You'd be surprised how often it happens. That parking ticket you received one day when you forgot to feed the meter, the one you threw in the glove box and neglected to pay, comes back to haunt you, and not just in the form of a mounting fine as most people expect – no, it can actually be worse than that. Unpaid parking tickets can result in getting your drivers license suspended.
Most people aren't aware that this penalty is very real, and happens to drivers every day who fail to pay parking tickets, or let multiple tickets accumulate.
With the number of people who aren't aware that this stipulation exists, the argument is often made that it's an unfair maneuver. However, the truth is that ignorance of a law is no excuse for not obeying it, and the loss of your license in this type of situation is completely valid and legal... albeit frustrating.
Often people forget about their parking tickets simply because they seem like such a minor infraction. The situation can be compounded by the fact that people move, and notices may not arrive in their mail as they should. Sometimes they're not even aware of the situation until they're pulled over, or otherwise interact with the police, and discover that their license has been suspended.
It's not a dirty trick, even though it does tend to catch you by surprise. It's simply a matter of a small violation turning into a larger one by merit of letting it go on too long without answering for it. The simple solution, of course, is to pay your parking tickets promptly, without giving yourself a chance to forget about them, and without giving them a chance to stack up against you. In some states, you may even have your license suspended over just one ticket, provided you let it sit for long enough.
Having your license suspended is a serious situation, and it's not easy to straighten out. It's also not cheap: the fines and fees will stack up quickly. If you get a parking ticket, paying it up as soon as possible may sting a little, but it's ten times more convenient than the possible alternative.
If you have unpaid parking tickets and are dealing with a suspended drives license because of it, then you should consult with an experienced attorney as soon as possible. Your lawyer can help you deal with the consequences of the tickets and can help you to get your license reinstated as quickly as possible.