Question for our UK members... 'Parking Tickets'

[gikstar]

I just downloaded and watched "Dispatches S29E04 Secrets Of the Parking Wardens".

Have any of you been hit with these exorbitant parking fees?

 

[freedomit]

I once moved a client into a new office in a Friday afternoon, during the move I was told I could park in a small car park round the corner from the office. Anyway, I went back on the Monday to check everything was ok, I parked in the same space but decided to pop in and check it was ok. Lady on reception said they now had access to the underground car park and to park there instead. Went back out to move the car and it the 5 mins I had been there it had been clamped, had to pay £220 to have it removed. I tried to appeal and so did my customer on my behalf but never got my money back

 

[gikstar]

Ouch...

I once did a favor for a fellow IT Tech that we would do work for, he needed a check picked up from one of his clients. Rode my motorcycle and picked up the check and on the way back to his home office I took an exit off the Freeway which I'd not done before and made a right turn on a red light (which is legal here) only it was not legal since it was posted 'no turn on red' which I failed to notice. I made that right turn right behind a motorcycle cop who was traveling down that road that I turned onto. Picked up my first ticket on my motorcycle.
Never again did I do any more favors for him...

 

[RemotechIT]

These are the little s**ts that get me..

 

[gikstar]

Little cars... I remember back in High School we had an iron railing, not high, but at a height that you could sit on, along the walkway right in front of the school. One day one of the teachers cars was inside the railing. Guess one of the teachers ****** off one or more members on the football team. Don't know how the teacher got it out of there

The problem with these CCTV bugs, if you remove that one there's another waiting around the corner to take it's place

 

[RemotechIT]

The problem with these CCTV bugs, if you remove that one there's another waiting around the corner to take it's place

These are actually banned for use by local government now, but they still drive the cars with the cameras 'switched off' as a deterrent.

The irony is that these guys park more inappropriately than the rest of us. Go figure.

 

[gikstar]

It's amazing how governments can stick their heads in the sand and say how they can't fix the problem...

 

[JustInspired]

These are the little s**ts that get me..

Is that Martyn's car?

 

[RemotechIT]

Is that Martyn's car?

It's very similar. Perhaps Martyn should convert his and make some bucks while he's parked up visiting clients

 

[PCSupportGlasgow]

Luckily clamping has always been illegal here in Scotland. But the parking Gestapo are a constant bane on everyone's lives. Then again bus lanes are just as big a cash cow to the local shitty council.

 

[wardoursecure]

In 2014 I had a ticket for my ticket not being displayed, it had blown over, I argued that as it said my grey car was green, won that appeal.
I had another outside a customer (a wine bar) the workers vans didn't get one. Appealed that and sent a copy of the invoice, won that.
Another was for parking in a goods vehicle only zone, nearly went to a tribunal on that BUT as my car is my goods vehicle etc I won that one as well.

Only one I didn't was for parking too long in a supermarket car park and couldn't be bothered to argue, but probably should,have done

 

[Moltuae]

Only one I didn't was for parking too long in a supermarket car park and couldn't be bothered to argue, but probably should,have done

Those are the ones you don't need to argue over; just don't pay them.

They word the notices to appear like fines when in fact they're effectively just unenforceable invoices. Sure they could attempt to enforce the invoice by making a claim through the courts, but their chances of winning are slim, so I think such cases are very rare.

Only government/council/police fines are enforceable as far as I'm aware. Those are the ones you need to fight.

I've fought (and won) a few parking and speeding fines over the years. When the fines are small, and don't include any driving licence points, I would usually just pay them. I know that's precisely what they're hoping people will do, but it's just not worth my time spending hours writing letters when I could be working, earning more money than the fine in less time than it would take to fight it.

 

[joydivision]

I am the only one that is glad of the wardens? While some are little nazis and are far unfair, without them parking would just be chaotic. I live in an Edwardian/Victorian suburb which has had an exploding population in the last ten years. It really drives me mad the amount of people illegally parking outside the take aways etc. Causes so much congestion and bottlenecks.

Private car parks are a different matter as they generally cause little traffic problems but again I suppose we need rules otherwise people will just park in them for a week, jump on the tram to the airport etc and there will be no spaces left for shoppers.

As for bus lanes I agree with them in principle the idea is sound and there are places in Manchester where the bus lanes work well. However there are some near me that only have a bus every 5 or 15 minutes or so and I don't think that is enough bus traffic to warrant it. Some of them are also quite dangerous. The main issue with bus lanes is people tend not to understand how to use them and keep out when they should actually be in them.

I've never had a parking ticket, but my mate was clamped once for parking in a local pubs car park then walking across to the Wetherspoons .

 

[Markverhyden]

Those are the ones you don't need to argue over; just don't pay them.

They word the notices to appear like fines when in fact they're effectively just unenforceable invoices. Sure they could attempt to enforce the invoice by making a claim through the courts, but their chances of winning are slim, so I think such cases are very rare.

Only government/council/police fines are enforceable as far as I'm aware. Those are the ones you need to fight.

Over here it's common to be towed from many private lots. Since they are private the owner can do this. And sometimes there is a scam going on between the property owner and the towing company. One time I was at a apartment complex and parked the commercially plated vehicle I was driving in a visitors spot, which is where the resident said to park. Got towed. Their excuse was a commercial vehicle is not driven by a visitor. Another time I almost got towed while visiting my daughter at University. The one "private lot" sign they had was lying face down at the other end of the lot. Got there just as the guy was about to hook me and he refused to move unless I paid him $75. I called the police and they could have cared less.

 

[Moltuae]

Over here it's common to be towed from many private lots. Since they are private the owner can do this. And sometimes there is a scam going on between the property owner and the towing company. One time I was at a apartment complex and parked the commercially plated vehicle I was driving in a visitors spot, which is where the resident said to park. Got towed. Their excuse was a commercial vehicle is not driven by a visitor. Another time I almost got towed while visiting my daughter at University. The one "private lot" sign they had was lying face down at the other end of the lot. Got there just as the guy was about to hook me and he refused to move unless I paid him $75. I called the police and they could have cared less.

I've heard that's the case in the US. I'm pretty sure it would be illegal over here (on private land at least) to tow someone's vehicle away and then attempt to extort money from them for its return. It was once common for private land owners to wheel-clamp vehicles, but the law changed a few years ago, banning the practice: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19782680

However, if the land is owned by the council/government, then that's different of course; they can tow you, fine you, clamp you and extort the money from you any way they please.




By the way, here's some great advice for any UK drivers facing parking fines:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/private-parking-tickets

Be sure to print out and keep the 'Glove Box Parking Guide':
http://images.moneysavingexpert.com/images/documents/parkingguide2013.pdf