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LIRR Commuters Outraged Over Hefty Parking Lot Tickets In Ronkonkoma

RONKONKOMA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- The Ronkonkoma Long Island Rail Road station is home to 7,000 cars fighting over 6,000 parking spots.

"Wherever you can find a spot and you are running for the train," one rider told CBS2's Jennifer McLogan.

It's no wonder commuters are forced to be creative. Wedged in between pillars, tucked under bushes, and for those transgressions.

"My husband has gotten many tickets here," commuter Joann O'Brien said.

And that ticket will cost you $75.

Unfair, say riders, because there are no signs and no striped parking stall lines. In fact, some lots don't even have pavement to paint on, but merely dirt.

"Very unsafe and you see unsavory people," one commuter said.

The lots belong to the LIRR. Many of the 15,000 daily riders are asking why Town of Brookhaven public safety officers are on railroad land issuing summonses.

"Getting a $75 ticket and missing a business opportunity in the city, not good," commuter Ken Braun said.

Braun said it's no longer worth it to pull around a pothole to park next to an abandoned swimming pool.

"I actually just missed my train, the parking lot in here is full," Braun said.

Following a barrage of complaints and demands, the town is rethinking its policy and says it will no longer ticket inside the lots. However, it hasn't made a decision on whether to reimburse commuters who already shelled out the $75.

So far the LIRR seems to be skirting CBS2's questions for a timetable on repairing, repaving or expanding the lots. They say they will monitor the area and fix potholes as needed.

The railroad said it would look into whether it was legal for the town to issue tickets in the lots.

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