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I am writing this to let everyone know about a parking ticket scam going on in the dirt lot behind the Midtown (and please know it has nothing to do with owner or operator of the Midtown). Last Friday, Sept. 12, I parked in said dirt lot around 7:30pm to work at a concert at The Domino Room like I’ve done for the past five years. (I actually always assumed it was part of the Midtown’s property, but it’s not.) Upon returning home around 1am I noticed a parking ticket under my windshield wiper. When I opened the envelope it was issued for “Not having a parking permit” to park in that dirt lot, a fine of $25, and it was written up at 10pm! On a Friday!! The following Monday I called the issuing company, “Municipal Parking Services,” out of Redmond, which is basically a guy and his cell phone, and inquired about the ticket. He informed me the owner of the dirt lot, a lawyer in town (who no one has anything nice to say about, btw) hired his company to ticket people at night during concerts for parking in his lot. He also told me new signs were posted and there was nothing I could do about it. Remember, I’ve been parking in this same spot for five years without a single problem.
Now here’s where the scam comes in:
1)MPS has NO ties with the City of Bend or the DMV (like Diamond Parking has) which they would need in order to pursue people with just their license plate #s (to get their address, etc.).
2)You cannot sell parking permits to the public on an “unimproved lot.” The law forces owners to pave, etc. such lots if they wish to do so. Can you think of any dirt lot here where you have to pay to park?
3)The phone # that is provided in the ticket envelope to call to buy a permit reads exactly: 541-317-023. Notice anything missing??
And 4) To pressure people to pay without questioning, they threaten a $50 increase if not paid in 15 days, Diamond Parking isn’t even that harsh.
So there you go, they can’t legally sell permits for the lot, so they can’t legally ticket you for not having a permit, and they have no legal recourse to come after you, so DON’T PAY THE TICKET!! It’s just going in the owner’s pocket, illegally. Oh, and I checked out the “signs” that are now posted the other night and they are about 6″ x 12″ and look like someone pounded them into the ground on a stake with a hammer. No phone #s on them, no warning of being ticketed, just “Parking with permit only,” so even if you wanted a permit there’s no way of knowing how to get one! And I swear if you blinked you would miss them upon pulling in to the lot.
I hope if you got a ticket there within the last week you haven’t paid it. And, I hope that if you get one in the coming weeks you throw it away and tell your friends to do the same. It’s all B.S. and crooked, greedy people trying to screw their own city.
Jrodd
This article appears in Sep 25 โ Oct 1, 2008.
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Scam, scam, scam. Look at the back of the ticket. it looks as if it was written by a two year old. First sentence on back: “IMPORTANT READ CARFULLY” this guy cant even spell, let alone write parking tickets. My understanding is the City has gotten ALOT of complaints.
That is private property and the property owner has the right to request tresspassers to stay off.
A private property operator is still required to meet legal requirements. If you are going to designate a piece of property as a designated parking area, it must be ADA compliant, and have the required number of disabled stalls. if it’s a dirt lot, that aint gonna happen…….and I agree, this whole thing seems like a scam…..
If it was my lot, I would have just had your trespassing car towed off of it.
Tow at your risk of a lawsuit:
Signage
It shall be unlawful to tow a vehicle from a private parking facility unless the private parking facility meets the following signage requirements:
1. At least one sign shall be posted and readily visible at each entryway into the parking lot, not more than 10 feet from the public right of way or street edge. Such signs shall:
A. Be posted so that the center of the sign is not more than eight (8) feet nor less than four (4) feet above the ground; and
B. Be at least 18รข ย x 24รข ย in size; and
C. State that parking is prohibited, reserved or otherwise restricted; and
D. State who is authorized to park and the hours during which parking is restricted;
EXAMPLE: Parking for customers of รข [ ]รข only during [ ] hours.
E. State that towing and storage of a vehicle will be at the vehicle ownerรข โขs expense; and
F. Prominently display the PPI towerรข โขs name and 24 hour telephone contact number for release of a vehicle, and
G. Be maintained so as to remain unobstructed by any tree, shrub, bush, vehicle or other obstacle.
2. When a private parking facility is shared by multiple business operations, (i.e. shopping mall or office park) parking spaces must be marked, or signs posted, so as to indicate which spaces are reserved for each business.
3. PPI towers may request an exception to the rules for sign location. Such request must be made in writing and offer an alternative posting for approval.
4. Fire lanes from which vehicles may be towed shall be marked in compliance with Portland Uniform Fire Code (PUFC 901 and 902)
I also received a ticket from this company about a week ago. I went into connecting point computer store, bought a keyboard, went across the street for less than 5 minutes, came back, and had a ticket on my car. I was furious, and will never shop there again! I went back to the stall I parked and there were No signs saying I couldnt park there. And one of the above posters is absolutely right, the back of the ticket looks like it was proof read by a two year old !!. I called the City because it says “Municipal Parking” which led me to believe they were connected to the City somehow. I was told they have received several calls, and assured me they have no affiliation with this company. Dont pay any tickets you receive from them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ok so how about you let me park in your front yard for free. How does that sound. These people are paying for their property and can choose to do what they please with it. What gives you the right to believe that you can park anywhere that you please. If this is ok please leave your home address so I may come park in your yard.
I have no problem with someone ticketing for parking; however, I DO have a problem with predatory behavior. I was able to drive into this lot and park without EVER seeing a posted “no parking” sign. This is a) misleading and b) illegal: law states that a sign must be at each entrance, visibly posted, stating (among other things) the company in charge of the ticketing, collections info, the fine amount, etc.
What is clearly happening here is that “municipal parking services” is trying to capitalize on honest peoples’ fears that the City of Bend is ticketing them. Don’t fall for it!
Even if you own the property you can’t park in your own front yard….it’s an unimproved surface. So that argument is invalid. To write bogus tickets to collect money is something else all together. The previous owner of the dirt lot didn’t care if people parked on it. And it’s been that way for years. This guy is being malicious and trying to make a profit on unsuspecting people. Instead of following the law, like a lawyer should, and posting proper signage telling people it’s private property and to park there is trespassing he’s being a greedy prick. I agree, he has every right to have vehicles towed. However, to legally do that on private property to a vehicle you don’t own, you have to give notice to the vehicle owner. That’s done either by certified letter or by proper, legal signage. He’s done neither of those things. He’s a lawyer, he should know better. Hell, I’m not a lawyer and I know better.
I got a ticket from this “Municipal Parking Service” a while ago like in the summer time. I didn’t pay it, and not for any specific reason, I just forgot about it. Recently I got a letter from a local collection agency! That is when I found out this whole thing is a scam. My boyfriend called the City to see about paying it. They told him they know about this guy and to not pay it. Thank goodness I didn’t pay it in the first place!