DonnieDarko

From: DonnieDarko <***********@gmail.com>
Date: Nov 29, 2005 10:15 AM
Subject: Parking Fine PCN No. ************
To: parkingservices@*********.gov.uk

Dear Sir/Madam

I parked my Subaru ******** in the ********* Market Car Park last night, shortly before 18:30pm. Not having any coins, and because there was neither an attendant in the office, or a note-changing machine available I went off to get some change from the Cinema and buy my ticket, which would cost 60 pence, despite being chargeable for less than 10 minutes.

I returned shortly after 18:30pm, having recovered from what can only be described as chronic diarrhea, to find that I had been issued with a parking ticket at 18:29pm, 1 minute before the car park becomes free at 18:30!

I was outraged, especially as i noticed that at least one car had been ticketed which was not there when i arrived at the car park. To me this is certain evidence that the parking attendants must have been hiding and waiting for people to leave the car park, looking for change or whatever other reason, literally seconds before the time limit and slap fines on the cars.

I understand that controlling parking spaces is a valuable service during peak times, however, slapping fines on people a matter of seconds before deadlines, when many people will be relying on watches (which can be several minutes fast) as to whether it is before or after 6:30pm is disgraceful, and shows your employees to be no better than the so-called Cowboy Clampers.

I hope you are suitably embarrassed at how your fellow employees are behaving, and that this unhand technique will not be encouraged in future. I doubt very much that a judge would be amused that s/he was wasting time hearing a case such as this.

Yours faithfully

DonnieDarko

jjones

you park with no ticket and get the hump when you get a parking fine?

DonnieDarko

if i had any change i would have bought one. i had notes and a credit card- has that ever happened to you?

similarly i would be annoyed if i got a speeding ticket for doing 72mph on a motorway

sgcooby

Could you be any more arrogant. Read about the situation then you will see its harsh. You must be a traffic warden you ****.

warrenm2

Im with JJones on this one - you parked, no payment made, you got a ticket - perhaps a) you should make sure you have the money or b) drive round the block until 6.30 then park for free. Simple. I notice you dont say exactly what time you arrived. Do you think the law applies only to other people?

Speeding is a whole other matter as a) Im using something Ive already paid for b) motorway speed limits are an anachronism from the past as were 11pm closing times. When they are changed to something more appropriate then they will get more support. However, I wouldnt expect to get off doing 72 as its clear that I was speeding, just grit my teeth and be more careful next time

Scrappy9

No valid ticket = fine. Sounds reasonable to me.

Everyone (me included) always has a great reason not to have bought a ticket, how do the people that run the car parks no that they are truthful?

richs2891

Can see both side, car park attendants seem to complete jobsworth today, more interested in getting as many ticket issued in an attempt to win a holiday or such incentives that some have.
But you should have waited a few minutes until it was free. Saying that if thye had any huma descretion they should of let it go IMHO
Richard

stilover

I'm with Donnie on this one. Just Yesterday I had a Hospital appointment where I had to park my car in the Hospital car park, that charge. I had no change (only notes) and as the machine only takes coins I had to go to the hospital gift shop to get some change. As this took a few minutes I was in constant worry that I'd be clamped for just getting change. Luckily I wasn't but I would have been Very pi55ed off if it had. They should give you 5 minutes to allow for getting change.

Isn't it Law though, that they have to witness your car parked illegaly for 5 minutes??? I'm sure that was on a BBC documentry about traffic W@nkers, sorry, Wardens, cos the undercover guy was told to start counting from when he spots your car, as per the Law which states he should start counting from when he gets to your car.

Donnie, I'd contest it mate. Ask if the warden gave you 5 minutes to return before giving you a ticket.

scoobynutta555

If you have no change to pay the meter then thats your problem.

Let me get this right, you left shortly before 6.30 pm and managed to get some "chronic diarrhea" out of the way and get some change for a ticket machine by visiting a cinema, and returned shortly after 6.30 pm?

Sounds like to me you were chancing your arm by parking without paying. Who would go through all that to pay a few minutes of time when it was free after 6.30?

Next time do as said and park up when it becomes free, or have the sense to bring some change with you.

DonnieDarko

i have, that's my email, with details ***'d out.

my dad has just emailed me, he parked in london 3 mins before it went free, and the parking attendant said it was ok, apparently they aren't meant to issue tickets less than 4 minutes before the end of a chargeable period.

i really am surprised at how many people think this its a ridiculous situation.

the charges are there for peak times when the car park is full during the day with people going to work, the whole fact that it becomes free at 18:30 means they aren't bothered about collecting money from cinema-goers.

scoobynutta555

But you reckon in your post its more like 10 mins than 3 or 4?

Scrappy9

If they were not interested in collecting the parking fee's, why would they be paying a wage to the person that issues the tickets?

Alternatively they could say it's free parking from 5.00pm then someone would get caught at 4.59pm.

Sorry to sound unsympathetic but as you say the car park you were in becomes free at 18.30.

Hanslow

Why didn't you scribble a note and stick it under your windscreen wiper saying that you had popped off to get some change and would be back in less than 5 minutes to buy a ticket?

DonnieDarko

i still think its unreasonable, as i was on my way back. my mate was definitely stung though, there is no way he can have got out of his car more than 1-2 mins before they stickered him. they must have been trailing him, or hiding in a car and jumped out as he left the car park

Moley

iTrader: (9)

Parking attendants are evil, spineless, to55ers, who should all be shot.

Yes....i have a few issues with them!!!!!

corradoboy

Don't pay. Only a court of law has the authority to issue a fine of any kind in England. Check out the user "hedgehog" and his posts relating to the 1689 "Bill of Rights", the basis of law and government in this country.

pslewis

Not read all the posts ... but, my thoughts:-

You arrived just before 6:30pm ... the Car Park becomes free at 6:30pm - why not just sit in your car until 6:30pm ... then walk away???

The only reason you wouldn't stay with the car is that you actually arrived well before 6:30pm ............................ and chanced your arm.

Pete

DonnieDarko

i was genuinely there at around 6:20. why should i sit in my car for 10 mins, went off to get change cos i had none, met my mate on way back to car park, and he didn't say anything about seeing a ticket on my car- he parked next to me, by that point it was 6:30, so thought i was ok.

then got back at to the cars after the film + food and both had shiny new tickets on our cars

pslewis

To avoid a parking ticket??

Pete

theotherphil

Especially when it took more time and effort to go looking for change

lampshade

In your first post you said you returned to your car just after 6.30pm (must of been one short film that )

I think what happend was, you got to the carpark at 6.20 thought "**** it" I'll nay bother paying and now have the hump cos you quite rightly got a ticket.

I dont think the chronic diarrhea you were suffering from is coming out the right hole m8

DonnieDarko

my first post is my email to the parking people. i actually didn't go back till after the film, cos as i said, i met my mate as he was coming in. and FYI i just had a pis5

Shonen

I was sitting in my car whilst other half went off to get some change. The warden had a right go at me and told me to get a ticket even when i had explained that other half was in a shop getting change. Luckily other half appeared and we got a ticket. We had great pleasure in telling the little ****e what we thought of him. So even sitting in your car wont stop you getting a ticket.

sgcooby

I cant believe your not getting much sympathy on this one. I think its pretty harsh myself but then its wardens were speaking about not human beings. I love it when some tossers on this thread get on their high horse and preach about 'how you know the rules and shouldnt break them and if you do u should get punished accordingly' and they apply this to doing 72 in a 70mph zone. I wouldnt value their opinion though as they, as allready stated, are tossers.

scoobynutta555

Bit harsh calling us tossers! I'm thinking from the other point of view of whoever gets this letter. I have tried it on myself with these people with a ticket received and generally you get nowhere. I paid my fine and got on with me life. IMHO you can't complain of harsh ticket issue when you are in the wrong in the first place. Rolling out the old chestnut of "chronic diahhoreah" is quite laughable.

As said it'd my opinion ( and this will be the opinion of the bloke reading your letter) that you're trying your luck to get off with the ticket. I bet you parked up chancing the fact that you'd get 10 mins "free".

Go on admit it

sgcooby

Tossers statement was only aimed at people who claim that 72 in a 70 is not harsh. It is harsh.

I agree the toilet statement sounds dubious but you still have to hate traffic wardens though, its compulsory im afraid.

Not saying that the excuses given in this case are true or not but ive been in a similar situation and not had change b4 and gone for some but luckily not been caught but i know i would be mighty pissed off if i had. Would you not?? And dont say you would have accepted you fate as you knew you were in the wrong. Thats just pompus claptrap. If thats the case go and report yourself into the cops for every time you have broken the speed limit in the past. You wont? Why? Because you got away with it even though you know you were breaking the law.
Have some sympathy for the guy and if you dont I do hope you get caught for an offence soon and then we will see how condesending you are.

Abdabz

Got there early, chanced arm with ticket not being bought, didnt return till after film, no case of the runs, got back after film and found you were caught for your ten minutes of naughtiness...
So your letter is untrue, the sympathy extended to you was on the basis that maybe your letter was all fact... Even I, (upholder of traffic law supreme) felt a twinge of sympathy!!
No I can interpret the facts based on evidence presented later in the thread I think the traffic warden was spot on...Pay up ya cheeky rapscallion!

scoobynutta555

I wouldn't be in the position to receive a ticket in the first place as I've had a ticket before and learnt from it. Like our friend here and his letter, I bet he doesn't get another ticket ever again for 10 minute illegal parking!

Condesending pompous claptrap? Hmmm if I did get a ticket for 72 mph it would be a minor miracle I'd expect. In any case I've been done for the much more respectable 100 mph on a motorway Didn't whinge about that.

Dracoro

If things were done in the SPIRIT of the law/rules then he shouldn't be ticketed. It seems that many here would rather he be punished to the LETTER of the law rather than considering the SPIRIT of the law. they've passed stage one of the pslewis exam anyhow Anyway blah blah blah

pslewis

The parking attendant was walking around at the end of the pay period, there was a car there without a ticket - he booked it.

He probably had no idea how long the car was parked illegally ........ he could have had his last walk around an hour before!

The poster chanced his arm, got caught and then posts on here looking for symapthy - my advice?? Pay up and get on with the rest of your life!

And don't park illegally again

Pete