Visitors to Boston Beware

Did you know you can get a ticket for parking even if you are sitting at the wheel with the engine on?

From the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

Park. to place or leave (a vehicle) in a certain place for a period of time.

From the Boston Traffic Rules & Regulations:

Parking. The stopping or standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not.

Stand or Standing. The halting of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, other than for the purpose of, and while actually engaged in, receiving or discharging passengers. 

Stop or Stopping. The halting, even momentarily of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic.

From Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There:

When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less."

Comments

[Des Pieri]

Chris, happened to me recently on a Sunday AM in Chinatown. While I was in a row of cars double parked (them driverless; me in my car, engine running) a cop drove up on a bike and gave me a ticket in seconds. I was amazed. Also, I learned on another day that if you park at a broken meter in Boston, you get one hour of parking, even if the meter is in a two-hour zone. That one cost me $25 also. Better than Dublin, though. There, they don't bother with tickets; rather, they put "the clamp" (a "boot" to us yanks) on your car in seconds. To get it off, you have to call an automated system and pay 80 Euro. Very effective in keeping violations down. And, if you happen to park in a "no parking" zone (bus stop, cross walk.) they don't clamp your car; rather they have a special truck that -- in less than 2 minutes -- lifts your car up and puts it onto a flat bed. Then, they take your car to an open meter spot some place and put it there (where you then are booted!) So maybe Boston's not all that bad.

[Steve Patterson]

You can get a $40 ticket for parking legally in Boston with an expired inspection sticker.

You need to look at the legislation to understand this - Parking in all cities and towns in Massachusetts are regulated under Massachusetts General Law Ch 90 S20A. Which provides reasonable rules and penalties - But, a big but, recognizing what a money maker parking is, the legislation was amended to allow cities and towns to opt out of MGL 90 20A in favor of MGL Ch 90 S 20A1/2 which allows cities and towns to right their own rules.

Boston was the first to opt out, and the cities entire set of rules are not published. If you want to see the rule that led to your ticket, you need to research the date when the rule was passed and look up the transcript of the city council meeting during which the parking rule was passed.

I think this story should be tagged "badges, we don't need no stinken badges"

Just a bit of trivia.