A Denver man’s parking ticket ordeal is going viral on Instagram after a local news reporter shared his story. Peter Hecht was nearly hit with a $70 ticket over what has been described as a faulty license plate reader. The investigative team at local outlet 9News posted a story about the unusual circumstances on Instagram. As of this writing, the clip has racked up nearly 910,000 views. What Happened? In the video, reporter Steve zooms in on the back of Hecht’s license plate to show viewers the source of the confusion. “Is this a ‘0’ or an ‘O’?” he asks, letting the camera reveal that it’s clearly an “O.” Steve explains that Hecht had a legal permit to park on the street, but the faulty reader still flagged him. “This has happened to Peter three times,” Steve notes. He says that Hecht successfully disputed tickets online the first two times, but budget cuts eliminated the online dispute process, leaving people to appear in court in person. “He couldn’t dispute it,” Steve adds, describing the hurdles Hecht faced. OWNERSHIP STORIES Viral stories from across the web Our team of experts tracks what owners are saying about car-shopping, repairs, the daily driving experience and more on social media. When Hecht went before a judge, his explanation that the plate had an “O” and not a zero was initially dismissed. Luckily, a producer from Steve’s team was present in the courtroom and took the issue to the city’s Department of Transportation to advocate on Hecht’s behalf. The next day, the judge issued a new order voiding the ticket and ordering the city to pay Hecht $71—though Steve says the refund hasn’t arrived yet. Denver plans to reinstate the online dispute process in 2026, Steve reports, but for now, residents still have to go to the courthouse to plead their cases in person. Gallery: 1982 Dodge Ramcharger 4x4 Police Car Denver’s Dispute Process To Change According to 9News, Denver’s parking ticket dispute process has undergone significant changes—mainly due to recent budget cuts. Previously, residents could challenge citations online through a portal managed by Denver County Court. However, to drivers’ dismay, the online dispute option was removed in September after staff layoffs, including all five parking magistrates, as part of efforts to address a multi-million-dollar city budget shortfall. With the online dispute system shut down, individuals now must request in-person hearings at the Denver City and County Building. This change has angered city residents, who have raised accessibility concerns, especially for those unable to attend during business hours. In response to public outcry, Mayor Mike Johnston has proposed allocating federal COVID-19 relief funds to reinstate an online dispute system. As Steve shared, the city’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure will implement this new system by the first half of 2026. But until then, residents must attend in-person hearings to contest parking tickets. This shift underscores the challenges cities face in balancing budget constraints with public services. While the reinstatement of the online dispute process offers hope for increased accessibility, the interim period may continue to pose difficulties for Denver residents. Commenters Say City Is Being Unreasonable Viewers who saw Steve’s Instagram clip were furious on Hecht’s behalf, with many calling for the judge who initially refused to hear the case, and some saying they wouldn’t support that person in future elections. “What was the judge’s name—just for voting purposes,” one commenter asked. “What’s the judge’s name?” another wrote. A third agreed that the judge needed accountability, adding, “The judge needs to be removed. And if it were me, I would request a new license plate.” One viewer vented more broadly about the system, saying, “Judges work for the city, not for the people. Smh nobody looks out for the everyday person.” Others questioned how the city suddenly found funds to bring back an online parking ticket dispute system. “How the [expletive] is it more expensive to have an online dispute system than a whole court?” one asked. Another quipped, “Soooo… You are saying Denver needs to issue more parking tickets in order to fund the parking dispute website?” A third sarcastically added, “‘Found money.’” Some viewers used Hecht’s story to highlight bigger issues with city funding and bureaucracy. “USA is backwards, 3rd world country backwards!” one person claimed. Another concluded, “This city is a hot mess. Period.” Motor1 has reached out to Steve via Instagram direct message. We’ll update this if he responds. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team