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Question for A.D. (Vespa racer)

2K views 16 replies 8 participants last post by  texmawby 
#1 ·
Dude,

Quick intro - Black Triumph Bonneville w/ loud pipes and hangs out with Timothy from Upstate NYC. We both race with USCRA. Now for the question.

This is totally off topic on shit, but I park on the corner of Howard street for about 1-2 hrs - 4 times a week (Boxing gym). I see your store all the time, just havent stopped by yet. I got slammed with a tik for parking on the sidewalk for $115 bucks. I see you guys always have your scoots out there all the time, do you get shit for it?

I'm planning on saying, " Yo Honor, I was at the gym and parked on the street - but some turd came and picked my bike up and placed it on the sidewalk to get my parking space"?

Do you think it'll work?

Thanks, I'll pass by tomrrow if I dont hear from you.

Alex

Whodaman!
 
#2 ·
I'm not A.D., he's on vacation, but I'll speak on the issue since I work with him. If you've noticed we all park on the sidewalk, but we also all take our license plates off. If they can't find a plate or a VIN they really can't write you a ticket. As long as you could have legally been parked on the street at the time I would say your plan is worth a shot. You just have to be convincing with your story. Tell 'em it's an old bike with no steering lock and someone just rolled it up on the sidewalk for the spot. The meter maids will right you a ticket for anything, anywhere on the sidewalk if they can find some numbers to record.

-Gardner
 
#5 ·
quote:
Dude,

Quick intro - Black Triumph Bonneville w/ loud pipes and hangs out with Timothy from Upstate NYC. We both race with USCRA. Now for the question.

This is totally off topic on shit, but I park on the corner of Howard street for about 1-2 hrs - 4 times a week (Boxing gym). I see your store all the time, just havent stopped by yet. I got slammed with a tik for parking on the sidewalk for $115 bucks. I see you guys always have your scoots out there all the time, do you get shit for it?

I'm planning on saying, " Yo Honor, I was at the gym and parked on the street - but some turd came and picked my bike up and placed it on the sidewalk to get my parking space"?

Do you think it'll work?

Thanks, I'll pass by tomrrow if I dont hear from you.

Alex

Whodaman!
Don't know if AD wants me giving up the trade secret but here it goes. With a vespa the Police don't know how to find the vin, so most of the time they just remove the license plates and the cops bypass instead of having to try and find the vin number. With motorcycles most cops know where to look for the vin so if you take your plate off they will still write you for the vin so it doesn't always work. Plus the cops know it is a shop and are leinent about it with them.

Your argument sounds plausable to me except that you really can't fight the city. The city and suffolk are really difficult to get tickets thrown out (nassau is easy because they will actually bargain with you). You can make the argument to the judge and ad on that you are willing to work out an agreement for a lesser amount and that might get you somewhere but it is doubtful.

eitherway good luck.

BTW I know some great places for parking in mid town, if you e-mail me I'll fill you in.
 
#6 ·
Geet,

Yeah, your right about the vin on the Vespa. But I came up with some quick release fastners that makes it easy to remove the plate. I tried it tonight and it was kool no tik. I also parked it so close to the wall to hide the VIN. In order for them to see the VIN they have to literally move the bike or squeeze there head between the moto and the wall.

PS - Tex, I am hot! Ask timothy.

Whodaman!
 
#8 ·
There's a scooter dealer in Saratoga and one of these days I gotta' get up there and look around. I got wood for one of those old classic Vespa's and I think Vespa is now making a modern tribute bike based on the old ones. When I was courting my wife she lived in San Fran' and I'd go out to visit her there. There was a bike shop called Scuderia West. I know, "scuderia" means racing, but it really was kind of a play on words as it was mostly a scooter shop, and they did quite well as that town is very condusive to two wheel travel. In fact, it's probably the only city I've been to that I actually could live in. Back to what I was saying though, they had a load of older scooters. I particularly liked the ones painted that deep aqua color. Scooters are cool, yeah.

Dgy
 
#12 ·
I tried removing my plate once, got a ticket for "improper display of license plate, as well as illegal parking..." Yup, that was when I was parked in front of a Bordelo, which Tex will confirm, is an Ice Cream shop.

FR
 
#13 ·
Nah, in NY they don't really tow you for parking too often. If you forget to take off your plate for 5min you WILL get a ticket tho'... It's different on motorcycles because your VIN is usually stamped on the front, making it pretty easy to see. Not so easy on the Vespa.

Cheers, A.D.
 
#16 ·
In the city they don't tow bike that often, not downtown anyways. I have seen them ticket motorcycles for improperly displayed plates and illegal parking because it is easy to find the frame number. If you get a nosey officer they will move your bike around however, which I think is way uncool.

A trick that worked for me for a while is to find the closest police station and see where the officers park their bikes. Most brownies (traffic officers) will not go anywhere near that spot, just make sure you don't leave it there day and night for a long time or someone will think something is up.
 
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