Hi everyone,
I paid $20 for 2 hours of parking my Porsche 997 GT3 in a private lot. I ended up staying a few minutes longer than my allotted time. When I returned, I discovered a 'parking violation' ticket demanding an additional $63. Since this is a private parking lot, I'm unsure if I’m obligated to pay this fine. Can anyone clarify if payment is necessary in this situation, or if there are any options to contest or avoid the penalty? Njmcdirect

 

Since it is a private lot they can do what they want and by parking there you likely agreed (tacitly) to their rules and regulations, including fines. Those rules should be posted clearly so you are on notice. Do you remember seeing any signs that we all ignore? Their policy might also be fine print on your parking pass. As far as enforcement goes it’s not likely they would go to the expense of taking any civil action (although court costs are recoverable in small claims). They would likely send it to collections and ruin your credit. You ate the steak so I would probably just pay the fine and find somewhere else to park. You do have one possible option; can you prove exactly how long past your allowed parking the ticket was issued. If it was a very short time (few minutes) the fine could be found unreasonable. This is not a likely scenario. Did the citation have any other threatening verbiage if you fail to pay quickly. If it does then I would pay to avoid more penalties and then take them to small claims if you think you have a case. Seems like a lot of trouble for $63 even if there is a principle involved. I’m not a lawyer but I did stay at a Holiday Inn.

 

I once had a similar experience. I parked in a private lot and paid for two hours, but I came back a little late and found a violation notice for $63. I wasn't sure about the validity of such fines. Private parking tickets are usually considered invoices for breach of contract, not official fines. I remember even looking for different payment methods on https://icasinoreviews.co.nz/ to find the most favorable one. I also decided to play games and won some money. While they may not carry the same legal weight as government tickets, ignoring them can lead to civil lawsuits or increased fees. It is often advised to pay the fee to avoid possible troubles.