Question regarding Parking bylaws...

[Greatwhite]

I figured that I'd throw this out there while I await an answer from the City (in 5 business days)...  Just in case there's anyone here "in the know"...

This morning, my daughter had a little soccer tournament (if you could even really call it that at 6yrs old).  It was in a big park with street parking only.  One side of the street is no parking, and the other is fine.  There's a hydrant or 2 and a bus stop.  I parked NEAR a bus stop - not in front in any way.

Part way through the tournament, one of the dads walked over after going out to grab a coffee and said how ridiculous it was for a bylaw guy to be walking up the street ticketing cars.  Since I was on the "good side" of the street, I didn't think anything of it.  I could see my car, and I could see a car parked 1 full car length ahead of mine - directly in front of the bus stop.

There were people parked on the no-parking side as well, and I figured that THEY were the ones getting nailed.

So I walk up to my car after to find a nice $90 fine on my windshield for "stopping in a bus zone".  Now this was infuriating because 1) I had never heard of any fine for parking in front of a bus stop - you just don't do it because it's rude, and 2) I felt that I was far enough away from the bus stop.... and 3) THERE WAS NO SIGN saying where the bus zone started.

I have looked all over the City of Ottawa site, and all I can find is a list of offenses that can be fined - and how much each fine is.

I've emailed the city, looking for ANY publication of what a bus zone is before I decide if it's worth fighting.

Google showed me "strathcona county" has a bylaw that was passed in 2011 that started being enforced Jan 1, 2013 that says that a bus zone is 35 meters either side of the bus stop.  That's 100 feet each way -- 200 feet total of no parking in a place that is ONLY street parking??  Seems a little extreme to me.  But again - I can't find this in regards to Ottawa.  Since it is a bylaw, it will be city-level only - not provincial, or federal...

So my next step really depends on what I heard from the City.  If they can show me in writing what a bus zone is, I will pay the fine without a fuss.  BUT - if they just give me a run around saying that it's some invisible zone that no one is really sure about, but is enforced at the discretion of the bylaw officer -- they better prepare for a fight.

I honestly think that the bylaw guys patrol on weekend mornings looking for soccer tournaments to meet their quota.  After doling out 19 tickets, he probably wanted an even number and my car looked like an easy target.

I took a picture of where I was parked, in case it comes to a fight.  I didn't move my car at all - this is 20 seconds after I saw my ticket.

Thanks City of Ottawa for keeping our streets safe!   

[Greatwhite]

Bah... searched for "Ottawa bylaw parking" and came across this:

Stopping Prohibited (with or without signs):
Within bus stop areas ( within 34 metres on the approach side of a bus stop and 18 metres of the leaving side)

OK - so it's published.  I have no argument.  First I heard of such a "law".  Poop. 

[RedFish]

That's a real bummer.   And a steep fine.   I park regularly near a bus stop.   There are yellow diagonal lines on the road, and I always park back from the lines, but I don't think they cover 34 metres.   So I will check it out and make sure I am parking far enough away.    Thank you for the heads up, you might save someone else a fine!