My question involves a traffic ticket from the state of: Washington
I walked back out to my car today to find a parking ticket for $350 for "parking in front of a mailbox." I found quite a few issues which make me think this is a wrongful ticket.
1. I wasn't parked in front of a mailbox. I was a foot or two away from the mail drop off, but not blocking it in any way.
2. There were no signs claiming that this was a no-parking zone: no yellow paint, no "No Parking" signs, no sign saying what times parking is prohibited.
Here is the exact ordinance under which my parking ticket was cited:
10.20.030 Parking next to mail boxes. No person shall park directly adjacent to a curbside, next to any clearly visible residential mail box between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on any day of scheduled mail delivery by the United States Postal Service. [Ord. 98-0040 § 3.]
According to this, I was wrong for parking near a mailbox between the prohibited hours (the ticket was for 12:50pm). However, I had absolutely no idea this was illegal and no way to know considering there were NO signs. I understand you can't plead ignorance to the law, but I feel like there should be some type of sign considering the special circumstances this parking area is under.
I have taken photos of my car in the parking spot, showing that I am following all of the things I have highlighted above. Can I fight this parking ticket in a contested hearing and have a chance to win, or should I just bite the $350 bullet?

