‘Kindness is off the menu,’ fumes driver given $25 ticket for parking to unload groceries – ‘I can’t stand much more’

A CAR owner has claimed that she was treated unfairly when parking officials issued her a ticket while she put her groceries away.

The 71-year-old driver went to Facebook to share details about the situation that resulted in her being hit with a $25 citation .

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Facebook/ Ellie Buzz

Ellie Busby’s post included an image of the ticket as well.

“Update; I’m appealing,” she stated in the post .

“I know it’s going to be ok,” she added.

“I circled the lot 6 times, with groceries to carry up 2 flights home. No parking anywhere so all the boat parking was empty, and I pulled into one,

“Not the big slots for boats and trailers just a car slot because I had to get my food home. It was a long walk and I got the several trips done.”

The resident said that she only “sat down for a minute.”

“And went back to move the car and was already ticketed,” Busby slammed.

“I had even left a note with my number explaining and asking them to call me if I wasn’t back fast enough.”

The ticket shown in the post was for ‘Boater parking without a permit.’

It was a $25 citation issued to her at 1:35 p.m.

She was disappointed that, instead of taking heed of the note she left, the parking official issued her a ticket without warning.

“I guess kindness is not on the menu anymore,” Busby said.

“I’m 71 years old and work for a living. I am still recovering from rotator cuff surgery and I even said that I come home and can’t park even for a minute close enough to get my food home.

The car owner admitted, “It may not be a big ticket.”

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

“But it hurts,” she said.

“And I just can’t stand much more.”

Over 60 Facebookers reacted to Busby’s post.

“You need to go and talk to them,” someone said.

“The spots near your steps were probably used by unauthorized people and they are the ones that should have been ticketed!”

One user asked: “Can you take this to the police station?”

“This is so unfair,” they added.

“I understand our little town is a great tourist stop but they take everything.”

“This is the type of world we live in today,” an individual chimed in.

“No compassion.”

Ellie Busby did not immediately respond to The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.