Parking ticket rant!

sleepystar1975

I went into the town next to me yesterday, paid for an hours parking, as my errands were only quick ones. I left the library (3 minute walk) with 10 minutes to spare before the ticket was due to expire. On the way back to the car, there was a little girl (aged about 4) walking through the town, sobbing her heart out, calling for her Mummy. everyone else was walking past her, just staring.
I couldn't just leave her, so walked (well, hopped, I'm on crutches) up to her, and asked the obvious question "have you lost your Mummy?" to which she of course replied "yes". So I did the usual questions "what colour hair/coat/bag has Mummy got? What was the last shop you were in, what is Mummys name" etc, then lifted her up high to see if she could spot her. She said she last saw her Mum when she was eating her happy meal, so I walked her towards McD's and eventually found her Mum there, scoffing her dinner, chatting on her mobile, oblivious to the fact her DD had wandered off. This took at least 15 minutes of my time.
When I got back to the car, there was a parking ticket, saying it was issued at 11.07, and my ticket expired at 10.50!:mad: (I got back to the car at 11.09 by my watch)

I phoned the number provided to explain, but they wouldn't hear it.
So in doing my good deed, it's gonna cost me £70 (£35 if I pay in 7 days)

Arrrrggghhhh!!

rev_henry

Formally appeal. Take it to the Parking Adjudicator or whatever they're called if necessary. If you kick up enough fuss I'm sure someone will see sense. This was a council carpark wasn't it?

sleepystar1975

rev_henry wrote: »

Formally appeal. Take it to the Parking Adjudicator or whatever they're called if necessary. If you kick up enough fuss I'm sure someone will see sense. This was a council carpark wasn't it?

Yes, it was the borough council, and the number to call was the council offices too. Their opinion was "you overstayed, you pay the fine!"

sarahg1969

Go on to the parking forums on www.pepipoo.com, and post up a piccy of your ticket. If the council haven't got it exactly right, then it's worth appealing.

sarahg1969

sleepystar1975 wrote: »

Yes, it was the borough council, and the number to call was the council offices too. Their opinion was "you overstayed, you pay the fine!"

They would say that - they want your money! They're not going to tell you that the wording on their tickets may be wrong.

rev_henry

sleepystar1975 wrote: »

Yes, it was the borough council, and the number to call was the council offices too. Their opinion was "you overstayed, you pay the fine!"

Also its not as simple as that! I very much doubt they'd say that if you dropped down dead in the street or something.

Lum

Actually they would, until you sent in a copy of the death certificate.

custardy

rev_henry wrote: »

Formally appeal. Take it to the Parking Adjudicator or whatever they're called if necessary. If you kick up enough fuss I'm sure someone will see sense. This was a council carpark wasn't it?

see sense in what way?
ticket expired and a penalty was issued 17 minutes later

JQ.

Whilst I have no doubt the OP was acting as a good Samaritan, can you imagine how many complicated excuses parking offence offices get every single day from people trying to wriggle out of a ticket - the mind boggles?

rev_henry

custardy wrote: »

see sense in what way?
ticket expired and a penalty was issued 17 minutes later

Well I was just going by Martin's statistic that 70% of appeals to the adjudicator are accepted.

flyingscotno1

JQ. wrote: »

Whilst I have no doubt the OP was acting as a good Samaritan, can you imagine how many complicated excuses parking offence offices get every single day from people trying to wriggle out of a ticket - the mind boggles?

That is true, even in retail in shops the excuses that were thought out would make a good sit-com.

Obviously I'm not saying that the OP is trying it on but is getting the punishment because others do.

Forget phoning- write and appeal.