A WOMAN says she was slapped with over $450 in fines in just two weeks, all for parking near her driveway.
She blames a controversial AI parking enforcement system and a new “daylighting” law.
The incident happened in Sacramento, California, roughly two hours from San Francisco, where an artificial intelligence camera flagged her parked car multiple times.
Angela Calderaro, who lives across the street from a city bus stop, said the rules are unfair and impossible to follow.
“It is super convenient to take the bus. I take the bus every single time I go into work,” she told NBC affiliate KCRA.
However, parking anywhere near her home has now become a daily gamble.
The city prohibits parking 60 feet before and 30 feet after a bus stop.
On top of that, California’s “daylighting” law bans cars from being parked 20 feet from any curb at intersections to improve visibility.
“Because with the new daylight law, it’s 20 feet from the curb. So I have 20 feet, then I have 60 feet, and then I have 30 feet,” Calderaro said.
“I can’t even park blocking my own driveway the way that it’s set up.”
Her citations came from AI cameras installed on Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT) buses.
The system captures violations as buses pass by and automatically generates citations.
Calderaro says the system lacks context and human judgment.
“I reached out to Sac RT. I reached out to the city. I reached out to the councilmember. Everybody says it’s going to take months to resolve,” she said.
The fines quickly piled up, leaving her frustrated and out hundreds of dollars.
“I have two young kids, and one of them is disabled,” Calderaro said.
How to fight a parking ticket
You can avoid being ticketed by following all posted laws and ordinances, but sometimes mistakes are made
Like any form of citation, parking tickets are preventable by reading and obeying posted signage. However, when visiting a new city, or state, or in a hurry, things can be missed and mistakes are made.
Suddenly there’s a ticket you weren’t prepared to pay for. If the ticket is a surprise to you, there are a few things you can do to help your case when appealing a parking ticket.
- Carefully read the ticket. Look for errors like incorrect street names, license plate numbers, vehicle make and model, time and date, etc. Errors would then make the ticket invalid.
- Take photos. Of the vehicle in the parking space, lack of signage, or other vehicles that weren’t cited for performing the same parking job. If the ticket involves parking too close to something like a fire hydrant, a photo showing a reasonable distance would help your case. Make sure metadata with the time and date are accessible. Signs that are obstructed by trees, or are on bent posts, or aren’t “obvious” are great things to photograph, too.
- Make sure the statute that was violated is listed on the ticket. If not listed, the ticket is not valid.
- Promptly follow the appeal instructions on the ticket. All legitimate tickets will have directions for appeal. Waiting until the very last moment weakens your argument and can result in late fees.
- When in court, avoid these phrases as they reduce your credibility and weaken your argument:
- “I didn’t know the law.”
- “I was on my way to move my car.”
- “I can’t afford this ticket.”
- “I’ve been doing this for years.”
- “I checked with the parking officer, who said it was OK.”
- Contact a lawyer. If you’re running into roadblocks and feel stuck, it may be best to reach out to a traffic lawyer in your area. Many have free case consultations.
Source: Reader’s Digest
“It takes a lot to get groceries in and out.
“My driveway barely fits both vehicles, so I can’t lug all the groceries and the kids in and out of the house when both cars are parked in the driveway.”
She often chooses to park on the street when she is rushing to bring things inside.
It’s unclear if her fines were issued during these moments, but she believes the tech is too rigid.
“The AI-generated tickets are unfair. There’s just no discretion involved,” she said.
City officials said each ticket is reviewed by enforcement officers before being issued.
But Calderaro claims something is clearly off, given the number she’s received in such a short time.
“There’s no way to know where the bus stop begins and ends,” she said.
She pointed out that while one side of the stop is marked with a “No Parking Anytime” sign, her side has nothing.
KCRA reviewed SacRT’s design guidelines and found signage inconsistencies.
Rules require that bus zones clearly indicate “No Parking” or “No Stopping Except Buses.”
The city said it would review the stop near Calderaro’s home.
Officials said they would assess whether clearer signage or painted curbs are needed.
They also said they’d look into whether any safe parking could be added nearby.
Calderaro is contesting her tickets, but there’s no word on when she’ll get an answer.
The City of Sacramento and Calderaro didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment by The U.S. Sun.
