Drive off and dodge parking ticket?

[jumoyolin]

Here is the story, hope someone can help...

I stopped my car at the drop off driveway of a condo after dropping a passenger off, I decided to quickly use the washroom at the coffee shop next door. There was still a passenger waiting for me in the car while I went. I came back after only about 1-2 minutes, and I saw the security guard of the condo in the process of writing me a ticket. He told me "You can't park here", I was in a rush so I didn't argue with him and just drove away.
As you have guessed, after about 2 months, I have just received a parking ticket in my mail for $250 for reason "park in a fire route" and it is from the city of toronto.
My questions are:
1. The security guy didn't actually give me the ticket, he was still just writing it as I was driving away. Is the ticket valid? Would he have to physically put it on my windshield for it to count?
2. What is the definition of "park"? In my case there was a passenger in the car who is capable as a driver, would that be counted as "stop"?

I will try to dispute the ticket as it doesn't feel good to pay $250 to use the washroom. I guess the security is really doing his job, but its just so mean to give me a ticket when I'm gone for just 2 minutes, I could understand if I'm gone for 10 minutes or more. It just feels un-human. He didn't even have time to give it to me or put it on my car.

Appreciated if someone can answer my questions.
Thanks!

[Mattones]

fight it. People park there with moving trucks for hours causing people to be who get dropped of having to walk more

[spf1971]

Here is the story, hope someone can help...

I stopped my car at the drop off driveway of a condo after dropping a passenger off, I decided to quickly use the washroom at the coffee shop next door. There was still a passenger waiting for me in the car while I went. I came back after only about 1-2 minutes, and I saw the security guard of the condo in the process of writing me a ticket. He told me "You can't park here", I was in a rush so I didn't argue with him and just drove away.
As you have guessed, after about 2 months, I have just received a parking ticket in my mail for $250 for reason "park in a fire route" and it is from the city of toronto.
My questions are:
1. The security guy didn't actually give me the ticket, he was still just writing it as I was driving away. Is the ticket valid? Would he have to physically put it on my windshield for it to count?
2. What is the definition of "park"? In my case there was a passenger in the car who is capable as a driver, would that be counted as "stop"?

I will try to dispute the ticket as it doesn't feel good to pay $250 to use the washroom. I guess the security is really doing his job, but its just so mean to give me a ticket when I'm gone for just 2 minutes, I could understand if I'm gone for 10 minutes or more. It just feels un-human. He didn't even have time to give it to me or put it on my car.

Appreciated if someone can answer my questions.
Thanks!

1. Yes the ticket is legal.
2. No he doesn't have to place it on your windshield.
3. "Park" is when you place your vehicle in park or neutral and exit the vehicle. Having a passenger in the car doesn't mean anything because if it did, your passenger should have been able to move the car when the guard came out.
4. You're not paying $20 for going to the washroom, you're paying $250 for illegally parking.
5. 2 minutes to walk next door, use the washroom, wash your hands and then walk back; doubtful.
6. It's un-human for him to enforce parking laws but perfectly human for you to break then. Pretty good logic you have.

[mic2074]

are you sure it's from the City of Toronto ? I didn't know security guard from a condo is authorized to issue City of Toronto tickets.

[ELT]

Security guards can write city tickets.
Ticket has to be served - either put under a wiper, or given in your hands. If you drove away before that guard should've made a note of that on a ticket, and this should have been an end of it - at least that was the case about 4-5 years ago. Of course, this could've changed since then.
Try to fight it.

[mic2074]

Security guards can write city tickets.
Ticket has to be served - either put under a wiper, or given in your hands. If you drove away before that guard should've made a note of that on a ticket, and this should have been an end of it - at least that was the case about 4-5 years ago. Of course, this could've changed since then.
Try to fight it.

I thought only cops and city parking enforcement agents can give out city tickets. If he's on the condo driveway, that's private property - why would it be city ticket.

[jumoyolin]

Thanks for the suggestions to fight it, I'll try that and post what happens in the end.

are you sure it's from the City of Toronto ? I didn't know security guard from a condo is authorized to issue City of Toronto tickets.

Yes, pretty sure its from city of toronto as the letter even has toronto.ca/parkingtickets on it, and make sense the city would let them as it is more income for them? LOL...

1. Yes the ticket is legal.
2. No he doesn't have to place it on your windshield.
3. "Park" is when you place your vehicle in park or neutral and exit the vehicle. Having a passenger in the car doesn't mean anything because if it did, your passenger should have been able to move the car when the guard came out.
4. You're not paying $20 for going to the washroom, you're paying $250 for illegally parking.
5. 2 minutes to walk next door, use the washroom, wash your hands and then walk back; doubtful.
6. It's un-human for him to enforce parking laws but perfectly human for you to break then. Pretty good logic you have.

hi spf1971,
1. my main point is to ask if i can dispute the ticket because he didn't hand it to me or put it on my car.
2. look at #1
3. my passenger was a capable driver of the car, i left my keys inside, she didn't see the security guy because he was just standing behind the car when he was writing the ticket, the security guy didn't talk to my passenger or let her know
4. thanks for letting me know that, the letter didn't make it clear enough to me probably
5. the coffee shop takes 5 seconds to walk to from where i parked, takes me 2 seconds to run there, and i'm a guy, maybe you should check with your doctor you don't have prostate hyperplasia if it takes more than 2 minutes for you, sorry to hear that and hope your health is ok
6. i never said it is perfectly human for me to break the law, please read my original post again. i mean, i already made it as quick as possible, and i park to the very edge of the driveway to make sure cars can get through for sure. i just think the security is cold blooded because he saw me come back to my car in such short time and also he hasn't finish writing the ticket, and still issue the ticket to me in the end. i guess he was having a bad day!

[thephenom]

Security guards can write city tickets.
Ticket has to be served - either put under a wiper, or given in your hands. If you drove away before that guard should've made a note of that on a ticket, and this should have been an end of it - at least that was the case about 4-5 years ago. Of course, this could've changed since then.
Try to fight it.

That's what I thought as well, it's a law we inherited from the British.

[tjayl]

i just think the security is cold blooded because he saw me come back to my car in such short time and also he hasn't finish writing the ticket, and still issue the ticket to me in the end. i guess he was having a bad day!

How does he know you are only parking for 2 minutes in that no parking zone? How long should he wait to start writing the ticket? 5 minutes? If he did wait 5 minutes, and you came back, would probably still be complaining that it was "such a short time". So how much time would have to pass before you deserve a ticket for parking in a no parking zone, and would pay it rather than fight it?

[agent86]

I thought only cops and city parking enforcement agents can give out city tickets. If he's on the condo driveway, that's private property - why would it be city ticket.

A fire route is NOT private property. Once a place is designated a fire route by the fire department, it is the city's responsibility to keep it clear.

[jumoyolin]

That's what I thought as well, it's a law we inherited from the British.

yes, i tried googling about this, and found this:
http://www.whatcar.com/news-article.aspx?NA=225123
seems like the British is starting to change it, but the officer has to take a picture.
Found nothing for Canada or Toronto though.

[mic2074]

A fire route is NOT private property. Once a place is designated a fire route by the fire department, it is the city's responsibility to keep it clear.

thanks for clearing that up for me... but I still don't see how a private security guard can give out city tickets. I wasn't able to find anything on that for City of Toronto.

[jumoyolin]

How does he know you are only parking for 2 minutes in that no parking zone? How long should he wait to start writing the ticket? 5 minutes? If he did wait 5 minutes, and you came back, would probably still be complaining that it was "such a short time". So how much time would have to pass before you deserve a ticket for parking in a no parking zone, and would pay it rather than fight it?

he did not wait to start writing the ticket, if he put it on my windshield, or hand it to me, i would feel more deserved to get the ticket. Moreover, the driveway of a condo is meant for car to wait for people to come down. I think its pretty reasonable for me to run to a washroom after dropping off someone there as i'm sure cars have wait there idle-ing longer than i have stopped. And the value of the ticket is $250, which i think its quite expensive, if it had been $30, i would've just avoid the trouble to dispute and pay it.

[spf1971]

he did not wait to start writing the ticket, if he put it on my windshield, or hand it to me, i would feel more deserved to get the ticket. Moreover, the driveway of a condo is meant for car to wait for people to come down. I think its pretty reasonable for me to run to a washroom after dropping off someone there as i'm sure cars have wait there idle-ing longer than i have stopped. And the value of the ticket is $250, which i think its quite expensive, if it had been $30, i would've just avoid the trouble to dispute and pay it.

The reason he didn't give it to you or place it on your car is because you ran away! Now you're complaining because he didn't give it to you?? Next time, wait around and let them finish writing the ticket. Then you can "feel" you deserved it.

He told me "You can't park here", I was in a rush so I didn't argue with him and just drove away.

[spf1971]

5. the coffee shop takes 5 seconds to walk to from where i parked, takes me 2 seconds to run there, and i'm a guy, maybe you should check with your doctor you don't have prostate hyperplasia if it takes more than 2 minutes for you, sorry to hear that and hope your health is ok

I hope you didn't shake hands with anyone after because there is no way in hell you

1. walked into a store
2. walked into the washroom
3. used the washroom
4. washed your hands
5. walked back to your car in under 2 minutes.