DC Parking Ticket and Relocation Tow - Anyone have this happen?

[Anonymous]

I just received a late notice for a DC parking ticket. I was not driving the car when it was supposedly ticketed and towed. BUT, apparently there were no tickets on the car and the car was not even towed. I checked online and can see the original ticket, which appears to be valid and I am willing to pay, but towed ticket wasn't available, so I can't even validate that it existed. Does DC issue tow tickets before or after the tow? It shows online a location it was towed to, however, again, it was not actually towed. Has anyone had this happen and were you able to fight it?

In lieu of getting the towed ticket removed, have you been able to have the late fees removed if you never received the inital tickets?

[Anonymous]

How do you know there is a "towed ticket" if you only received a late notice for the parking ticket and the ticket for the tow isn't online?

For parking during rush hour, the ticket will often say "tow" but if the driver shows up before the tow it never actually happens and there is no ticket for the tow.

The one time this happened to me, the car was towed from a rush-hour restricted lane to a non-rush-hour space across the street. There were two tickets. One was the familiar white and pink printed one. The other was a confusing handwritten paper apparently filled out by the tow truck person. I couldn't tell if it was one ticket or two, or whether I was ticketed for the space I was towed to, which was illegal for a different reason. Turned out to be a ticket for the initial violation and for the tow. I was thankful to have been put in the second space rather than in some impound lot and paid both.

Whether you can get out of late fees depends on the credibility of the person who was driving. From what I've read so far I'm not convinced.

Note for the future: You can set an alert with DDOT online so you will get an email whenever a ticket is issued to your car.

[Anonymous]

I already signed up for the alerts (after this instance). I know there is a tow ticket because it is listed on the late notice along with the original parking ticket. However, online, it only shows the orginial parking tickets, along with photos, not the tow ticket. However, there were no tickets on the car at all. So I literally had no idea that either ticket existed until I got the late notice with both tickets listed on it and a lovely $200 late fee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I already signed up for the alerts (after this instance). I know there is a tow ticket because it is listed on the late notice along with the original parking ticket. However, online, it only shows the orginial parking tickets, along with photos, not the tow ticket. However, there were no tickets on the car at all. So I literally had no idea that either ticket existed until I got the late notice with both tickets listed on it and a lovely $200 late fee.

1. How many original parking tickets were there?

2. Who was driving?

3. I didn't realize they have photos of parking tickets now. Does the car have tickets on it in them?

How can the tow ticket be listed on the late notice but not be online? The DDOT system wouldn't know to send a late notice unless the ticket is in the system, and if it's in the system it should be online. Did you search by ticket number and also by your tag number?

[Anonymous]

1. How many original parking tickets were there? - Sorry, that was a typo, there was only 1 original ticket

2. Who was driving? - My husband (the car is in my name only, so I am stuck fighting the tickets)

3. I didn't realize they have photos of parking tickets now. Does the car have tickets on it in them? - yep, you can view tickets here: http://www.eztag-dcdpw.com/ticpixportal/DCCustomerPortal.jsp My car did not have tickets on it in the photo.

How can the tow ticket be listed on the late notice but not be online? The DDOT system wouldn't know to send a late notice unless the ticket is in the system, and if it's in the system it should be online. Did you search by ticket number and also by your tag number?

DC apparently does not upoad tow tickets onto the online system, as it states at the bottom of the link above. Maybe because the tow company issues the ticket? I have no idea....

[Anonymous]

I see. So you got the notice because the tow ticket is on the online payment system (here: https://prodpci.etimspayments.com/pbw/include/dc_parking/input.jsp) but not on the picture system?

I guess you would have to ask for an adjudication, but since you're supposed to follow the directions on the ticket for that, and you have no ticket, I guess you would have to go to adjudication services. I wouldn't try calling but that's just me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you know there is a "towed ticket" if you only received a late notice for the parking ticket and the ticket for the tow isn't online?

For parking during rush hour, the ticket will often say "tow" but if the driver shows up before the tow it never actually happens and there is no ticket for the tow.

The one time this happened to me, the car was towed from a rush-hour restricted lane to a non-rush-hour space across the street. There were two tickets. One was the familiar white and pink printed one. The other was a confusing handwritten paper apparently filled out by the tow truck person. I couldn't tell if it was one ticket or two, or whether I was ticketed for the space I was towed to, which was illegal for a different reason. Turned out to be a ticket for the initial violation and for the tow. I was thankful to have been put in the second space rather than in some impound lot and paid both.

Whether you can get out of late fees depends on the credibility of the person who was driving. From what I've read so far I'm not convinced.

Note for the future: You can set an alert with DDOT online so you will get an email whenever a ticket is issued to your car.

NP, can someone direct me to where exactly I can do this. This is great!

[Anonymous]

Here:

http://dmv.dc.gov/service/register-email-ticket-alert-service

[Anonymous]

I got late fees removed because I never got the ticket. I drove away, the meter maid didn't put anything on my car, but I still got it in the mail.

[Anonymous]

Holy cow! I just received a "RELOCATION TOW" ticket doubled the fine to $200 which I wasn't at the location at that time on that date and obviously my car was never towed! Can someone had the same experience share with me what is the best I can do? The previous person stated the same situation as mine, but I never had a chance to see the original ticket. As some of you recommended, I just signed up for the eticket so I will be able to notify right away and get on the case in the future. I feel totally ripped off....! and feel like I need to do something except paying the fine. It's awful lot of money. oxox...On

[Anonymous]

Bring the ticket to "301 C Street, NW, Room 1157", find out more information of the ticket from the Communication Officer. For example, I was on the phone with the DMV customer service, she told me that she saw there was gy in the record, it possibly stands for grey color, but my car is orange color...also she said my car was towed to somewhere on 16th Street! It ridiculous, nothing ever happened to my car on that day. I am the only driver of my car and I drove to work around from my home to work at 11 am like usual. Good luck to you all. Tomorrow, I am going to this office to verify and to find out. WHAT IN THE WORLD! WHAT A HASSLE & HEADACHE! WHOEVER OFFICER GIVEN THAT TICKET #$^&$*%%)_%*!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

DC sucks. Just pay the fine and move on. Or better yet let DH take care of it.

[Anonymous]

If your car has been towed as a result of a "relocation tow" or even double towed, (that is where they tow your car and drop it off into a spot where you either get another ticket or they come along later and tow it again) I would love to talk with you. I am an Investigative Producer with WUSA 9. I'm Jeff and can be reached at 202 738 8908.

[Anonymous]

You can fight it and have a good chance of getting it reduced or thrown out but it won't be worth the time or hassle.

[Anonymous]

You really can't fight. Just consider it a tax. I've had so many bogus tickets over the years. The worst was for being parked in a "handicapped" spot that was 2 spots over! It was $250. I figured the enforcer just had a stick up her ass that day.