Parking Tickets... beware!

MAXUM · 07-18-2006, 12:10 PM

I thought I would pass this along to everyone.

Many use the boat ramp right across the street from Libby Museum in Wolfeboro. It's a great spot to use because it's easy in and out, there is never a crowd there and best of all it's free. There is also a very small dirt lot to park in behind the museum which can be used, but it fills up very fast. Usually folks park along either side of Lang Pond Road if that lot is full. This has never been a problem, well till last weekend. It appears as though one of the residents that lives on that road got mad because of all the vehicles that were parked along either side of the road and called in the Wolfeboro PD, who then issued parking tickets to every vehicle parked along the side of the road. Now lucky for me I was parked in the dirt lot and did not get the pleasure of a parking ticket, however I was able to talk to a couple of guys who got one and I can understand the fact they were very upset. Now parking along the road has NEVER been a problem in the past, and as far back as I can remember, and that's quite a few years. All of a sudden it now is, what is even worse is if this area is now a "no parking" zone, then it should be posted as such. However there is not one no parking sign along the road anywhere, so I find it hard to believe that one can be sited with a ticket for parking in an area which is not posted, ESPECIALLY since it has been used for so long without any problems.

So be careful if you use that ramp and are in a situation where you have to park along the road, apparently it's no longer allowed, according to the invisible no parking signs!

camp guy · 07-18-2006, 01:45 PM

This is the type of situation that needs to be brought to the attention of the Wolfeboro Police Commission for their review. The local police have been known to 'freelance' with respect to how they act, not always adhering to published policy, and sometimes there is no policy. What took place on Lang Pond Road is clearly over-zealousness carried way beyond reason. What ever happened to the old adage "No harm, no foul", and let life roll on. As a resident of Wolfeboro, I apologize for this behavior, but am not in a position to do anything about it. I hope those ticketed will return to Wolfeboro in the future.

secondcurve · 07-19-2006, 05:43 AM

It does sound sound like the Wolfeboro PD missed the boat on this one. Clearly, the proper protocol would have been to issue warnings and then subsequently post the area with no parking signs. Further, there is virtually nothing on Lang Pond Road for a mile (it is an old dirt road with no building on it). Couldn't the town allow trailer parking on one side of the road starting back a couple of hundred yards beyond the houses at the mouth of the road?

dpg · 07-19-2006, 05:43 AM

Actually I'm not sure if every single place you cannot park needs a sign saying so. I mean think about it, are there signs everywhere we drive going down every street? I'm not for or against and don't even know where this spot is just thinking out loud. One thing I must say is I do agree that if it's been an acceptable "thing" for a long time the police should post signs that it will be ending soon or something.

Weirs guy · 07-19-2006, 11:13 AM

There is a similar situation in Belmont where people using the town baseball fields have always parked along RT 106, but now the police chief is being told that may not be legal and he is looking into it, not ticketing anyone yet, but looking into it. This case in Wolfeboro sounds like a Laconia PD move to me.

MAXUM · 07-31-2006, 12:33 PM

Well folks this happened again this past weekend, however it has now gone to a whole new level. Yes another round of tickets were issued on Saturday (and Sunday I'm sure) for everyone parking along the road again, but now it's even worse.

First of all I found out which resident is complaining, as he was litterally walking up and down the road in the morning yelling at people not to park on "his road". Secondly he placed a whole bunch of broken limbs and sticks in the shoulder of the road in front of his house to prevent people from parking there. He has also posted signs at the end of a private road (of which he does NOT own) stating "no turning around" and also posted a SPEED LIMIT! This guy is completely off his rocker, worst of all the Wolfeboro PD are there apeasing him by handing out parking tickets at his every call. Now boo hoo to this guy becuase he happens to live on a road were people are parking thier trailers. If he had any level of common sense he would have noticed this was a problem before he bought his property and put his house in.

Not sure what can be done to fight this, have a feeling it will go far enough to where the PD get sick of being called by this bafoon and post the road with no parking signs. This guy is a complete and utter _-hole.

In case any of you are interested in where he lives, drive up Lang Pond Rd, first house on the left, it's a "prim and proper" yellow ranch.

secondcurve · 07-31-2006, 07:41 PM

Maxum:

I drove down (from Rte 109A in Tuftonboro) Lang Pond Road Saturday morning and as I approached the Libby Museum I saw the tickets on the windshields. I am still amazed at this, since trucks with boat trailers have been parking here for as long as I can remember. Wolfeboro PD should post the area if it is changing the rules.

nightrider · 07-31-2006, 07:51 PM

Will this continue into the winter with sled trailers??

MAXUM · 07-31-2006, 08:50 PM

Don't think a change in the season will change this guy's attitude, unless he spends the winter months elsewhere.

At least in the winter time once the ice is safe you can park on the lake.

Shame on the Wolfeboro PD for doing this!

Skip · 07-31-2006, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAXUM

...Shame on the Wolfeboro PD for doing this!...

Being very familiar with the State RSA's on parking, I am extremely curious as to what the exact charge that Wolfeboro PD is making on these tickets.

Has anyone on this board actually received a ticket and if so:

What is the regulation being cited (State law with applicable RSA or Wolfeboro Town Ordinance with applicable ordinance annotated?).

What is the quoted fine amount?

That information would be of tremendous help in advising folks as to a correct course of action.

Skip

MAXUM · 07-31-2006, 09:31 PM

Skip-

I did talk to one of the ticketed parties and asked that exact question. I simply could not understand how the PD can issue parking tix where it's not posted as a no parking zone. The ticket stated that the vehicle was not parked completely off the road, as in the tires were still on the pavement. Now looking at others parked along the road yes they all had rubber on the pavement, but good grief, not by much at all, width of a tire at best. Technically if that is what the law reads then they were in violation. To me that is far less of a problem than this guy putting various pieces of debris on town property (the road shoulder in front of his house) as to discourage people from parking there. That is a saftey hazard, matter of fact I was darn tempted to call the PD to complain about it, but two wrongs don't make a right.

If people there were parking in such a way where it was causing a problem with traffic being able to pass through safely that's one thing, but everyone along the road pulls as far off as possible as to not block traffic flow.

I never did see the ticket first hand so I don't have the exact violation # that was quoted or the amount of the ticket.

Skip · 08-01-2006, 04:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAXUM

...I did talk to one of the ticketed parties and asked that exact question. I simply could not understand how the PD can issue parking tix where it's not posted as a no parking zone. The ticket stated that the vehicle was not parked completely off the road, as in the tires were still on the pavement. Now looking at others parked along the road yes they all had rubber on the pavement, but good grief, not by much at all, width of a tire at best. Technically if that is what the law reads then they were in violation...

That description helps a lot.

Normally an area would need to be properly posted to invoke a "no parking" regulation. however, there are always the exception(s).

In this case it appears that the local authorities may be invoking this particular New Hampshire RSA:

TITLE XXI
MOTOR VEHICLES
CHAPTER 265
RULES OF THE ROAD
Stopping, Standing or Parking
Section 265:68
265:68 Stopping, Standing or Parking Outside Business or Residence Districts. –
I. Upon any way outside of a business or residence district no person shall stop, park or leave standing any vehicle, whether attended or unattended, upon the paved or main-traveled part of the way when it is practicable to stop, park or so leave such vehicle off such part of said way, but in every event an unobstructed width of the way opposite a standing vehicle shall be left for the free passage of other vehicles and clear view of such stopped vehicles shall be available from a distance of 200 feet in each direction upon such way.
II. This section shall not apply to the driver of any vehicle which is disabled while on the paved or main-traveled portion of a way in such manner and to such extent that it is impossible to avoid stopping and temporarily leaving such disabled vehicle in such position.
Source. 1927, 76:3. RL 119:26. 1949, 136:1. RSA 263:50. 1963, 330:1. RSA 262-A:70. 1981, 146:1, eff. Jan. 1, 1982.

A possibility, anyway.

Skip

MAXUM · 08-01-2006, 12:36 PM

That's most likely the excuse they are using to issue tickets, however using my amature lawyering skills here, this law is rather interesting, in that it states the following: "upon the paved or main-traveled part of the way when it is practicable to stop, park or so leave such vehicle off such part of said way" leading one to come to the conclusion that if there is not a practicable place in which to park completely off the pavement then it's OK provided "in every event an unobstructed width of the way opposite a standing vehicle shall be left for the free passage of other vehicles ". The final part of the vehicle being visable for 200' in either direction was never in play here. So parking along the side of the road there, should be OK since you can only pull off so far and everyone does their best to do so. The result is a loss in travel width of the road which nobody in thier right mind could consider to be obstructive. Far as I'm concerned the tickets being issued are bogus. Furthermore, I find it very interesting that clearly some hairs are being split to issue these tickets, yet NO ONE was issued parking tickets along Rt 109 just out of town parking in front of clearly placed no parking signs which is actaully much more dangerious due to the shear volume of traffic on that road. Then again those cars belong to people in town spending money so they get a pass? Nice....

Chris Exley · 08-01-2006, 01:19 PM

Has anyone called and asked what would happen if they parked there? That they heard they might get a ticket.... It would be interesting. Maybe I'll call and see what they say.

07-18-2006, 12:10 PM	#1
MAXUM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kuna ID Posts: 2,755 Thanks: 246 Thanked 1,942 Times in 802 Posts	Parking Tickets... beware! I thought I would pass this along to everyone. Many use the boat ramp right across the street from Libby Museum in Wolfeboro. It's a great spot to use because it's easy in and out, there is never a crowd there and best of all it's free. There is also a very small dirt lot to park in behind the museum which can be used, but it fills up very fast. Usually folks park along either side of Lang Pond Road if that lot is full. This has never been a problem, well till last weekend. It appears as though one of the residents that lives on that road got mad because of all the vehicles that were parked along either side of the road and called in the Wolfeboro PD, who then issued parking tickets to every vehicle parked along the side of the road. Now lucky for me I was parked in the dirt lot and did not get the pleasure of a parking ticket, however I was able to talk to a couple of guys who got one and I can understand the fact they were very upset. Now parking along the road has NEVER been a problem in the past, and as far back as I can remember, and that's quite a few years. All of a sudden it now is, what is even worse is if this area is now a "no parking" zone, then it should be posted as such. However there is not one no parking sign along the road anywhere, so I find it hard to believe that one can be sited with a ticket for parking in an area which is not posted, ESPECIALLY since it has been used for so long without any problems. So be careful if you use that ramp and are in a situation where you have to park along the road, apparently it's no longer allowed, according to the invisible no parking signs!

07-18-2006, 01:45 PM	#2
camp guy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: formerly Winter Harbor, still Wolfeboro Posts: 1,189 Thanks: 301 Thanked 527 Times in 294 Posts	Parking Tickets...beware This is the type of situation that needs to be brought to the attention of the Wolfeboro Police Commission for their review. The local police have been known to 'freelance' with respect to how they act, not always adhering to published policy, and sometimes there is no policy. What took place on Lang Pond Road is clearly over-zealousness carried way beyond reason. What ever happened to the old adage "No harm, no foul", and let life roll on. As a resident of Wolfeboro, I apologize for this behavior, but am not in a position to do anything about it. I hope those ticketed will return to Wolfeboro in the future.

07-19-2006, 11:13 AM	#5
Weirs guy Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Weirs Beach, NH Posts: 1,067 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	There is a similar situation in Belmont where people using the town baseball fields have always parked along RT 106, but now the police chief is being told that may not be legal and he is looking into it, not ticketing anyone yet, but looking into it. This case in Wolfeboro sounds like a Laconia PD move to me. __________________ Is it bikeweek yet? Now?

08-01-2006, 01:19 PM	#14
Chris Exley Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mirror Lake, NH and Royersford, PA Posts: 134 Thanks: 26 Thanked 15 Times in 7 Posts	Has anyone called the Wolfeboro PD Has anyone called and asked what would happen if they parked there? That they heard they might get a ticket.... It would be interesting. Maybe I'll call and see what they say.

07-19-2006, 05:43 AM	#3
secondcurve Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,118 Thanks: 1,329 Thanked 559 Times in 288 Posts	It does sound sound like the Wolfeboro PD missed the boat on this one. Clearly, the proper protocol would have been to issue warnings and then subsequently post the area with no parking signs. Further, there is virtually nothing on Lang Pond Road for a mile (it is an old dirt road with no building on it). Couldn't the town allow trailer parking on one side of the road starting back a couple of hundred yards beyond the houses at the mouth of the road?

07-19-2006, 05:43 AM	#4
dpg Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 2,597 Thanks: 153 Thanked 229 Times in 166 Posts	Actually I'm not sure if every single place you cannot park needs a sign saying so. I mean think about it, are there signs everywhere we drive going down every street? I'm not for or against and don't even know where this spot is just thinking out loud. One thing I must say is I do agree that if it's been an acceptable "thing" for a long time the police should post signs that it will be ending soon or something.

07-31-2006, 12:33 PM	#6
MAXUM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kuna ID Posts: 2,755 Thanks: 246 Thanked 1,942 Times in 802 Posts	Well folks this happened again this past weekend, however it has now gone to a whole new level. Yes another round of tickets were issued on Saturday (and Sunday I'm sure) for everyone parking along the road again, but now it's even worse. First of all I found out which resident is complaining, as he was litterally walking up and down the road in the morning yelling at people not to park on "his road". Secondly he placed a whole bunch of broken limbs and sticks in the shoulder of the road in front of his house to prevent people from parking there. He has also posted signs at the end of a private road (of which he does NOT own) stating "no turning around" and also posted a SPEED LIMIT! This guy is completely off his rocker, worst of all the Wolfeboro PD are there apeasing him by handing out parking tickets at his every call. Now boo hoo to this guy becuase he happens to live on a road were people are parking thier trailers. If he had any level of common sense he would have noticed this was a problem before he bought his property and put his house in. Not sure what can be done to fight this, have a feeling it will go far enough to where the PD get sick of being called by this bafoon and post the road with no parking signs. This guy is a complete and utter _-hole. In case any of you are interested in where he lives, drive up Lang Pond Rd, first house on the left, it's a "prim and proper" yellow ranch.

07-31-2006, 07:41 PM	#7
secondcurve Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,118 Thanks: 1,329 Thanked 559 Times in 288 Posts	Maxum: I drove down (from Rte 109A in Tuftonboro) Lang Pond Road Saturday morning and as I approached the Libby Museum I saw the tickets on the windshields. I am still amazed at this, since trucks with boat trailers have been parking here for as long as I can remember. Wolfeboro PD should post the area if it is changing the rules.

07-31-2006, 07:51 PM	#8
nightrider Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: winter harbor Posts: 200 Thanks: 4 Thanked 33 Times in 18 Posts	Will this continue into the winter with sled trailers??

07-31-2006, 08:50 PM	#9
MAXUM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kuna ID Posts: 2,755 Thanks: 246 Thanked 1,942 Times in 802 Posts	Don't think a change in the season will change this guy's attitude, unless he spends the winter months elsewhere. At least in the winter time once the ice is safe you can park on the lake. Shame on the Wolfeboro PD for doing this!

07-31-2006, 09:31 PM	#11
MAXUM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kuna ID Posts: 2,755 Thanks: 246 Thanked 1,942 Times in 802 Posts	Skip- I did talk to one of the ticketed parties and asked that exact question. I simply could not understand how the PD can issue parking tix where it's not posted as a no parking zone. The ticket stated that the vehicle was not parked completely off the road, as in the tires were still on the pavement. Now looking at others parked along the road yes they all had rubber on the pavement, but good grief, not by much at all, width of a tire at best. Technically if that is what the law reads then they were in violation. To me that is far less of a problem than this guy putting various pieces of debris on town property (the road shoulder in front of his house) as to discourage people from parking there. That is a saftey hazard, matter of fact I was darn tempted to call the PD to complain about it, but two wrongs don't make a right. If people there were parking in such a way where it was causing a problem with traffic being able to pass through safely that's one thing, but everyone along the road pulls as far off as possible as to not block traffic flow. I never did see the ticket first hand so I don't have the exact violation # that was quoted or the amount of the ticket.

08-01-2006, 12:36 PM	#13
MAXUM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kuna ID Posts: 2,755 Thanks: 246 Thanked 1,942 Times in 802 Posts	That's most likely the excuse they are using to issue tickets, however using my amature lawyering skills here, this law is rather interesting, in that it states the following: "upon the paved or main-traveled part of the way when it is practicable to stop, park or so leave such vehicle off such part of said way" leading one to come to the conclusion that if there is not a practicable place in which to park completely off the pavement then it's OK provided "in every event an unobstructed width of the way opposite a standing vehicle shall be left for the free passage of other vehicles ". The final part of the vehicle being visable for 200' in either direction was never in play here. So parking along the side of the road there, should be OK since you can only pull off so far and everyone does their best to do so. The result is a loss in travel width of the road which nobody in thier right mind could consider to be obstructive. Far as I'm concerned the tickets being issued are bogus. Furthermore, I find it very interesting that clearly some hairs are being split to issue these tickets, yet NO ONE was issued parking tickets along Rt 109 just out of town parking in front of clearly placed no parking signs which is actaully much more dangerious due to the shear volume of traffic on that road. Then again those cars belong to people in town spending money so they get a pass? Nice....