"Up to 50% of tickets are dismissed when challenged."<p>There is probably a high number (half according to them) of tickets that get dismissed because of selection bias. Tickets [that have been] challenged are probably challenged because they have a good chance of being dismissed due to reasonable issue. Challenging more [random] tickets will probably cause this number to fall.
I'm confused. Why? Are we talking "I didn't do anything wrong" tickets, stuff that is unfair but hard to fight?<p>Or is this about "I park wherever I want and try to avoid the consequences"?<p>So far it seems that most of the customers are of the latter variety. While I understand the motivation to act like an asshole, this service empowers .. assholes?<p>We're regularly discussing if free apps (downward spiral) or free content (adblockers) are okay. But free parking is fine, right?
Driving is bullshit. Just everything about it: expensive, inconvenient, and a backdoor to reduced rights (search * seizure, etc) and run-ins with the legal system.<p>Think about it: if you're a typical middle class person, when is the only time you ever have a run in with the law? I lived three years without driving in Chicago. I don't think I ever even talked to a cop in that time, and if I did it must've been pleasant and forgettable (I think beat cops with patrols of nice neighborhoods tend to be chill). I move to PA/DE and have to commute to work, and boom: in the space of a few months I've got three parking tickets, and stress to update my {registration, insurance, license plate} to avoid further run ins with the law.<p>I can't wait to move back to somewhere I can commute by train and leave this bullshit behind me.
I can't find anything on their site that lists what cities are supported, but I'm pretty sure it's Bay Area only.<p>I totally understand that, it'd just be nice to see it in a FAQ or something.
The title and page seem to imply that parking tickets <i>inherently</i> are something which need fixing. As if their very existence was a blight upon the world.<p>If you agree, might I suggest you go into politics or perhaps traffic planning?
How about a refund for my taxes that supported an asphalt wasteland while I spent years living in a suburban hellhole? Parking tickets are issued because you don't have a right to unlimited free automobile storage. Hell, why can't I park a hot tub in front of my house in the same spot? Would be a lot more fun.
Won't cities adapt to fight this the more tickets are challenged? They'll say something like: "Oh, this same attorney is fighting hundreds of tickets? We're going to require more evidence to reverse these tickets".<p>They'll put up walls and/or make something about this service illegal.<p>And yes agree that many people will abuse this and fight every ticket regardless of the validity which will cause cities to push back like I mentioned above.<p>Seems like a tenuous business model.
>No fee to contest: We charge 25% of the fine if you win. You have nothing to lose.<p>Except that you are assuming they are better at contesting tickets than you.
For German residents there's <a href="http://geblitzt.com" rel="nofollow">http://geblitzt.com</a> - though it doesn't have an app. And it's not just for parking tickets but also for speeding tickets and such.
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/20/tech/mobile/fixed-app-parking-tickets/" rel="nofollow">http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/20/tech/mobile/fixed-app-parking-...</a><p>"If the motorist thinks they have a case, the app will prompt them to capture any additional photographic evidence with their phone and then digitally sign a letter.
Fixed has contracted with a team of legal researchers fluent in local traffic laws who will review each case before printing out the letter and submitting it via snail mail to the city."<p>Here's the form, now you don't need the app: <a href="http://www.sfmta.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/2013%20AR%20PROTEST%20FORM.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.sfmta.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/2013%20AR%20PR...</a><p>The legal researchers job is probably just to sanity check that people aren't submitting complete junk, like penis photos.
Excellent Idea.<p>- Pros :<p>* This might lead to more people challenging their parking tickets.
* Those who give tickets will be forced to think twice before giving a ticket.
* Since enforcement people need to complete a fixed quota of revenue through parking tickets they will have to issue more tickets per day than before purely because more of them will get contested. This will mean people will have to take extra precautions while parking their car because probability of ticket has gone up.<p>- Cons:<p>* If too many people start contesting then the authorities(court) may simply take a hard stand and the ratio of cancelled tickets/challenged tickets may go down. This may hurt many genuine "I did not do anything wrong" people.
A broken meter is a valid reason in other cities?<p>Huh. Every parking meter around here specifically says if it is broken you can't use it. People are ticketed accordingly if they park there.
For those interested in reading about this, there were some good comments in the previous HN thread:<p><a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7066079" rel="nofollow">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7066079</a>
emanating from LA is a court challenge that may decide that parking penalties are excessive. This would be a statewide ruling (it's in the state courts IIRC). If, say, parking tickets were curbed at "treble damages", wouldn't this hurt this business' model?<p><a href="http://laist.com/2014/02/26/local_heroes_are_taking_la_to_court.php" rel="nofollow">http://laist.com/2014/02/26/local_heroes_are_taking_la_to_co...</a>