Out of State Driver- Parking ticket in SF for not turning wheels into curb (San Francisco: rental, schools)

[BayAreaHillbilly]

This isn't just the law in SF, it is law in many other locales especially around the Western US. Frankly I'm surprised it is not the law in a number of places East of the Rockies with steeper streets (hello Pittsburgh!).

[green papaya]

it's very common to get a ticket near the Cliff House and Sutro Hts park, lots of tourists that park on the street forget to turn their tire into the curb, also parking violations like parking off the parking lot on the dirt.

a French tourist even parked right in front of a fire hydrant.

[HappyinCali]

Wow, so many "holier than thous" in this thread. All these people who never drive at 66 mph on the highway or at 26 mph in a residential zone, or do a rolling stop every now and then. "YOU BROKE THE LAW". Humorous.

[angiesu]

We were looking for legal parking on the side of the road near a beach and were forced to park a little outside the front line because the car behind us car was over their line into our parking space. We had driven around 45 minutes trying to find a parking space so we took it as soon as we saw it. We got a ticket for our front tires being over the line. The care behind us? Well they were gone by then so probably got off scott free. It was frustrating but frankly I paid the $20 ticket. It sucked because the car that could not park properly made the space useless which is what the cop said. So no one should have parked in that space if they wanted to avoid a ticket.

[angiesu]

Originally Posted by capoeira

You should have read your Hawaii drivers manual. Page 71 in the Hawaii dmv manual:

"If you park downhill, with or without a curb, turn your front wheels to the right
(A). If you face uphill, with a curb, turn your front wheels away from the curb (B). If
there is no curb, turn your front wheels toward the edge of the road (C)."

http://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/fil...6.2015-lrc.pdf

I'm amazed I did not get a lot of tickets. We have moved every two years for the last 14. I NEVER once read the states drivers manual when I moved to a new state. I don't know anyone who does that. I always straighten my wheels when I park so I would not have known this living in HI. Good thing I never parked on a hill in HI. I learned to drive in TX and live back in TX so I guess that is a good thing.

[Ultrarunner]

Lots of places have specific laws like no right turn on red or in Washington State requires a litter bag... both can result in a citation.

Curb your wheels was taught in driver's ed...

As for San Francisco and cars... I seldom mix the two because I find SF very car unfriendly and those that I know that live there with cars tend to have more citations... especially parking citations...

You could always contest and see where it goes... some officers have been know to take pictures.

[LarkBea]

That law, while it may be ignored elsewhere, is heavily enforced in SF because of the topography. Our car was struck by a runaway with pretty serious results (bent frame in our car, inside door handle flew off and struck me in the eye...I thought initially the eye was gone). And runaway car accidents happen frequently in SF. So yeah, you're going to see more ticket writing there for this than in other places.

[MauiPartTimer]

Originally Posted by HappyinCali

Wow, so many "holier than thous" in this thread. All these people who never drive at 66 mph on the highway or at 26 mph in a residential zone, or do a rolling stop every now and then. "YOU BROKE THE LAW". Humorous.

I don't think the responses are holier than thou, just realistic responses to the OP's post feeling like he/she didn't deserve a ticket.

And speaking of which, from the OP...

"If I felt like I actually did something wrong, I would have no issues paying the ticket. I drove the speed limit, I fed the meter, as far as I knew, I was doing everything right. My car was in park, and I had the emergency brake on. I do realize that turning your wheels into a curb is a law in San Francisco, I therefore broke the law, but if it is a ticket-worthy offense then there should be signs notifying drivers, especially for those who are not from the area and would have no way of knowing about this."

Feeding the meter is also a violation From https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/parking/meters:

"Most meters in San Francisco have a two hour time limit, though longer time limits (four hour or no time limit) are being tested in several neighborhoods. Where there are time limits, "feeding the meter" (i.e., adding coins to extend the time beyond the legal limit) is not allowed and may result in a citation."

[Atheneum]

Originally Posted by HappyinCali

Wow, so many "holier than thous" in this thread. All these people who never drive at 66 mph on the highway or at 26 mph in a residential zone, or do a rolling stop every now and then. "YOU BROKE THE LAW". Humorous.

Although I haven't responded before on this thread I don't think it's a case of holier than thou. It's a case of break the law, pay the fine. All those people you mention above, presumably not gonna try fight it when they get fined. (By the way you don't get fined at 1mph above the speed limit )

[HockeyMac18]

I had never heard of the "curb your tires" thing before moving here, either (I lived in the East where this wasn't a thing...or at least a commonly-known thing). I didn't pick up on it right away, but I did notice people doing it when I moved here. I started doing it right away once I noticed it (fortunately), but I had to force it so I'd get in the habit of doing it (people don't do it in the East, even in hilly cities like Pittsburgh (where there are some ridiculously steep hills, right up there with the steepest in SF)).

But, that doesn't really excuse you from a ticket, either, since you're supposed to be familiar with the various specific laws of places when you drive there. You could try to fight it, but since it's a non-moving violation, you have even less of a case because there's no way to indicate that you were even the one driving when it was parked (it could have been a local, CA-licensed person, as far as the judge would be concerned)...I'd just pay the ticket and move on.