SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Today's Why Guy question comes from Mark, who asks, "is it true you can get a $1,400 fine for parking in a section of downtown Sacramento? Why?"
There's one spot at 7th and J Streets, near the Golden 1 Center and across from 24 Hour Fitness, where you could receive a fat fine. Your vehicle would have to be parked in a white zone.
According to Grace Nunez, media and communications specialist for the city of Sacramento, the spot is legal to park in, but there are restrictions.
"You're not supposed to leave a car unattended," Nunez said. "Your vehicle is also very close to the white line. RT trains can't pass if a vehicle is past the white line, so you may have been obstructing the light rail driver's path."
A light rail train can pass, but there isn't a lot of room to do so.
A car previously parked in this spot was just slightly on the parking line, causing the Sacramento RT train operator to stop the train and tell the car operator it's a $1,400 fine!
$1,400? Is that true?
A document supplied to ABC10 from the California Department of Motor Vehicles obtained from the California Judicial Council regarding traffic fines; section 22526 "Blocking railroad or rail transit crossings. The total fine is uniformly set at $238. Not $1,400, but high enough!
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