How steep is a 3% grade...?

Question

I recently got a ticket for not turning my wheels into the curb, when the street was very close to being flat. The tickets states "Wheels Straight/Over 3% Grade" Is 3% steep at all? Or is it almost flat?

Do you think I can petition the ticket, especially if the address is incorrect on the citation? The citation says 1721 Van Ness, and there is no parking (red curbs) from 1700 to 1735 Van Ness. I was parked around 1780 Van Ness (these are city bocks, so it does make a difference.

Thanks!!!

Answer 1

Rise over run = 3 feet rise over 100 feet run

Answer 2

3% means 3 degrees.  No, it is not much at all, but if your parking brake failed, the car would roll off into the street where as if you had the wheels turned it would roll against the side of the street.

Answer 3

3% = 3 foot rise or drop per 100 feet foward

Answer 4

i think it is 3/8 of an inch per running foot

Answer 5

3% isn't much but wheels would definitely roll down hill on such a grade.

Yes, you can fight that ticket...  you have to appear in court and tell the judge your facts....

good luck....

Answer 6

The officer had it out for you and that's all he/she could get you for.  Or, maybe the officer had a bad experience with people who don't know how to drive/park.

Answer 7

That is 3 percent above a 90 degree angle. Not very much.

Answer 8

3% is not much, but since cars are so heavy they don't need much force to break the kinetic energy holding it in place if you forget to apply your parking brake.  Once it starts moving it won't stop until it hits something (or someone).  You need to turn your wheels into the curb as a safety measure.

Just pay the ticket, it isn't worth the time you will have to spend fighting it anyway.

Answer 9

3% is like 0% according to this unfair world. Or, should i say unfair society!

Answer 10

The percentage of grade is determined by the distance up or down the road varies over a specified distance. For example, if the road rises one mile over a distance of one mile, the incline is 100 percent. That would be a 45 degree angle. One mile driven, one mile of elevation. That same rise in elevation over two miles would only be half that, or 50 percent. Two miles driven, one mile of elevation. It's more complicated than it seems. A 3 percent grade can be a different angle depending on the distance it is measured over. Here's a website that will explain it.

http://www.csgnetwork.com/inclinedecline...

Answer 11

3% grade means 0.036 inches per foot which is basically flat.  So I believe you encountered someone who was trying to fill a ticket quota.

I think you can technically get the ticket dismissed based on the incorrect address if you go to traffic court and fight it.