This rainy Monday seems like a perfect day for a mystery and so here is one in which I would like to hear your theories!
What scenario would lead a police officer to drive to the end of a dead end road on a Sunday morning (8:13am [car was parked at approximately 7am on Sunday]) to write a ticket for "Parked on Pavement"?

Incidentally both cars were written tickets for the same offense.

Complaint from a neighbor or group. But the cars are not parked on pavement.

The really sad part is that you have no chance of beating this charge, even though it is clear that the charge is baseless.

Mystery solved?

Why park on Canaan Rd to climb at the Sunbowl when you can easily walk there from Spring Farm in about 20 minutes and avoid all the hassle?

Easy revenue.

can anyone say how much the fines were?
my guess is campground haters flexing their midol!

That's hardly easy revenue. It's barely worth the gas spent driving out there, nevermind the overtime for court when Cfrac pleads not guilty.

It would be easy revenue if the cars were on the pavement and the officer was already there.

But since the cars are clearly not on pavement, I would assume that this was intentional harassment - like giving you the finger except that the consequences are more of a PIA.

Driving a couple of miles and writing two parking tickets is more revenue than driving a couple miles (which you are going to do anyway) and not writing any tickets. Overtime is already in the budget.

"Parking on pavement" is just a short description, it doesn't fully define the violation. The V&T code could well define "pavement" as the road and the shoulder, or if there's no shoulder, a certain distance from the road. Hard to say if they're in violation or not without knowing exactly what they were supposed to have violated.

Edited to add:
I get a few BS tickets every year in NYC, and have tried fighting them, but the city doesn't care, they need the money. Pisses me off, but I get over it because you can't fight city hall over parking tickets.

My last ticket was when DPW or ConEd had to do emergency work, so they towed my car from a non-metered spot back to a metered spot. And there I got a ticket for failing to pay the meter.

Another where they towed my car into an intersection, so they could tow the car that was parked in front of me. But didn't push my car back, so I got a ticket for "blocking traffic".

Some where they didn't read the signs correctly, or completely made up the violation to meet a quota... again, the city doesn't care, you're not going to pay $400 to a lawyer to get you off a $125 ticket, so it's pretty much guaranteed income as long as they don't go overboard and get the media interested.

I've paid bogus tickets too. But I think this cop knew what he was doing and it is still the equivalent of giving you the finger, even if it wasn't motivated by neighbors.

This may perhaps be surprising to some, I just paid the ticket and then filed a complaint with the NP Police Dept. The ticket was only $15 and I think what Mark said above sums it up. As far as hiking in from Bonticou why should I be intimidated into taking that route when Cannan Road has legal parking, even if it is being illegally enforced? If this is a case of using the police to create an unwelcome climate at the end of Cannan Road then it is an example of a public entity preferentially enforcing the rules.

Good for you, cfrac!

I notice a certain "group" / local disgruntled land owner is curiously silent in this thread.

Curiosly indeed!

you shouldn't be intimidated and we should have a dance party there early Sunday morning since it's legal to park at.

Were there any signs (and where were they) in the area indicating the illegality of parking there?

FWIW, 2 cars towed Thursday and today (sat)......

Thanks, MPNA

goosey night.

There were no signs at all.

How about the Mohonk Preserve signs that say "No Access At This Point"........
Just Sayin'........

Thanks, MPNA

2 cars towed Sunday 2:00 from Canaan rd. Expect some big changes in the Canaan/Butterville area from now on.

Thanks, MPNA

mo money...

Why?

i believe that the identity of the one calling for the tow trucks is now a matter of public record, just saying.

Intimidation is not the reason I park at Spring Farm to access the Sunbowl. Simplicity of access and security for my vehicle are the two main reasons. I like the half hour hike from Spring Farm. It seems more peaceful and remote to me when I walk in from thr backside. Also, I don't like parking alongside the road if I don't have to.

Sat. 9:00 am 6.23.2012 A busy morning for the tow truck....