It was a case of insult to injury for Patricia Gift. The Philadelphia woman told NBC10 she received speeding tickets from the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) totaling $525 after speed cameras captured her car speeding down Roosevelt Boulevard four times on March 12 and March 14. Gift said there was one major issue however. She wasn’t the person behind the wheel.
Gift’s car was stolen in front of her home back on March 12. She reported the theft and even received a police report. On March 28, she appealed the speeding tickets with the PPA.
“They sent me an email, said they got my documentation, everything,” she said. “It would take five to seven business days for them to give me an answer.”
Gift told NBC10 she still never got an answer after several weeks however.
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“Two weeks later I called. I still did not have an answer,” Gift said. “Two weeks later, it’s in review. Week later, it’s in review.”
Gift then contacted the PPA again.
“I had a couple of emails to the PPA and they said, ‘We received your information. We are all backlogged. We’re busy and we’ll get to you as soon as possible.”
NBC10 Responds
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Gift then reached out to NBC10 Responds for help.
“I didn’t know where else to go,” Gift said.
NBC10 Responds then reached out to the PPA.
“The speed camera violations associated with this vehicle, along with supporting dispute documents, were sent by the PPA to the Office of Administrative Review (OAR), the agency that reviews speed camera disputes,” a spokesperson wrote. “At the request of the PPA, OAR conducted an expedited review of all the violations and dismissed them.”
Gift then called to check on her status and confirmed the violations were dismissed.
NBC10 Responds also reached out to Philadelphia’s OAR to find out how long it takes to review speed camera disputes.
“When the PPA received the information from Ms. Gift on 4/24, it was placed on an Admin Review sheet sent to OAR from PPA every 2-3 weeks. On this sheet are cases that need specific action by OAR,” a city spokesperson wrote.
“Ms. Gift’s tickets were sent on the May 8th’s Admin Review Sheet, along with 100 other cases that needed review. Generally, OAR reviews these cases within the 2-3 weeks time frame.”
Gift’s email history with the PPA showed that she sent them her appeal on March 28 rather than April 24 however. When NBC10 Responds asked the city to address the discrepancy, they sent us back to the PPA which confirmed it received Gift’s first appeal on March 28. They didn’t have any additional comments however and it remains unclear why it took the PPA nearly a month to send Gift’s case for review.
“If somebody is in the same situation as me, do not give up,” Gift said. “Be persistent. You will get somewhere.”
