Do I have to pay a $250 Georgetown University parking citation?

[Anonymous]

I dropped off my daughter for a Georgetown University high school program last week and it was a complete chaotic mess -- people were parking everywhere to unload bags, no signage, no staff to ask questions, long lines of cars.

I parked my car at a curb that seemed out of the way, went to drop her off with bags, and returned to find a $250 ticket on the window!!

Do I have to pay this? It says if I don't, my vehicle registration may be flagged by the DMV and my registration could be blocked from being renewed. Seems bogus.

Thanks for input from anyone who's had this experience! It seems outrageously out of line with a normal parking citation fee.

[Anonymous]

Of course you have to pay.

Did you not inquire in advance, what the parking/drop off situation would be?

[Anonymous]

Yes, they said there would be staff directing us to a garage. There were no staff. It was a chaotic mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I dropped off my daughter for a Georgetown University high school program last week and it was a complete chaotic mess -- people were parking everywhere to unload bags, no signage, no staff to ask questions, long lines of cars.

I parked my car at a curb that seemed out of the way, went to drop her off with bags, and returned to find a $250 ticket on the window!!

Do I have to pay this? It says if I don't, my vehicle registration may be flagged by the DMV and my registration could be blocked from being renewed. Seems bogus.

Thanks for input from anyone who's had this experience! It seems outrageously out of line with a normal parking citation fee.

...why does that "seem bogus"?

[Anonymous]

I would challenge it and probably wouldn't pay if I lost, but I don't live in DC and it wouldn't be hard to avoid driving a different car when I do go in

[Anonymous]

That's an outrageous fine, except if you were blocking the hospital emergency entrance or something. Which of course you weren't!

I am angry on your behalf. I would contact the organizer of the program, point to the language saying that staff was supposed to direct you to a garage, and request that they do whatever is needed to waive that fee. You can't be the only one in that situation, surely. It should be a lesson to them to have their act together next time.

[Anonymous]

What was the citation address and the exact citation language?

$250 is quite high. Were you in a painted fire lane curb?

Was this a university ticket or a DC ticket?

Agree to contact the organizer of the program with feedback on lack of personnel, poor signage, etc. If GU issued the ticket, ask about appeal process as appropriate. (if you were indeed in a fire line, I doubt you will win).

[Anonymous]

No, dear. You don’t have to pay - you’re just extra special that way.

[Anonymous]

From the GU website:

In addition, parking in the following areas is prohibited. Violators will be cited and/or towed.

Designated loading docks
Fire lanes
Crosswalks
Building entrances
Sidewalks

It is the driver’s responsibility to find a legal, marked parking space and to park the entire vehicle within the space’s boundary line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's an outrageous fine, except if you were blocking the hospital emergency entrance or something. Which of course you weren't!

I am angry on your behalf. I would contact the organizer of the program, point to the language saying that staff was supposed to direct you to a garage, and request that they do whatever is needed to waive that fee. You can't be the only one in that situation, surely. It should be a lesson to them to have their act together next time.

Thank you so much! I definitely wasn't the only one parking illegally -- just the only one who got caught. (As far as I saw.) I also feel like a fool for finding a spot that was out of the way so I didn't block anything important, instead of just putting my blinkers on and leaving the car parked in the waiting line of cars, as other people did.

I mean, it's a dollar amount just SO out of whack with the usual range of fees in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's an outrageous fine, except if you were blocking the hospital emergency entrance or something. Which of course you weren't!

I am angry on your behalf. I would contact the organizer of the program, point to the language saying that staff was supposed to direct you to a garage, and request that they do whatever is needed to waive that fee. You can't be the only one in that situation, surely. It should be a lesson to them to have their act together next time.

Thank you so much! I definitely wasn't the only one parking illegally -- just the only one who got caught. (As far as I saw.) I also feel like a fool for finding a spot that was out of the way so I didn't block anything important, instead of just putting my blinkers on and leaving the car parked in the waiting line of cars, as other people did.

I mean, it's a dollar amount just SO out of whack with the usual range of fees in DC.

I’m sure you were not the only one, clearly you weren’t out of the way and you did block something important. You found one person who got worked up about your personal situation (which is bizarre)- don’t think that justifies entitled behavior and don’t think I’m worked up because I’m writing a response.
Don’t pay the fine if you think the ticket was given in error. Get in touch with GU and work it out. Be prepared for them to say that their fine amounts have nothing to do with the rest of DC.
As much as you think you did the right thing, it appears you did not, and you got a ticket. You can’t park in a no-parking zone because move-in was chaotic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What was the citation address and the exact citation language?

$250 is quite high. Were you in a painted fire lane curb?

Was this a university ticket or a DC ticket?

Agree to contact the organizer of the program with feedback on lack of personnel, poor signage, etc. If GU issued the ticket, ask about appeal process as appropriate. (if you were indeed in a fire line, I doubt you will win).

I agree that $250 is high! It was a university ticket. Thank you for the suggestions - I will do that. And I wasn't in a fire lane.

[Anonymous]

DC should take it back in university property that isn't bolted down.

[Anonymous]

I also dropped off a child last Sunday for the high school program. Unlike you, I simply waited in the line, following the entrance, instructions provided, and dropped off our daughter without incident. I then found a public parking space, paid the meter, fee, and walked back to meet our daughter to say goodbye, and ensure she was doing well. It was not hard, specific instructions were provided, And, no, you are not special in your desire to avoid paying fees for violations that were clearly flagged in advance.

[Anonymous]

I parked illegally and got a ticket. Do I need to pay it?

No snowflake, you're special, you get to ignore it.

JFC, yes you pay it.