we do have criminals today,” a Tennessee Republican State Representative, Greg Martin, said to Stateline .

“This [measure] is to make sure that everyone is playing on the same playing field.”

Pennsylvania also passed a similar restriction, enacting a $2,000 fine for plate-flipping sellers.