New for 1986--Parking Tickets in Hot Pink

Long noted for their love of things designer--whether it be jeans, swimming pools or cuisine--Los Angeles residents are not expected to covet the latest designer item to hit the city.

The city Department of Transportation’s tired old basic white parking tickets have been replaced with tickets in a scrumptious shade of pink.

If you would have preferred something in punk orange or riotous red, blame city Parking Administrator Bob Yates.

He chose pink over the other two available colors, not because it matched BMW seat covers or the sunsets over Santa Monica Bay, but because the color makes it is easier for a new computer to read, and for parking offenders to see how much they owe the city.

The change is part of the computerization of the city’s citation system, intended to speed up fine collection, help alleviate congestion in the court system and enable officers to catch up with scofflaws who do not pay old parking tickets.

A study conducted recently for the city indicated that such tighter enforcement could possibly increase the number of tickets issued to 5 million a year.

Nearly 2 million parking citations are expected to be issued this fiscal year, totaling $23 million. That compares with 1.8 million tickets for fiscal 1984-85.

Under the old microfilm system, it was often days before the information was on file, Yates said. Traffic officers were often reluctant to impound cars because they were not sure if the parking tickets had been paid.

With the new computerized system, city traffic officers will have access to the latest information.

There will also be a concerted enforcement effort to locate cars of parking violators who have five or more unpaid tickets and who have expired registration tags, Yates said. About 50,000 drivers presently have five or more tickets outstanding.

The cars will be impounded, using a boot which is locked onto the wheels to immobilize the vehicles, Yates said. Owners cannot retrieve the autos until the old tickets and registration fee are paid.

Under the new system, parking violators will be encouraged to pay their ticket by mail, Robert Quist, deputy Municipal Court administrator, said. Payments can also be made at three sites in the San Fernando Valley, West and Central Los Angeles.

In the past, many people paid their tickets at the county’s 24 Municipal Courts, causing congestion. Information calls were also directed to the courts, where there were not enough workers to handle the inquiries.

The calls will now be handled through a toll-free telephone hot line, (800) 482-5387, or (213) 625-8108.

Shared Expenses

The city and county, whose law officers also issue citations in some parts of the city, have contracted with New Jersey-based Datacom Systems Corp., a Lockheed subsidiary, to provide the computerized system, process the fines and run the collection sites and hot line.

The city’s tab will be $4 million annually. The county’s share is $2.7 million over the next three years.

As part of the reorganization, the city has also placed all parking-related responsibilities under the Department of Transportation, including the 400-member civilian traffic officer force which was previously under the Police Department.