Parking ticket at Bethesda Trader Joes for $58.30 at 6:50 a.m

[Anonymous]

Hi. I'm not sure which forum to post this in. Also posted it in the cars forum.

I hope to get some advice/thoughts on this. I received a parking ticket in the mail today from that Trader Joes parking lot in Bethesda (above the Target on Wisconsin Avenue). It is for $58.30. It is form "Vanguard Parking Solutions"

I was at the Target from 6:50 a.m. until 7:08 a.m (according to the ticket). I sat in my car until 7 am. until the Target opened, purchased an item and left eight minutes later. I have no recollection of whether I scanned the parking App on my phone. Even if I did scan the App, I can't prove it because whenever I am there and scan the app it says it can't send me a confirmation. So, I screenshot the proof and save it for a couple of days and then delete it.

The letter says if I don't pay by x date in October the ticket will go up to $125. There is a website to dispute the charge but when I go to the link the only option is to pay the ticket. There is no dispute option. Should I just pay the ticket and never use that parking lot again? I don't want to ignore it and then hav the fine double. On the other hand most muniicipal parking lots do not even charge for parking until 8 a.m or 9 a.m.

This seems like a huge scam. It is also a bit creepy that they have photos of my car and the time I entered and left the parking lot. Would welcome people's thoughts on what to do.

[Anonymous]

There is a long thread about this somewhere. Surprised anyone shops there. I guess you need to keep that screen shot.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like a scam.

[Anonymous]

Thank you everyone. Don't know how to delete this but I moved my post to the "car and transportation" section.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Hi. I'm not sure which forum to post this in. Also posted it in the cars forum.

I hope to get some advice/thoughts on this. I received a parking ticket in the mail today from that Trader Joes parking lot in Bethesda (above the Target on Wisconsin Avenue). It is for $58.30. It is form "Vanguard Parking Solutions"

I was at the Target from 6:50 a.m. until 7:08 a.m (according to the ticket). I sat in my car until 7 am. until the Target opened, purchased an item and left eight minutes later. I have no recollection of whether I scanned the parking App on my phone. Even if I did scan the App, I can't prove it because whenever I am there and scan the app it says it can't send me a confirmation. So, I screenshot the proof and save it for a couple of days and then delete it.

The letter says if I don't pay by x date in October the ticket will go up to $125. There is a website to dispute the charge but when I go to the link the only option is to pay the ticket. There is no dispute option. Should I just pay the ticket and never use that parking lot again? I don't want to ignore it and then hav the fine double. On the other hand most muniicipal parking lots do not even charge for parking until 8 a.m or 9 a.m.

This seems like a huge scam. It is also a bit creepy that they have photos of my car and the time I entered and left the parking lot. Would welcome people's thoughts on what to do.

Call them up and tell them to GF themselves

[Anonymous]

There was a long post on this (not sure which forum) AND a long post on Next Door about the same issue. You are not alone, PP.

Fwiw, I always street park there to avoid that horrible garage.

[Anonymous]

It’s easy enough to sign in for free parking in the app. Maybe try another app- I find that ZipBy works well there. But yeah you prob need to pay the ticket.