This day I was driving a school bus, (I am a charter bus driver), and one of my passengers became ill and vomitted. A teacher cleaned up what she could but we were still in motion so it wasn't perfect. I dropped my passengers at their location, and was fortunate to find a parking space (when came around the block), virtually across the street from the drop off. How lucky I thought, a spot big enough for the bus, the only thing is I would have to parallel park the bus on Dundas St. in downtown Toronto. Two women, one with a big baby carriage, stood nearby watching this and having a chat.

After parking, I washed up the rest of the vomit, and noticed a garbage bin about 250 feet up the street. Before going to empty my gabage can, I bought a parking ticket and put it in the front window of the bus. I dumbed the garbage, then put the can back in my bus. Now wanting to wash my hands, I went into one of the local cafes; but to use the washroom, you must be a customer. So I asked for a coffee to go, and went and washed my hands, then paid for my coffee and left. When I got out on the street, the Parking Enforcement Officer was about 3 feet from me, and asked if that was my bus, (he saw my uniform). I said yes and looked at the windshild, sure enough there was a ticket. I asked what for, and he told me I was too close to the fire hydrant. I said; there's no markings on the sidewalk to indicate a fire hydrant zone, he said "that's optional, you can challange it if you want to."

Here's my problem, without a marked zone, how can you know that there is a fire hydrent there at all if it obscured from view? Remember the two women and the baby carriage? They were standing in front of the hydrant! When I first found this parking space, I even looked for a painted zone, seeing none, I thought I was in a safe space. I have challanged the ticket, and did not request the PE officer to appear. Is there anything else I can do, or should do? I took a couple of pictures showing the no markings on the sidewalk, and the location of the fire hydrant, and then yet another PE officer came by and told me that buses are not even allowed to park on the north side of Dundas St, (even though there are no signs at all for that), and then told me that I should contest the ticket because I was stopped for a medical emergency, and may actually get the cost reduced.

Feeling Unlucky

Parking at least 3 metres from a hydrant requires no signage or markings in the City of Toronto.

Agreed. I just want a fighting chance. If the fire hydrant is blocked from view, and no markings or signage...what chance do you have of not being parked illigally? Should I just explain to the judge what happened as I priviously stated here, and hope for the best? Any suggestions.