I work for University Teleplex in the Ball Communications Building. I have been ticketed once, maybe twice in my 17 years at BSU, and I paid the fine(s) because I was guilty. On September 13th of this year, I was ticketed and I did not pay the fine because I was not guilty. The University Parking Appeals Committee saw it differently.
On that morning, I parked in a 30-minute metered space behind BC rather than my restricted lot because I had an early doctor's appointment. A 30-minute meter was just right and gave me the chance to go in, get a start on work, and then scoot to my appointment. I put money in the meter and noted the time on my watch. Later, as I was leaving my office, a colleague showed up to tell me he had just been outside and saw that I had a ticket on my vehicle and there were still three minutes left on the meter. We went to my vehicle and there was a $10 "Meter/Overtime" ticket on my windshield and one minute remaining on the meter. After examining the ticket, I was able to determine that it was written while five minutes remained on the meter. When I retuned to work, I placed a call to Corporal Sandy Pyle in the Department of Public Safety. I left a voice mail explaining the problem and asked that she return my call. I found out shortly thereafter that the colleague that witnessed the ticket had already seen Corporal Pyle and informed her of what had happened. When she didn't return my call, I assumed the ticket had been taken care of. A couple of weeks later, I got a letter at home stating I had an outstanding ticket and the cost would double if it weren't paid promptly. I contacted Corporal Pyle once again and was advised the ticket would have to be appealed. I wrote the appeal as stated on the form... very detailed. This forum doesn't allow me enough space to print my appeal, but everyone that has seen it, including a majority of my peers on Staff Council, were more than bewildered when I told them the appeal was denied. I re-appealed and it, too, was denied. I'm told the decision of the Parking Appeals Committee is final.
I'm very unhappy with the "due process" I was given and now must face the consequences of an unpaid ticket. Many people would simply pay the $20 to get this out of the way, but I am a man of principle. It isn't the money -- it's the fact that I am innocent and the ticket-writer, "Officer PE1136," wrote a ticket on my vehicle when there was no violation. If that isn't illegal, it is certainly unethical.
The Public Safety and Parking Services departments have an ongoing image problem at this institution and I know they are working to rectify that. However, incidents like this one seriously undermine any efforts they make. They cannot operate in unethical or potentially illegal ways and make any headway in their efforts to gain more respect in the campus community.
Write to Max at
maxhunt@bsul.edu
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