“Fire Hydrant...to Measure Or Not To Measure”

Hello Everyone..

Location: Hamiltion, around McMaster Hospital on Arnold St.

$60 ticket for 0.8 meters.

How many out there have had this happen to you....

I was at a hospital here in Hamilton, ON for one of my kids. I parked on a side street, about a block away from the hospital. I can across a spot, that had a fire hydrant that was only about 3 feet from the road, so clearly visible. I parked, got out had a look, then moved up to make more distance between the hydrant and my car. Sure enough I get back about an hour later, you guessed it...a ticket for $60.

I was sure I was far enough away, but I guess not. The lady that wrote the ticket, had drawn a chalk line close to center of the Hydrant on the road to measure I guess. So how far off was I to get this ticket....0.8 meters (2.6 feet). I was about 7.3 feet from the hydrant.....or about 2.2 meters as stated on the ticket.

So, after doing my best to make sure I was not blocking the hydrant, this lady pulls out a measuring tape and says sorry.....you are 0.8 meters to close.....REALLY!

So now I feel I have to bring a measuring tape and measure out 3m next time. If they are going to be that precis...make the curbs 3m with paint on each side.

Needless to say..I am going to fight this just on principle. The spirit of this law was not to block the hydrant in case of fire for the fire hoses. My being 7 feet away..is to close I guess....keep in mind the law use to be 6 feet for many many years.

Has anyone had any luck with fighting such tickets that was ...almost....far enough?

Teresa Hardlyy wrote:Needless to say..I am going to fight this just on principle.

Principle or not, you haven't made a defense.

The chalk line was so that the By-Law officer had a reference to measure 'from'. The distance is the distance straight along the curb, not from the hydrant. Therefore, you need to go to the hydrant. Walk straight to the road and measure from where your toe touches the street to your bumper. The fire truck isn't going to be able to park in the hole between you and the hydrant on the sidewalk.

That being said... Fire Zones should be marked in yellow or red paint to make it easy for motorists to tell if they are parked illegally or not - but how will we make stealth tax money off of citizens then? Clearly marked zones would also ensure that the pumper trucks have enough room to operate if they need to respond to a working fire in that location. You know the whole reason for the hydrant by-law in the first place. Funny how municipalities and even the POOs (Provincial Offenses Officers) forget the reason for many of the laws they are enforcing.