GRRR!!! Blue badge and parking ticket!

zaksmum

I'll check the parking thread...is it on here? I know the ticket was technically not correctly displayed, so probably will have to pay it, but it's maddening when you've taken care to park legally and something stupid like that gets you a ticket.

Ruby_Moon

First off, never never never give your badge to any 'plain cloths policeman' (even if they do show you their warrant card) before you check out that they are who they say they are.
He could have been a theif and run off with your card when you hand it over.
Secondly, write to the council and appeal the ticket and refuse to pay on the grounds that an upside down badge is still legible (which it is) unless you are incompetent and cannot make out the number. If the traffic warden is incompetant, why is he in that job?
Good luck

daska

I think the OP means it was upside down as in photo side up, which technically is not displaying it correctly - though why they can't have the reference on both sides so it doesn't matter I really don't understand!

I've received several tickets when I was correctly parked and displaying my blue badge and clock but had accidentally left the badge photo side up. I've been let off all of them. The two tickets that haven't been rescinded were when I was accidentally parked in an area that had been free parking and had been changed since I last visited (that'll teach me not to check) and when I had put out my badge and forgotten the clock when parked on a double yellow.

I'd write a very nice, grovelling letter explaining the situation, naming names, and enclose a photocopy of your badge (both sides). Your fine should be held at the lower rate while you appeal.

xxdeebeexx

Appeal !! Similar happened to my parents. My Dad had always put his badge photo side up and ,one day got a ticket for the 'crime'. When he used to work, he had to show a photo security pass and, it seems that, he thought his blue badge did much the same.

I wrote a letter explaining the confusion and how sorry etc etc and that it won't happen again. They had a reply to say that the fine had been waived on this ocassion but would not if it happened again.

They also explained in the letter that the badge had to be placed FACE UP on the dashboard. But as my dad said....it WAS FACE UP !!

Also, if you apppeal you have 14 days to pay from the date of the letter giving the outcome of the appeal, so you won't loose out.

Good luck

Dx