Advice Needed - Traffic Warden Gave Me A Ticket - Digit Wrong On Reg Number

chuckles1066

Symbeaux1 wrote:

Personally I'd force this into court and then request evidence on the day, and with a flourish produce the documents for your car and ask them to explain the discrepancy..but only in light of the t/w's attitude...

If it ever got as far as Court, (and that's a gamble the OP would have to take) bear in mind that these type of civil offences are not subject to the same burden of proof as criminal offences.

"Did he/she do it?" needs only to be proven "on the balance of probability" as opposed to "beyond reasonable doubt". And in this case, with one digit wrong on the registration plate but every other detail correct (car make, colour), any District Judge or JP will adjuducate against the vehicle owner.

Amba_Gambla

tough luck ol' traffic warden......

you got away with that one!

:shhh:

fad1211

just to let everyone know, I did a vehicle check with the incorrect reg number on the DVLA website, and that vehicle does not exist, so nobody else would get the ticket.

I think my anger and choice of words gave the warden "jelly fingers".

Thanks to everyone who replied, but like some of you have stated, it is an incorrect ticket, as the vehicle with THAT reg number was not parked there at that time, so the council does't have a leg to stand on.

Looks like the ticket is heading for the bin.

UNICORN_2

Pepipoo does have a dedicated parking ticket board now

BobToo

The likelihood of a car one digit away being the same is actually pretty high, as it's likely to be a car from the same dealer, although I see that's not the case this time.

The ticket itself as a legal document is flawed but the offence did take place and there was a witness. Anybody who says a mistake on the ticket gives you immunity is an idiot, I'm sorry to be blunt but it's true. If they want to find you they will, if they find you they'll get you. As I said before it depends how much trouble they want to go to for a parking ticket.

nej

BobToo wrote:

The likelihood of a car one digit away being the same is actually pretty high, as it's likely to be a car from the same dealer, although I see that's not the case this time.

The ticket itself as a legal document is flawed but the offence did take place and there was a witness. Anybody who says a mistake on the ticket gives you immunity is an idiot, I'm sorry to be blunt but it's true. If they want to find you they will, if they find you they'll get you. As I said before it depends how much trouble they want to go to for a parking ticket.

I don't see how they can find the OP. The reg is wrong, so there is no way to trace him. There is no photo, so no evidence of the reg being wrong. The only way I could see them finding him is by examining CCTV footage of the area and hoping to spot the correct reg. I reckon they'll try and send the reminder, realise the reg is incorrect and bin it. It probably happens all the time.

I think he is exactly right to ignore it.

Dave_G_5

I could be wrong, but I thought you had to be parked for 10 minutes before they are allowed to issue a ticket? Can anyone else confirm or deny this?

waster_2

BobToo wrote:

The likelihood of a car one digit away being the same is actually pretty high, as it's likely to be a car from the same dealer, although I see that's not the case this time.

The ticket itself as a legal document is flawed but the offence did take place and there was a witness. Anybody who says a mistake on the ticket gives you immunity is an idiot, I'm sorry to be blunt but it's true. If they want to find you they will, if they find you they'll get you. As I said before it depends how much trouble they want to go to for a parking ticket.

This is a PCN I assume. The PCN as issued is flawed and cannot be relied upon in court. Indeed, it then casts doubt upon the reliability of the Parking attendant that issued it.

I'm not 100% certain of the current regs on issuing a PCN. At one time they needed to be put on the vehicle commiting the offenece for them to be enforceable. However, with the advent of CCTV and cameras that can be used for parking enforcement (where the appropriate authority have received the necessary permissions to use the same) I am not sure whether the ticket has to be fixed to the vehicle anymoe.

However, the important point that has not been mentioned here is that a proper PCN must be issued within 14 days of the offence being commited. So, firtsly the incorrect PCN is not enforceable and a court would not act on it. There are many cases where incorrectly issued PCN's have been rejected by the courts. And, secondly if the error was realised by the parking authority they would only have 14 days within which to issue a correct PCN assuming they can do that in the absence of the vehicle (i.e have they been empowered to issue PCN's in absence of the vehicle by using some other form of proof - photos). In any case they would not have that proof even as it was the attendant who issued the ticket and he/she is not reliable as they cannot even get the correct reg down.

chuckles1066

waster wrote:

This is a PCN I assume. The PCN as issued is flawed and cannot be relied upon in court. Indeed, it then casts doubt upon the reliability of the Parking attendant that issued it.

I'm not 100% certain of the current regs on issuing a PCN. At one time they needed to be put on the vehicle commiting the offenece for them to be enforceable. However, with the advent of CCTV and cameras that can be used for parking enforcement (where the appropriate authority have received the necessary permissions to use the same) I am not sure whether the ticket has to be fixed to the vehicle anymoe.

However, the important point that has not been mentioned here is that a proper PCN must be issued within 14 days of the offence being commited. So, firtsly the incorrect PCN is not enforceable and a court would not act on it. There are many cases where incorrectly issued PCN's have been rejected by the courts. And, secondly if the error was realised by the parking authority they would only have 14 days within which to issue a correct PCN assuming they can do that in the absence of the vehicle (i.e have they been empowered to issue PCN's in absence of the vehicle by using some other form of proof - photos). In any case they would not have that proof even as it was the attendant who issued the ticket and he/she is not reliable as they cannot even get the correct reg down.

I repeat what I said earlier about "balance of probability" versus "beyond reasonable doubt".

What you are saying is undoubtedly technically correct but if/when the matter gets to see the inside of a courtroom, you'll find a minor discrepancy such as the one mentioned are overlooked.

Wrong I know but that's how the law operates. Believe me.

As for tracing the car, a wildcard search of the DVLA database (select * from vehicles where vehiclecolour = blue, vehiclemake = Ford Fiesta and vehicleregplate like ABC123*) would track the driver down in less time than it takes to blink.

The OP *will* lose if it gets as far as a formal hearing. He/she will have their day and will say their piece. But they'll lose.

chirpy007

Righty oh !!!!! just because you are stopped with engine running does not mean you arent commiting and offence !!! you are, just because you drive off before a ticket is slapped on your car doesnt mean it wont stand "it will " and a ticket issued with wrong information is classed as "spoilt" it cannot be enforced. Write to the address on the ticket explaining that the ticket has been issued incorrectly, they cannot enforce it.

You are NOT allowed to park on any yellow line except to load and unload (not shopping, wedding dressess and cash point visits) you may stop to allow passengers time to get in and out of the car if you are dropping them off.

You may not park on double yellow lines even in the hours of darkness because a double line just means extending hours on the normal single line exclusions (time plates will be nearby to give info on any changes to the general rules).

Kerb markings means NO LOADING, UNLOADING, STOPPING, PARKING or nose picking by able bodied drivers or disabled drivers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!there are no allowances made for this and you are very likely to be towed away.

You are NOT by law allowed 5 miniutes to finish your shopping or banking before a ticket is issued on a yellow line but there is an un written rule that 5 minutes pass before a ticket is issued,(but no legal come back) again this doesnt apply to kerb markings with a yellow line !!!!!

There shall be no parking, stopping whatsoever in a bus stop with yellow lines even if its right outside the local Blockbuster, the space is surprisingly for buses !!!!!!

I hope this clears up a few questions