I’m going to fight Diamond Parking Ticket

 

April 7th, 2010, I received 2 letters from Diamond Parking, each is a $104.69 parking ticket, for both of my car and my wife’s car.   I was first confused and then outraged after thinking of it over.

On Feb 24th, 2010, My wife and my daughter drive to Estea Beverage Club, No. 8400 Alexandra Rd Unit 180, Richmond (BC, Canada) ) at around 6:00pm.  I was a bit busy at work and went half an hour later at about 6:30pm.  I remember the TV in the restaurant still plays Russian Canadian Hockey Olympic quarter final game at the time (The game ended around 6:50pm as I researched today).  We both parked at the proper place inside the parking lot.  When my family finished dining and drive back home at around 7:30pm, there is no parking ticket displayed on our cars.

The lot is managed by Diamond Parking Ltd as shown below, which we can park for 3 hours if going to the business inside the Olympia Centre.

So the first thing I try to do after receive the ticket is trying to find my receipt.  Unfortunately, I paid by cash that day and didn’t keep a receipt.  Who keeps restaurant receipts for one month and half anyway?

I called Diamond Parking on Thursday, the lady on the phone said I’ve to pay $57 per ticket if no receipt can be found. 

I cannot agree with the ticket issuer’s practice with following reasons:

1. The ticket issuer can’t just give ticket to the cars that simply parked there without proofing they are not in the parking lot related businesses. The timing of 1st ticket is 19:19, and 2nd ticket is 19:21.  I can imaging the ticket issuer simply trying to give ticket to every cars parked in the parking lot.

2. If they give out ticket, they should put it on my car so that I can argue it immediately or the 2nd day. I don’t understand why the ticket is not on the car.

3. There are some internet forum posts blaming different kind of issues that some ticket issuers from Diamond Parking:

• Weasel out of Diamond Parking Ticket Urban Vancouver
• Diamond Parking - Vancouver Forum
• http://www.expertlaw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61643

What am I going to do is the following:

1. I’m not going to pay the parking ticket since I did nothing wrong.
2. I’ll write to them and ask them to remove the tickets, since I don’t want my cars be towed away if I park in their private lot again.
3. I’ll complain to Better Business Bureaus with my case: http://www.bbb.org/mbc/business-reviews/parking-lots-and-garages/diamond-parking-ltd-in-vancouver-bc-157865 
4. Increase the awareness of this issue to the public.
5. If Diamond Parking asks the collection company to collect, I’ll state the same and refuse to pay.

Thanks to the following blog which reminds me to write a blog as well:

http://annoyingparkingticket.blogspot.com/

I’ll keep it posted for the future events as well.

Thanks for reading.