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I was a tourist visiting Seattle in July 2010. On July 7 I parked at 75 Lenora St. I was unfamiliar with the machine dispensing paid parking receipts. Noticing this, a local gal stepped up, offered help, and instructed us to stick it on the window ( I was backed in as per City instructions). I paid for 2+ hours but returned after just 45 minutes. I then discovered I had been ticketed for ' No visible ticket'(!) I called the number on the ticket and was treated with incredible surliness. Deciding to show up in court with an explanation, I ticked the corresponding box and filled in my address & phone number. I then photographed my car from several angles, including close ups of the pre-paid ticket for court evidence.
I heard nothing until January 20/2011 when I received a demand from AllianceOne for US$ 79. Postmarked Jan. 10/2011
I received a ticket for parking the wrong direction on a side street. Yes, I did it but I still decided to contest it.
I sent it in and never heard back for three months. Now I know I should have called to see whats up but I figured
maybe they just threw it out. Three months later I get AllianceOne bill for over $80.00. I called the city this time to find out
why. Turns out they did get my request for a hearing and tried to send a response which cam back a not a valid address
from the post office. You would think I would get a call? Nope. Funny, AllianceOne had no problem with my address.
Seems Seattle is just into taking your money and screw you if you don't like it.
Yes, it is clear from the management of Seattle’s street parking that the city sees this as an area where they can increase revenue rather than serve the people. Unlike many other big cities, Seattle has invested a lot of money in fancy meter dispensers, most with two hour limits. Clearly, the municipal government does not want people driving cars into the city. If you do, you’ll pay not only in meter rates, but also in citations for ANY and ALL infractions (proof of payment displayed incorrectly, parking the wrong direction, multiple payments stickers displayed, ect.) If you decide to contest a citation, it will double as those “trouble makers” are most often forwarded to collections. Seattle has a terrible traffic/transportation problem. The city was asleep at the wheel for decades on this issue. What’s more disturbing is that the city feels it’s appropriate to lay the burden of this mismanagement on the very people who’ve paid for decades of city planning by organizing such unfriendly parking systems for those who want to access the city. It’s hard to work or shop in Seattle, let alone live here. Local businesses greatly complain that these parking policies have hurt their business. Seattle parking enforcement officers (“meter maids”) are a TRULY ubiquitous sight in Seattle. In a recession, when money is tight for everyone, the city has invested heavily in equipment and personnel that will facilitate better extraction of income from the people. It has become very clear that in the view of the municipal government of Seattle, the people exist to sustain, support and serve the government…not the other way around.
A 4 dollar convenience fee for paying parking tickets online. Are you kidding me? Like the ticket is not bad enough, give me a break. You should be subtracting 4 dollars off my ticket for saving you the time and money it would take to have a person process the mail with the check I would have sent you.
yup. well said in particular seagus. it's an embarassment.
i get to find out what allianceone is all about now. joy.
I am not from Seattle. I went a restaurant in Queen Ann. I put my credit card in and then it didn't come out for a really long time. I was afraid but I put it in again. I put time in it. The problem is I am a Senior and my eyesight is very poor. The meter was all scratched up and hard to read. I thought I put in two hours. It was 12:15 and a number came out with the ticket that looked like 1400.(I didn't know how to read the ticket it is very confusing.) You could make those easier for visitors to read. I only had 2 minutes and not 2 hours. Now I have a $44.00 ticket I can't afford to pay. Do you have those like that on purpose? I don't know why you have so many numbers on there.
Just feedback about the convenience fee.
$4 is RIDICULOUS. The convenience is on the side of the court of Seattle as they do not have to process mailed paper payments or staff extra agent time to receive in-person payments.
Therefore I will make sure that my payment is going to be sent in the most expensive way they can receive it.
Paper check in a non-standard envelope. For your convenience...