anyone hear of this? (especially Philly P.D)

[nutter]

First of all, about 3 years ago I had a license plate stolen off of my truck. I reported it stolen and got a new one, causing the other to be voided. Well today, I recieved a violation in the mail from Philly stating that I was parked in a bus zone on 7/17/2008 at 12:36 pm. I live about 3 1/2 hours from Philly and definately was not there. I have about 50 witness that can account for me. The ticket is for 41.00 dollars and there is a 20.00 penalty.

This isn't the first time this has happened. About 5 years ago I recieved the same thing only a different violation and I was never in Philly. That is how I think they have the plate number.
Because the plate was reported stolen and you cannot renew the tags because it was voided that would have shown up in the state's system I would imagine.
This isn't going to tarnish my driving record is it? Is there anything I can do? And why does Philly do this, I have heard of it happening to other people as well?

[Linkshinter]

Pretty much what he said....

Contact the local agency that you reported the tags being stolen to also....

They can probably help you out if the agency is small enough and the officer remembers the situation.

[t150vsuptpr]

I've known friends to get such notices from some city they've never been to, vehicle doesn't match theirs, but because some parking enforcement officer can't write legibly or can't read or can't remember a tag long enough to write it after reading it or is just careless, this happens. Last one was an aunt that got a notice from Philladelphia of all places. She called someone up there, they told her to send some paperwork to the court. She just sent them a copy of the notice and her registration highlighting the differences in vehicle description.

[TexasAggieOfc]

http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/noplate.asp

[e-man]

http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/noplate.asp

Nice,
I would love to get O.comluvvr

[Baysidegal]

Philly meter maids are some of the worst I have ever met. Even in uniform they treat you like jerks until they need help for mouthing off to the wrong person. They like to write tickets they are not supposed to write and basically say "prove it". I got a ticket once for an expired meter when the meter was not even expired yet. You would think that they would run the tags before sending the violation but I guess its too much like right.

[G-MAN]

Ha Ha, Lemme tell you about Philly Meter Maids......I am was serving Arrest Warrants for the District court in Philly one day with my partner. I had to park my unmarked black Chevy Tahoe in a place that was tactically sound for us to serve this warrant. This meant pretty much parking on the road and part of the sidewalk. We then had to call Philly PD and marked cars then came over about (4) car with full lights on, parked pretty much on the road and in all different directions.

I am on the porch of the suspect's house interviewing people when I hear a lady yell from across the street....."Hey, you stupid idiot...that's a police car!!" She was yelling this at a meter maid! I looked over and the lady said to me...."Hey she just ticketed your car!" Myself and the Philly officers then looked over at the meter maid and she was ignoring us and getting into her van to leave. A Philly Sgt. runs over and stops her and she rolls the window down. He says...."What the hell are you doing, did you just ticket that car....Pointing to my Tahoe?" She said "Yes, it's not marked properly as a police vehicle" The Sgt. says..."They are warrants guys, they don't mark their vehicles and anyone can see the full cage, computer, radios etc....to see it is a cop car." She continues to state it's too late arguing with the Sgt.

Is she a moron??? He (Sgt.) now orders her to get out of the van and take the goddam ticket off the windshield now! He is yelling this at her and I am even in fear he might physically arrest her!!

The meter maid calls here supervisor and she orders the meter maid to void the ticket and get my business card.

Jeez, what the hell is wrong with these people!

BTW, I didn't even argue with anyone about the ticket, to me I really didn't care, it happens and I just pay them.

The Sgt. wasn't having it!

Philly cops are the greatest!

G-man
1*

[CUFFS137]

My G/F parked her Jeep in a spot, and fed the meter. She returns to find a ticket on the vehicle for uninspected vehicle. Her dealer inspection had apparently expired, and I hadn't noticed (this was around the time I found out that I'm responsible for telling her about these things).

The kicker is, her vehicle is registered in NJ, not PA, which means that PA officials have no authority over the inspection of the vehicle, since any states inspection laws are state specific statutes (ie: I can't enforce PA inspection, and vice versa). I have verified this through Philly cops, PA State Police, and through my own research on PA inspection statuets which begin with"any vehicle registered in the commonwealth."
WHO TRAIN THESE PEOPLE!?! Oh sure it's an easy dismisal in court...All you have to do is spend 4-8 hours in Philly municipal court!!

A large part of the problem is the fact that these people recieve glorification for being overly aggressive through that stupid 'Parking Wars" show. Most of them do not come off as professional, and it is not exactly inviting people to come and spend their money in Philly.

[TexasAggieOfc]

My G/F parked her Jeep in a spot, and fed the meter. She returns to find a ticket on the vehicle for uninspected vehicle. Her dealer inspection had apparently expired, and I hadn't noticed (this was around the time I found out that I'm responsible for telling her about these things).

The kicker is, her vehicle is registered in NJ, not PA, which means that PA officials have no authority over the inspection of the vehicle, since any states inspection laws are state specific statutes (ie: I can't enforce PA inspection, and vice versa). I have verified this through Philly cops, PA State Police, and through my own research on PA inspection statuets which begin with"any vehicle registered in the commonwealth."
WHO TRAIN THESE PEOPLE!?! Oh sure it's an easy dismisal in court...All you have to do is spend 4-8 hours in Philly municipal court!!

A large part of the problem is the fact that these people recieve glorification for being overly aggressive through that stupid 'Parking Wars" show. Most of them do not come off as professional, and it is not exactly inviting people to come and spend their money in Philly.

I don't know about the PA statutes, but if you come to Texas from Jersey or PA and you're inspection is expired, we can write you for it, because we have reciprocity with Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia in regards to vehicle inspection programs.

EDIT: That may not apply to Okies, I'm under the impression that the Sooner State terminated their Vehicle Inspection program