In your opinion...what does "No Overnight Parking" mean?

[MaryAnnDVC]

LESSON LEARNED. CASE CLOSED. POST 22.

DS went to Providence last night. Curfew at 1:00 AM, got home at 1:05 and said angrily "Hear me out!" (I was OK with 1:05.)

He had parked in front of a sign that said "No overnight parking" (with no other information on it). He went to leave at midnight, and his car was gone. Called the police to report his vehicle stolen, and they told him it had been towed and where to get it. Borrowed money from his friends and paid the $137 to get it back.

The info on the receipt (per him...I didn't read it at 1:05 AM) said that the car was towed at midnight. He said he left at midnight, so he and the tow may have just missed each other. For him to do everything (call police, go to the towing business, get the car back and be home by 1:05) it could not have been much past midnight, if at all.

In your opinion, does "past midnight" constitute "overnight parking"? DS is talking to his law teacher this morning, and we'll see what he says. I'm tempted to say "just let it go"...not sure how to fight it, or what it would cost. $137 is a lot of money for a HS kid, but I'm thinking that this is just one of those "life's a ***** and then you die" lessons; not everything can be "fixed". He's 18 and driven (no pun intended ) so I'll leave it up to him, but I'm curious as to others' opinions.

 

[Christine]

Well, without an hours listed, I would think it means that I can't leave it there for any length of time through the night. Most signs I've seen have the hours stated.

Found this on the net when someone else asked this:

Every place has different rules, some require cars to be out by midnight, others by 2 or 3 in the morning. However, usually after the next morning you can take the same car back and park for the rest of the day.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

DS went to Providence last night. Curfew at 1:00 AM, got home at 1:05 and said angrily "Hear me out!" (I was OK with 1:05.)

He had parked in front of a sign that said "No overnight parking" (with no other information on it). He went to leave at midnight, and his car was gone. Called the police to report his vehicle stolen, and they told him it had been towed and where to get it. Borrowed money from his friends and paid the $137 to get it back.

The info on the receipt (per him...I didn't read it at 1:05 AM) said that the car was towed at midnight. He said he left at midnight, so he and the tow may have just missed each other. For him to do everything (call police, go to the towing business, get the car back and be home by 1:05) it could not have been much past midnight, if at all.

In your opinion, does "past midnight" constitute "overnight parking"? DS is talking to his law teacher this morning, and we'll see what he says. I'm tempted to say "just let it go"...not sure how to fight it, or what it would cost. $137 is a lot of money for a HS kid, but I'm thinking that this is just one of those "life's a ***** and then you die" lessons; not everything can be "fixed". He's 18 and driven (no pun intended ) so I'll leave it up to him, but I'm curious as to others' opinions.

If it is dark, it is night. My kid would be paying and getting a lecture and possibly keys taken away for being lazy not to find a spot without a warning sign.

 

[Rora]

To me, if the car was there at or past 12am it was up for towing.

That being said, the sign should've had the hours listed, IMO.

It sounds like your DS really did just miss the tow truck. I'm sorry he's in this situation!

 

[cassandrap83]

I do not think that is overnight parking.

 

[John VN]

Dusk to Dawn is overnight.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

If it is dark, it is night. My kid would be paying and getting a lecture and possibly keys taken away for being lazy not to find a spot without a warning sign.

Whoa! How charming!

If it is DARK, it IS night. Good job with that. That does not necessarily mean OVERNIGHT.

And honestly? How dare you call him "lazy" for interpreting the sign the way he did, when it is hardly clear cut. Save the hostility for your own lucky kids.

 

[ols386]

The sign should include the actual overnight hours parking. Like "no parking midnight to 5am, or something like that.

I don't think one should have to guess what the hours are.

I probably wouldn't fight the ticket though. $137 really isn't a ton of money. I'd just chalk it up to lesson learned.

 

[joviroxx]

As far as overnight parking, I have no idea. I would think the hours would be listed but my adult experienced brain might tell me to park elsewhere, just in case.
Although $137 is a lot of a kid, I say, let him figure it out on his own. If he can fight it, more power to him, if not, lesson learned. He can choose and pay for it . He'll learn one way or another. Its one of those lessons that experience teaches you. Hey I learn them everyday LOL!

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

To me, if the car was there at or past 12am it was up for towing.

That being said, the sign should've had the hours listed, IMO.

It sounds like your DS really did just miss the tow truck. I'm sorry he's in this situation!

Thanks.

I do not think that is overnight parking.

Me neither.

Dusk to Dawn is overnight.

Continuously, or anytime within those hours?

 

[VAN]

I think you need to check with your City ordinaces ... call the city offices.

Some of these companies that get the towing contracts can be quite aggressive ... I think you need to find out how the official ordinance reads before making a decision to fight it.

 

[lillygator]

was this a business parking lot? on the street?

 

[kamik86]

I think you need to check with your City ordinaces ... call the city offices.

Some of these companies that get the towing contracts can be quite aggressive ... I think you need to find out how the official ordinance reads before making a decision to fight it.

I agree with this. If the real answer is midnight and he called the police only a little after midnight and they already knew his car was towed I'm guessing the car was towed early.

My college used to do this. It would start leaving tickets for spots that you can't park in after 7:00 at 6:50. You would think they would get sick of having kids in the office fighting them and tell the ticketers to stop doing that but of course not.

In the case of the towing the city should make the company pay for any expenses the city had due to the person fighting the ticket and of course they wouldn't get paid for the tow. If the person successfully fights it.

 

[disykat]

Continuously, or anytime within those hours?

They aren't going to keep coming back to check if they've left yet - so it would have to be continuously - at any point during the night. It seems like you and your son are both thinking it couldn't have been "overnight" if it wasn't there the "whole" night?

No parking overnight means your car will be towed if it is found there during the night. They have no way of knowing what time it got there and what time you are leaving.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

I think most people think "overnight" parking means leaving the car there the entire night. What most of those signs mean, though, is that there is to be NO Parking at all during the overnight hours, not even for 5 minutes. In other words, the lot should be empty once nightfall occurs.

It's an issue of syntax and interpretation.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

As far as overnight parking, I have no idea. I would think the hours would be listed but my adult experienced brain might tell me to park elsewhere, just in case.
Although $137 is a lot of a kid, I say, let him figure it out on his own. If he can fight it, more power to him, if not, lesson learned. He can choose and pay for it . He'll learn one way or another. Its one of those lessons that experience teaches you. Hey I learn them everyday LOL!

Now, if he did it AGAIN, I'd smack him upside the head. Either way, it's his $137.

I once got a ticket for parking BETWEEN two handicapped parking signs...two spaces had signs with no arrows), and there were two spaces in between without signs...I parked in one of those spaces. I actually tracked down the officer, who said "I AGREE IT'S MISLEADING, but I can't take back a ticket." I went to court twice (once to enter a plea, once for my "case"), and I learned that even a space without a sign and just a handicapped image painted on the ground (which "my" space didn't have) was not considered a valid handicapped spot. I "won" because the officer didn't show up in court. Next time I went, all 4 spaces had signs.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

was this a business parking lot? on the street?

Street.

 

[allison443]

I have seen those signs "no overnight parking" but usually they have a time on them...if this one didn't, I can see why he would think it was okay to park there.
Was it a street near a popular "destination"? A lot of times I have seen residential streets get signs like this to discourage visitors from parking.

As far as fighting it, well, for right now he has to produce the money to pay his friends back I would think..then he is thinking of fighting it with the municipality to get his money back? Unless he also got a ticket and wants to fight the ticket? I have no idea how to even fight something once you've paid it but that would also be a learning experience I'm sure!! Lots of learning for the kid from this!!

 

[OceanAnnie]

I think most people think "overnight" parking means leaving the car there the entire night. What most of those signs mean, though, is that there is to be NO Parking at all during the overnight hours, not even for 5 minutes. In other words, the lot should be empty once nightfall occurs.

It's an issue of syntax and interpretation.

I agree with that. The sign should have definitive hours posted or after dark. Unless the town needs a "money maker" sign.

I'd fight it.

 

[kwelch10377]

People could interpret what that means so many different ways. I think someone with more experience driving would just park somewhere else just in case. It is a lesson learned for your son. I don't think it means he or anyone who does park there was being "lazy" as a another poster put it, they just thought it meant something else. I do think they should put the exact times on the sign. Where I live the signs say no overnight parking from 2am to 5am. I wouldn't be surprised though if it was purposely made vague so more people would do it and they could make money off of it.