Lame parking ticket - advice? (Los Angeles: rental car, appointed, rental)

[MidwestRob]

Suppose an out of state tourist received a $75 parking ticket in a downtown Los Angeles parking spot legal 'til 4pm. Returned at 4:10pm to find ticket issued at 4:08pm, officer gone. Called Violations Bureau number. Was asked for ticket # - given. Asked for Registered name - Rental car co. given. Asked for caller's name - given. Asked for caller's address - Whoa, will contesting help? They basically said Won't help. Although person might be willing to be shaken down for a part of it, if they had no reason to register with Calif. (DMV etc) and might possibly not even go to Calif for the next 10ish years (is there a statue of limitations), could someone fill me in on what such a person would be failing to consider if it was just blown off? Rental car co insulating them at all? Thru rental car co not having their SSN (for possible marring of credit rating)? Any point in contacting LA Tourism folks or Councilpersons?

Thanks in advance!

[KnoxTown]

Pay it

[Dark of the Moon]

I don't know, but I'm guessing the rental car company would ultimately be held responsible for paying the ticket -- and then they could come after you (Small Claims Court) for reimbursement. I agree -- do the right thing and just pay it.

[drshang]

You should pay the ticket. They won't go to small claims court (not right away anyway)...they will just charge your credit card they have on file with you, and tack on an extra fee for your troubles. Plus they will likely have paid it after extra fines are attached for being late, which means you get nailed with an extra fee. When you rent a car you sign that huge document that generally has something about you being responsible for parking citations.

[katenik]

I'm not sure what you are trying to contest. It's a legitimate ticket; the fact that you are a visitor does not exempt you from obeying parking regulations. (Why would you even think that?)

If you don't tell the rental agency that you received a ticket when you return the car, they will be notified by mail if you fail to pay by due date, and will simply charge your credit card. By then, you will also be responsible for the late fees that accrue.

[MIKEETC]

The ticket is legitimate based on the evidence. Pay.

[VLWH]

Not sure if a courtesy notice is still mailed out, but either way a late notice will definitely be sent to the rental company. Since you most likely used a credit card to reserve your rental, the fine will be billed to your credit card (as drshang already mentioned).

It is in your best interest to take care of the ticket before it becomes late, which will double the fine. The rental car company will end up charging your card, and who knows if they will pay the ticket before the due date.

Originally Posted by MidwestRob

Suppose an out of state tourist received a $75 parking ticket in a downtown Los Angeles parking spot legal 'til 4pm. Returned at 4:10pm to find ticket issued at 4:08pm, officer gone. Called Violations Bureau number. Was asked for ticket # - given. Asked for Registered name - Rental car co. given. Asked for caller's name - given. Asked for caller's address - Whoa, will contesting help? They basically said Won't help. Although person might be willing to be shaken down for a part of it, if they had no reason to register with Calif. (DMV etc) and might possibly not even go to Calif for the next 10ish years (is there a statue of limitations), could someone fill me in on what such a person would be failing to consider if it was just blown off? Rental car co insulating them at all? Thru rental car co not having their SSN (for possible marring of credit rating)? Any point in contacting LA Tourism folks or Councilpersons?

Thanks in advance!

[BennyPhoenix]

It isn't a lame parking ticket.
People parked on blvds where there is not parking from 4 to 6 or 4 to 7 cause major traffic headaches. All it takes is one inconsiderate person to foul up the commute for thousands of people who just want to get home to their families.

[Winston Smith]

Pay the ticket. What's $75 compared to a warrant? You predict that you may not return to CA for 10 or so years. Ok, but my experience with things like that -- I'm a very poor prophet. Anything can happen in the course of 10 years.... uh-oh, can't go to CA, that damned unpaid parking ticket. Do yourself a favor, pay it!

The ticket may seem lame to you, but it surely wasn't lame to all those drivers who had to slow and merge around your parked car. There's a reason for the "no parking after 4 p.m." -- drive-time begins as millions of people try to get here and there. More than once I've cursed some person who left their car parked after 4 p.m. -- even just a minute after 4! Pay the ticket. You messed up!

[Drover]

You have two choices: either pay it now, or pay it later (probably with a "service fee") when the rental car company finds out about it and simply charges it to your credit card number on file -- by which time the fine will probably have doubled if L.A.'s ticket laws are like every other major city.

Here's my idea of lame: someone who lacks the basic courtesy to not block a rush hour lane because they don't feel like moving their car on time. You must live in a small town because you have no idea how much one car blocking a rush-hour lane can Moderator cut: block traffic flow. Be lucky you only got a ticket. In Madison WI, they have a fleet of tow trucks assembled and ready at the stroke of the appointed hour to haul cars off that are blocking the rush hour lanes. So pay your ticket and shut up.