$150 ticket for parking at day use lot at Maroon Lake

[MonGoose]

We were up there a few weeks ago with the identical itinerary. We had an Annual Pass but still filled out the paperwork and parked around 3:00am in the Day Use Lot. We were not ticketed but the car beside us which had a pass purchased from a few days prior was given a $150 ticket (handwritten note saying there was a ticket). Seems like they got it right for us but messed up your situation. I hope you're able to get it resolved.

[saxlover]

Don't the day use passes have a start time you fill out? I don't remember Maroon Lake specifically, but they do in most areas.

IIRC they don't really have a day use pass. The $10 pass is good for 5 days.

it is good for 5 days, which is probably why the 4 pass loop people are confused.

[speth]

We were up there a few weeks ago with the identical itinerary. We had an Annual Pass but still filled out the paperwork and parked around 3:00am in the Day Use Lot. We were not ticketed but the car beside us which had a pass purchased from a few days prior was given a $150 ticket (handwritten note saying there was a ticket). Seems like they got it right for us but messed up your situation. I hope you're able to get it resolved.

Yeah, I wasn't too impressed with this, either. It was written in magic marker on a torn up envelope. Very professional.

But the people were definitely in the wrong - we were there on 7/25, and they had a day pass on their dash that said 7/24. Pretty cut and dry in that instance, IMO.

[saxlover]

here is a pic of note, it was attached to a blank fee envelope with my plate info handwritten in the same fashion as this note.

[edhaman]

What does or does not constitute "overnight" or "day use" must be defined in a provision of the U.S. Code (or maybe a Forest Service regulation or local ordinance). If it isn't officially defined, then the Forest Service has nothing upon which to base a ticket. They can't just make it up as they go. The only way I can think to clearly define it would be to ban parking in the day use area during certain periods, such as "sunset to sunrise" or "9 P.M. to 6 A.M.," or something similar. It has to be clear. People have had parking tickets dismissed when the law (and posted sign) read: "No parking 8 A.M. to 12 P.M.," since the court determined that "12 P.M." is unclear since there is no such thing as 12 P.M. or 12 A.M. -- there is only "12 Noon" and "12 Midnight."

[myfeetrock]

I would draw a picture of a $150 check and mail it to them.

[saxlover]

here is a pic of note, it was attached to a blank fee envelope with my plate info handwritten in the same fashion as this note.

Hold on - did you get a ticket or was it just a note????????

it was a note.

the Ranger Station said the ticket will be arriving in the mail. Confused why they didn't just leave a formal ticket on dash.

[highpilgrim]

it was a note. the Ranger Station said the ticket will be arriving in the mail. Confused why they didn't just leave a formal ticket on dash. with this lackluster operation, who knows if a ticket will actually show up.

Unfortunately, that is how they sometimes communicate.

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[TheOtherIndian]

it was a note.

the Ranger Station said the ticket will be arriving in the mail. Confused why they didn't just leave a formal ticket on dash.

That is very strange - I've never seen that before.

Are you sure they weren't pulling your leg?

I mean think of that work - they had to copy down your tag number & car info along with all the other info. Then go to a computer and get your address and then mail it. What if you moved but didn't notify DMV yet?

Why is it strange? Aren't most parking tickets issued that way?

[saxlover]

then someone has too much time on their hands. I saw quite a few other cars with the same note on their cars. looked closely at a couple others and they said the same thing.

[MitchellS]

$150 of pennies would probably weigh something like 70lbs...

[ClimbandMine]

Yeah - that is not an official "ticket" of any kind. An official ticket has an envelope and comes with a means to respond. Address and phone number of the issuing jurisdiction. Unless something formal comes in the mail (which I highly doubt), I would not be overly concerned.