If you devil to show up in court , you ’ve get a fair hazard of make that hefty parking amercement go aside . In some U.S. cities , you’vegot as muchas a50 - 50 shot , and in the UK , as many as 60 pct of contested parking tickets aresuccessfully appealed . But you may also make a strong case without ever ingest to go out your home , much less speak to another man . A robot will do it for you , and it will believably win , according toThe Guardian .
As we reportedin January , a UK - based chatbot calledDoNotPayis designed to suffice legal questions and generate solicitation . It has now successfully contested 160,000 parking ticket in London and New York over the last 21 months , about a 64 pct winner charge per unit .
Built by Stanford University soph Joshua Browder , the unreal intelligence platform scans legal advice assemble by the self - taught coder and , with a few stimulation from the user , can create a canonical appeal claim . So far , it ’s contract on 250,000 caseful worth a total of $ 4 million in parking fine .
This is n’t the first time applied scientist have tried to take on the parking all right organization . In 2014 , an app calledFixeddebuted as an automated slate contester , but a subsequent probe by theLos Angeles Timesfound that it was n’t as effective as showing up in person . Some cities , including L.A. and San Francisco , laterblocked the appfrom accessing the ticketing websites that it require to function .
While for some people a parking mulct is a underage inconvenience , in many metropolis , minor violations and fines like parking tickets disproportionately affect the pitiful , who often ca n’t take off work to head to the courthouse . A Las Vegas investigation in 2015 found that downcast - income neighborhoods shouldered adisproportionate numberof parking tickets on the area ’s residential blocks , and recreational parking tickets can often lead to driver ’s licence suspension , pushing those who ca n’t afford to pay evenfurther into poverty . And because many cash - lather municipalitiesgain revenuefrom parking tickets and traffic violations , police departments give out a lot of tickets .
Browder plans to expound DoNotPay to assist with other legal troubles , admit being compensate after check flight , navigating foreign effectual systems as a refugee , and knowing your rights as an HIV positive individual . The site already has afunctionwhere you may prove that you ’ve disclosed your HIV positive position to a intimate better half , for place where that ’s lawfully mandated .
[ h / tThe Guardian ]
Know of something you think we should cover ? Email us at tips@mentalfloss.com .
