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BuckyWunderlick007 t1_jca19xv wrote

I doubt they will dismiss the ticket, nor should they really. If you were at the meter when it expired, the ticket would not have been issued.

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vincejoy OP t1_jca32km wrote

In practice I get it, but on what legal grounds is the ticket valid if it was issued at 1:40pm when my receipt says I can park until 1:40pm? My point is, you can't give someone a ticket in the time frame for which the meter is paid, just because you know they are not at the meter and that it's about to expire. At 1:41pm I wouldn't dispute it, but now...

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SheeEttin t1_jca7d3w wrote

Until 1:40, not through 1:40.

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pattyorland t1_jcbc5pj wrote

Where does it say that? If the city wants that to be the rule, they need to be clear about it.

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SheeEttin t1_jcbd3hk wrote

On their receipt, according to them. "Until" is perfectly clear to everyone else, as far as I know.

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pattyorland t1_jcbgmsw wrote

The original poster said "until" in one of their comments, but they didn't say it was printed on the receipt.

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SheeEttin t1_jcblpgg wrote

In the comment I replied to:

> my receipt says I can park until 1:40pm

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BuckyWunderlick007 t1_jca3hlg wrote

The first appeal is via mail, in person is only if that is denied. Send it in and see what they say. You can always pay with no late fee if it is denied. I’ve also found they are less likely to dismiss tickets for out of state visitors as they would be for a car registered in Cambridge. It only costs you a stamp though.

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vincejoy OP t1_jca3nhh wrote

Thanks for the info!

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zepporamone t1_jca835f wrote

I ran into a similar situation about two years ago. Returned to my car the minute it was supposed to run out only to find a ticket that had already been issued sometime within the preceding sixty seconds. The city dismissed it on the first appeal. Granted, I'm a resident (no idea if any of that played into the decision) but it's worth a shot.

If memory serves, you can make that first appeal online. They'll ask you to submit documentation, so if you've got a paper receipt, scan it.

After that, just be prepared to wait. It ended up taking somewhere in the neighborhood of 6 months for them to process my appeal and send a dismissal notice. I actually ended up paying the ticket at one point (its existence was preventing me from getting my resident permit) so the response letter stated that they had found in my favor and would be dismissing my outstanding fine of $0.00. About 3-4 months after that, out of the blue, I received a check from the city for the fine that I had originally paid.

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dyqik t1_jcagscn wrote

Depends if the parking expires at 1:40:00.000 or 1:40:59.999.

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commentsOnPizza t1_jcc6le9 wrote

Not to get technical, but "until 1:40pm" doesn't mean "through 1:40pm". "You can park here before the time is 1:40pm. Once the clock shows 1:40pm, you are over your time. You can park here until a clock shows 1:40pm."

To make it really clear, the first minute is 1:10:00-1:10:59.99999. The first minute doesn't extend until the end of 1:11. Then that would be two minutes. The first minute extends from 1:10 until 1:11, not through 1:11.

I agree that the city shouldn't ticket until 1:41 in your case because people have trouble understanding situations like this.

Imagine you're a doctor scheduling 1 hour appointments. If someone is scheduled from 9am until 10am and another person is scheduled from 10am to 11am, the first person doesn't continue to be seen at 10am. They are seen until 10am. Otherwise, the second person's appointment would start at 10:01am. Likewise, your parking goes from 1:10pm until 1:40pm. As soon as 1:40pm started, your time had expired.

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vincejoy OP t1_jcf8ey7 wrote

Totally get it. And you're right. But if we're getting technical... what if I paid my parking at 1:10:59? Don't I get to park for 30 minutes exactly until 1:40:59? It goes both ways imo. Their system probably knows the exact time, my meter was most likely expired by a few seconds and that's why they issued the ticket.

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albertogonzalex t1_jca4cu2 wrote

Meters can be extended virtually through mobile apps.

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crystallyn t1_jcaizcx wrote

The majority of meters in Boston and Cambridge can't be reupped in apps. Best to start with $ then add with the app when that runs out if you know you'll be there longer.

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Moomoomoo1 t1_jcaqa8m wrote

What are you talking about, I have yet to use one that didn't let you renew through the app.

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crystallyn t1_jcartew wrote

They look like they will let you but they don't. If you've been able to, you must be parking in places that are not in the more populous areas.

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commentsOnPizza t1_jcc76m4 wrote

If they're scanning plates, they might still notice that you've been there more than the maximum time. For example, you feed the meter for 30 minutes at 1pm. They scan your plate at 1:05pm. You re-fill via app at 1:30pm. They scan your plate at 1:40pm and note that you were already there at 1:05pm and therefore have been parking for 35 minutes, above the 30 minute maximum.

If they were really smart, the apps could literally tell them you were there over time. They scan your plate at 1:05pm, the app notes that your plate paid for additional parking at 1:30pm, the app lets parking enforcement know that they can go and ticket your car in 5 minutes.

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