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Brooklyn, NY – Justice is not only blind, it’s very slow.
A retired New York City man says he’s spent $7,500 fighting a $115 parking ticket. Simon Belsky, who has been fighting the same parking ticket for more than two years.
The Former 63-year-old electrical hardware firm vice president was issued the ticket, citing his 1990 Chrysler van for blocking a fire hydrant, in Brooklyn, on Nov. 3, 2006.
But Belsky claims that the only hydrant on the street is way down the block.
The fine, which was for $115, has ballooned to about $200 today with penalties. But Belsky refuses to give up.
“I got nothing else to do. I’m retired,” said Belsky.
He also filed a petition in state Supreme Court suing the New York City Department of Finance, and a week ago appeared in court, ready to fight the case.
But the city’s attorney requested an adjournment, and the judge granted it, instructing Belsky to return Feb. 2. It’s the second time his lawsuit has been adjourned.
If Belsky wins his fight, he plans to file a civil suit against the city to recover his expenses, plus compensation for his legal work, which he estimates at around $7,500.
If there’s any compensation awarded in addition to expenses, he plans to donate it to educational programs.
If he has money & time to spare, let him do something worthwhile, like mentoring kids or Bikur Cholim or something. What a waste.
Let him join the ‘Jimmy justice’ team..
Go get em!
The city thinks they can bully us with random unwarranted tickets. We need people like him that will fight the bullies. If everyone that got a wrongful ticket sued the city, maybe we wouldn’t get so many wrongful tickets!
I guess this guy proved my theory wrong- I used to think that if someone says “It is not the money but rather the principle- it almost always is the money”- Mr. Belsky has proved this theory wrong!
What is his basis and is the city’s response.I may be able to help if i know the issues.
Go, Mr. Belsky!! Kol Hakovod. I can’t tell you how many tickets we paid (we are a small business) just because we don’t have the time or manpower to spend days fighting the tickets. Its high time someone took NYC DEPT of Finance to task, we all suffer from them greatly.
I am from upstate so I do not deal with this parking nightmare daily. I once came from a wedding at 2 am and found I was ticketed for parking at a pump that was at the other end of the block. But all city people told me to just pay “because you can’t fight city hall”
dont forget u canot fight city hall !!!!!!!!
IF SOME ONE WOULD ROB YOU AT GUNPOINT YOU WOULDNT SAY LET THE GUY GO ITS ONLY $115 NO DIFFERENCE WE NEED TO SEND A MESSAGE STOP ROBING US AT GUNPOINT
Go Simon, Go!
$7500 could pay him 65 tickets!!
WHAT A LOST
If you keep a camera in the car, you can take pictures for evidence that should be valid in court.
A mishiginah is born every minute
well the city will now think in the ts a good think to give a 115 To pump in another 7500 in the local economy …
HEY SIMOM! I GOT ABOUT 12 TICKETS ! DO YOU WANT TO FIGHT IT FOR ME IN YOUR FREE TIME!
You are the man!
I have been to Parking Violations Court several times during my 40 + years of driving. You can fight city hall, but it does require time and patience and a real good reason to show you are right and the city is wrong. For the most part I would say they have been fair to me. My last parking ticket was pleaded not guilty on line. I received an expired meter ticket at a time I wasn’t even parked at that location. I detailed when I did get there and where I was going and the summons was dismissed as it should have been. Someone must have checked the time of the hand held unit used to issue this summons and saw that the unit wasn’t registering time correctly. Keep up the good fight Mr. Belsky!!
How about a class action lawsuit against the City, The NYPD (Cause traffic agent are part of the NYPD), Traffic agents union, Mayor, Commissioner of Finance, Police Commissioner, City Comptroller and any one else that is involved in issuing tickets and involved with the City’s money.
Maybe then the fingers will start pointing to who ever is responsable for telling these agents to issue tickets the way they do.
This case shows how screwed the City is and only intrested in making money on our backs.
Mr Belski could have helped to pay a Yeshivah tuition , or Shabbos food for Poor families or buy a better car, or a nice Trip to Israel,
kol hakovod!! fight the city till the end. i have a whole pile of tickets waiting in my dining room. mabey ill give him a call and i will acomplish two things 1- fight the city 2-give somebody what to do with their time.
#8 here is a good tip if you wanna know which is the best deli to go to eruv Shabbos  211; check where those meter maids are hanging around in droves (last time I checked  211; it was neshers)
But on a different note, and I am ready for the volumes of attacks, but I FOR ONE am SO GRATEFUL for those meter maids, Boro park is a disaster. Who gives those drivers the right to double park all the way down 13th Avenue and the side streets, forcing us to navigate the streets like an obstacle course and wasting EVERYONE else 217;s precious time. It is just amazing how we can do our shabbos shopping every friday and NEVER find the need to double park because for one we ARE considerate to other drivers. IF not for those parking meter maids can you imagine how much worse it would get????
But of course, if they do dish out tickets, then it is NEVER YOUR fault!!!!
The Plaintiff usually has the burden of proof except under limited circumstances, not relevant to this case.
$7,500 so far in legal expenses? All for filing a summons and complaint? That’s an expensive attorney. It would make more sense if the $7,500 is part of an advance retainer.
It’s only been two years? Peh! that’s nothing for the city. He’s just getting started.
Good for you! At least someone is standing up against them rather than taking the easy route of just paying!