Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[BlueFlames]

A couple of weekends ago a group of us took a ride into Washington DC on a beautiful Saturday to spend some of our money at a nice restaurant (well we didn't really eat anything  ) on the waterfront in Georgetown.  We had to park about 5 blocks away and feed the parking meter for this privilege.  We parked our bikes exactly the same as every other bike parks, at an angle backed up to the curb.  When we returned every one of us had a $20 parking ticket for not parking parallel.

In my experience parking a motorcycle like that is an accepted practice not just in the US, but around the world.  Has anyone else ever been ticketed for this?

[RJ749]

I couldn't locate anything that says a motorcycle can be/should be backed into a curb spot.  Only the parallel parking description below is on the D.C. DMV location.

Test Question
97. A motorcycle may be parked:
a. At a right angle to the curb between cars
b. In any vacant space provided the motorcycle
is parked parallel to the curb
c. In any parking space provided for a fourwheel
vehicle

97. c

2400 PROPER PARKING: GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND
PROHIBITIONS

2400.1 No person shall stand or park a vehicle in a roadway other than parallel with the edge of the roadway headed in the direction of lawful traffic movement.

The Virginia State Motorcycle Guide actually state to park at an angle:
At the roadside-Angle your motorcycle so that you can see in both directions without straining and without having any part of the cycle in the lane of travel. Angling your motorcycle so that you can get a clear view in both directions is particularly important if you plan to turn across a lane of traffic.

http://dmvnow.com/webdoc/citizen/drivers/mcmanual/mcmanual6d.asp

[Fired00d]

That's interesting I've never known anyone to get ticketed for parking like that. According to what Roger posted it must be a law. Sounds like it was a rookie cop being a a$$hole. Good thing that's not enforced during Rolling Thunder.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[naitram]

That's interesting I've never known anyone to get ticketed for parking like that. According to what Roger posted it must be a law. Sounds like it was a rookie cop being a a$$hole. Good thing that's not enforced during Rolling Thunder.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

dont give em any ideas. could clear the budget deficit in one weekend

[Boatman]

When we were at Keywest during Daytona bike week this year, 3 of us backed in one parking spot and fed the meter.  When we left a local told us we were lucky not to get a ticket as each one of us was supposed to be in a parking place of it's own.

 

[Fired00d]

dont give em any ideas. could clear the budget deficit in one weekend

More like cause a riot that would destroy the city. My bro-n-law is a D.C. cop (also motorcyclist) I just shot him an email to find out if it is a practice to enforce this. I'm thinking it was either a rookie cop or one that doesn't like motorcyclist.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[RJ749]

I modified my post with a Virginia excerpt from the motorcycle manual.

Like most things in D C the manual for motorcycles and cars onlin is "half azzed".

Check out this video from the Guy from Boston to understand D C.

http://www.theguyfromboston.com/playvideo.asp?video=/videos/2007/Apr/535_Employees.wmv

[Fired00d]

I modified my post with a Virginia excerpt from the motorcycle manual.

Like most things in D C the manual for motorcycles and cars onlin is "half azzed".

Check out this video from the Guy from Boston to understand D C.

http://www.theguyfromboston.com/playvideo.asp?video=/videos/2007/Apr/535_Employees.wmv

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[BlueFlames]

Thanks for all of the help!!  I do plan to contest it in writing.  It's hard to justify too much time for $20, but it just pisses me off!

It wasn't a cop who wrote it, but an f___ing meter maid!

[RJ749]

Thanks for all of the help!!  I do plan to contest it in writing.  It's hard to justify too much time for $20, but it just pisses me off!

It wasn't a cop who wrote it, but an f___ing meter maid!

Probably figured you'd simply pay it.  The Seattle law even says multiple bikes can park in one spot as well.

Maybe try a news station to highlight what pains in the ass DC parking cops are, its all over the web what tight azz's they are.

[Seegarsmkr]

Kinda off topic a bit, but when I was in NJ, I was visiting a friend of mine in Hoboken and, of course, there were no parking spots but a wide sidewalk.  I parked in between two trees off the road but not to impede any peds, bicyclists, dog walkers or anything.  I got a $54 ticket and the cop said it was because he got repeated complaints...what a FKN crock of BS.  I soooo wanted to crank up the thunder when I left but that would have bothered more than the whole arse who called it in.  From the street you couldn't even see the bike with all of the cars parked.  I left 3 days later for Germany so contestation was not an option...prolly would have lost anyway.

Seegarz

[Gettinold]

Thanks for all of the help!!  I do plan to contest it in writing.  It's hard to justify too much time for $20, but it just pisses me off!

It wasn't a cop who wrote it, but an f___ing meter maid!

Maybe she wants you.................... go to court, then bang her. 

[BlueFlames]

Gettinold,

Your talking about the exact same thing I was thinking when I saw the ticket, just in a slightly different context.  My immediate reaction was F _ _ K   YOU!!!

[Jock]

WOW !!!  Are we really that hard up for money in our country?

[BigR55]

Same A__ H_O__s in Tennessee during HOG Down Home. 14 cops at the Dragon. Wrote tickets for vertical plates, holding camera in a car, crossing double yellow line on turns....
The only solution is to withold spending or avoid the places altogether. The next HOG event that draws 15,000 bikes like Down Home should move to a biker friendly location. Check out the Deals Gap web site for the stories on the Tennessee Department of Revenue.