Parking sign standards?

[banterer]

What is the name of your state? CA

I parked tonight around the corner from the restaurant where we were going to be eating. There were three signs stacked up on one another. I perused the posted sign and saw the bottom sign said parking from 8-6pm, M-F. There was some kind of exemption for some kind of identification on the car but since it was after 6 I did not pay that part any attention. There was an additional time you could park there but it was like a two or three hour period sometime in the mornings. There was another smaller, faded sign in the middle which I did not pay attention to.

When I came out I saw that I had a ticket in my door. I was perplexed so I decided to go over and look at the sign more carefully. The smallest sign with the faded text in between the top and bottom said "No Parking Anytime Except". Below that was the large, standard, NON-faded, green sign telling you when you could park.

Can someone tell me if there are any regulations dictating the minimum size of the sign as it pertains to restrictions versus allowable parking times? The No Parking Anytime sign was the smallest of the three and was in between the two signs that ALLOW you to park.

Is there anything in what I have written that would give me a chance of winning or getting the ticket dismissed? Although the ticket is for $40, it is not the money, it is that I feel the sign is quite deceptive since as far as I'm concerned, the most important part of the sign was buried/hidden between the other two signs.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
Jorge

Thanks,
Jorge

 

[wirry1422]

No, there are not specific regulations for parking sign standards (ie size, specific placement etc.) as there are for signs pertaining to moving traffic regulations such as speed limit, no left turn signs, and traffic lights (for example) which ARE regulated by the US DOT (as published in a book sized manual known as the Manual on Uniform Traffic Devices, or MUTCD.) Generally, parking signs are only mentioned in local ordinances, and are simply required to be visible and legible, with a minimum number of signs per block, usually one. However, a missing or obsured sign is always grounds for contesting a parking citation, so give it a try by taking photos of the signs from different angles, including at the approximate location your vehicle was parked, and send that in along with the appropriate letter explaining in detail the circumstances. If you can, its always actually better to contest in person, but if not, just send it in according to the mail-in appeals rules on the ticket. I don't know how fair your local parking judges are, but these things are usually about 50-50. Good luck, and let us know how it goes.