california driving
Meter maid in San Francisco blocks the way, and issues the parking ticket while the driver is present
<p>While driving in San Francisco, I got a cell phone call that I had to take. So I stopped at the metered space for maybe 2 minutes to take a call.</p>

<p>Next thing I see is a parking enforcement car behind me with a lady writing me a ticket. Her vehicle blocking my way out. I honked asking to get out, but she just walked up and put it under the wiper blade <em>even though I am in the car with the engine running</em>. When I said "Excuse me!" there was no answer, like I don't exist. I took the ticket and pushed it into the opening in her car.</p>

<p>But now I found the citation online:</p>

<ul>
<li>TRC7.2.26 YELLOW ZONE $91.00</li>
</ul>

<p>7.2.26 says: <em>"To Park in a yellow zone indicated by yellow paint on the curb or signage ... Non-commercial vehicles shall not be Parked in a yellow zone in excess of a period of three minutes, during which the operator must be in attendance ..."</em>. Wikipedia defines parking as <em>"(an) act of stopping and disengaging a vehicle and leaving it unoccupied."</em></p>

<p>My questions:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Vehicle wasn't unoccupied, and also it wasn't disengaged. Am I right that this is an unlawfully issued citation (not an instance of "<em>parking</em>")?</p></li>
<li><p>Can the parking enforcement vehicle block the way out for the vehicle it issues citation for?</p></li>
<li><p>Can the parking enforcement officer ignore the honking and still proceed in issuing a ticket?</p></li>
<li><p>I was there more than 3 minutes only because I was blocked by the parking enforcement vehicle. Does 7.2.26 still apply if the vehicle is blocked from leaving?</p></li>
</ul>

<p>The <a href="http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&amp;sectionNum=463.">California Vehicle Code</a> defines parking as:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>“Park or parking” shall mean the standing of a vehicle, whether
  occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and
  while actually engaged in loading or unloading merchandise or
  passengers</p>
</blockquote>

<p>SF gives precedence to the Vehicle Code, but also defines parking <a href="http://transportation.sanfranciscocode.org/1/1.1/">here</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>To park or stop a vehicle, as defined in the Vehicle Code, or to cause
  or permit a vehicle to be parked or stopped, unless the context
  requires a different meaning.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Stopping constitutes parking, and that is pretty much all there is to that, I am afraid to say. Being unoccupied or disengaged (shut off) isn't necessary. </p>
