Ticket for parking too close to a hydrant

[Strider]

I woke up this morning and had a parking ticket on my car for parking within 5m to a fire hydrant. On the ticket, it reads that the distance was measured at 3.0m

I'm pretty sure I was parked further away than that, but i didn't have time to measure and take pictures this morning.

So I have a few questions, i'm hoping someone can help me out.

Do the parking guys actually get out of their cars with a tape measure to measure the distance? and do they take pictures? 3.0m sounds like it's approximated.

Is the 5m measured from your car to a point on the curb that is perpendicular to the hydrant? or is it measured to the actual hydrant?

If I go back tonight and take pictures where I was parked, can I use that as evidence to fight the ticket? or am i screwed cause i didn't have time this morning?

If I want to fight this, where can I do so?

[RiceCake]

No use fighting it. Got one before, same story. Just pay the ticket...

[QuasarCav]

they actually measure with a tape!

My girlfriend got one too, she went to fight it and there was documentation showing how close she was.

I'm sure if it was 4.5m it would be no big deal but 3.0m is questionable.

[izzoblitzo]

Yeah, I've seen those enforcement officers get out of their car, and take a tape measure to measure the distance of your car to the infraction.

they also measure the distance you are from the curb too!! alot of people arnt aware that you can only be a certain distance away from the curb, or you'd be considered parking on the roadway. I saw an officer give a ticket to a car that was parked too far from the designated parking meter, and too close to the one in front of it!

[Strider]

I guess I may as well pay it. The amount isn't really worth the time it would take to fight it.

Damn wannabe cops with nothing better to do at 2:30 in the morning.

Just for interest sake, and anyone point me to the parking bylaw? I can't seem to find it, and I would be interested to know if it states that it's 5m from the point on the curb perpendicular to the hydrant. I know for sure that I wasn't parked within 5m to the actual hydrant.

[Z_Fan]

It's from the curb. Not the hydrant itself. So perpendicular to the hydrant, will be an 'imaginary' spot at the curb. It is 15 feet (well, 5M) from that spot in either direction.

The same rule applies from 'corners' (curb starts/stops) where streets meet, as well as alley exits/entrances. Same rule, 5M.

I'd just pay the ticket cuz you probably can't win, how much was it?

[Strider]

Originally posted by Z_Fan
It's from the curb. Not the hydrant itself. So perpendicular to the hydrant, will be an 'imaginary' spot at the curb. It is 15 feet (well, 5M) from that spot in either direction.

The same rule applies from 'corners' (curb starts/stops) where streets meet, as well as alley exits/entrances. Same rule, 5M.

I'd just pay the ticket cuz you probably can't win, how much was it?

I figured as much...
Does the same apply for a private driveway?

The ticket is only $50, it's not gonna break me or anything, it's just a friggen annoyance...

[benyl]

Here is the bylaw sheet:

http://www.calgary.ca/DocGallery/BU/cityclerks/41M2002.pdf

[Strider]

Originally posted by benyl
Here is the bylaw sheet:

http://www.calgary.ca/DocGallery/BU/cityclerks/41M2002.pdf

cool...
thanks:thumbsup: