Parking Tickets at Horner Road Lot

If you received a parking ticket but the car in front or behind you didn't. Or, you were parked in the same spot last week and didn't get a ticket but got one this week. I spoke to Captain Rudy, Eastern District Commander regarding the tickets and his explanation of why the car behind me didn't get a ticket could be one of several things. 1. the car behind me may have been the 26th ticket from his ticket book. Lucky person, the book has only 25. I feel that if one person gets a ticket then the other three should. 2. the officer may have been called away to more pressing matters. 3. worse infractions, i.e., impeding other cars, handicapped parking. I understand that between the white lines are legal parking spaces but, with the lot filling to capacity so early, parking along the curb (in the parking lot) is commonplace. It does not hender or obstruct other cars in any way. Why can't these spots be made into legal parking spaces (paint the white lines)? Just wanted to pass this information on. [8D]

I read another post about ticketing but it was in regards to speeding and the officer had a good analogy. It's like fishing, you know there's tons out there in the lake but you can only catch one at a time cuz you can't catch them all at once. You just happened to be one of the catches of the day. It may not sound fair to you but maybe next time you can avoid being the bait altogether.

The white lines that are at the ends of the parking rows are there for a reason. If for any reason a fire truck needs to gain access to the parking lot (for whatever reason), cars that are parked on the white lines or beside cars that are parked on the white lines, will impede their progress. The same goes for those cars parked along the entrance to the lot. I have been told by Officer Rudy that if rescue vehicles need to get into the parking lot, they will regardless of what is in their way. The owners of these vehicles will not be happy when upon their return and they see the condition of their cars, but this is one of the risks that they take. Granted it is rare that a fire truck needs to get into the lot, but why take the chance.

If you get to the Horner Road Commuter Parking Lot late, as I sometimes do, you cannot park on the white diagonal lines or curbside. You will get a ticket! I got a ticket for parking by the curb.

You have to park in assigned spaces only. There are signs stating this when you first enter into the commuter parking lot. I personally think there needs to be more no parking signs within the lot warning drivers not to park here or there, but that would be a matter to take up with VDOT. Parking on white diagonal lines obviously means no parking, so don't do it if you don't want to receive a ticket.

I would recommend people either head out earlier OR start using alternate lots (e.g. Potomac Mills). You cannot fight the Prince William Police (Parking Enforcement Division) and expect to win IN THIS CASE.