I may have been a bit naughty - will I get a fine?

[Deleted User]

I was playing football the other night and my friend had an accident requiring a visit to A&E. Being the good friend that I am I volunteered to take him. I collected a ticket from the barrier and parked up, having little/no cash on me I wrongly assumed that there would be a "pay be debit/credit card" option at the machine.

Hours later, time to go home at 23:30, and the machine doesn't accept debit/credit card. The ticket was say £2 and collectively we had about £1 in change. No one around and so I, maybe foolishly, decided to exit the car park via an unauthorised route, avoiding the need to insert my ticket into the exit barrier. At the time we were tired, wives were wanting us home ASAP and it seemed like a good idea and we also found it quite funny.

Now I'm assuming I will have been caught on camera, but I don't know what the law is on them being able to fine me or the likelihood of them even bothering to?

I'm contemplating phoning them up and offering an apology and cheque for the amount payable so as to avoid any nastyness. What does everyone think?

Orford

wrongmark wrote: »

Now I'm assuming I will have been caught on camera,

but I don't know what the law is on them being able to fine me
They can't fine you, only courts can do that, the most they can do is send you an uneforceable invoice

or the likelihood of them even bothering to?
Fairly unlikely, I'd say

I'm contemplating phoning them up and offering an apology and cheque for the amount payable so as to avoid any nastyness.

By all means if it salves your conscience

Pee

It seems quite reasonable to me that taking a friend to A & E chasnge for parking is not the only thought in your mind so if you do get a fine, write and explain yourself. It would be really wrong to fine you.

Orford

Pee wrote: »

It seems quite reasonable to me that taking a friend to A & E chasnge for parking is not the only thought in your mind so if you do get a fine,
It's not a fine
write and explain yourself.
The worst thing to do, you are not dealing with reasonable people

It would be really wrong to fine you.

It's still not a fine

[Deleted User]

I've read a load of threads on private parking company fines and the general advice it to ignor everything. But seeing as I did some dodgey off road driving (even though I don't have an off road capable vehicle) I decided to do the right thing, as it were, and phone the security booth and offer to send a cheque for £2.40. I gave a very vague description of the the event, omitting times, dates, my details etc just in case they decided to be arsey at which point I would have just told them to do their worst.

Anyway the guy just said to leave it and forget about it. I know this is really petty for the sake of £2.40 and I would have happily paid this if I'd thought ahead and made sure I had the cash on me.

I only did this because it's a hospital though. If it were a private parking company I'd have just left it.

AlexisV

You've offered them the maximum they're legally entitled to and your conscience is clear!

Oopsadaisy

Please try the new telepathic FAQ about PPC issues.

Simply think of the question you have about PPCs, now focus and try to project that question onto the screen in front of you.

Done that? Great.

Wait a few seconds, whilst I receive your question, now here's my answer to the question.......




























































Telepathic FAQ says.................Ignore, ignore, ignore.



This works with any question you care to try, go on test it.

xyellowx

wouldnt worry wrongmark
had my car and brothers locked on a NHS car park once when we left the hspital 11pm ish car park was shut so couldnt pay or exit
luclily we had 4x4s over the kerb and down grass bank never heard anything

at 23.30 who would be watching?

Tigsteroonie

Our hospital's carpark is similar, in that it is not equipped to take card payments. I've seen people be directed to the nearest corner shop to try and get cashback! Given that a stay in A&E generally costs at least £5 in charges, I think this is ridiculous.

Personally I don't blame the OP for exiting by a non-official method. Do you know if there were any cameras? Coz our carpark doesn't have them.

Oopsadaisy

Cameras, cashback, shop, whatever...it all matters not one jot.

Ignore, ignore, ignore.

You could dance naked around the car park, have a picnic, sleep in a bed in a disabled bay for 4 weeks, take up 30 spaces, leave a car there for a year and none of it would make their 'ticket/PCN/invoice' any more enforceable.