Parking ticket whilst sat in my car?

ace_dynamo

I parked on a local road to my house and paid 20p for 15 minutes parking (it was 16:52 and the parking ends at 5pm according to the machine). The adjacent road is then free after 5pm but I didn't think to check this one.

I got back to my car at 17:01 (I know as I received a call at this point just as I was getting into it) and sat in the car talking to the person who'd phoned whilst watching a traffice warden give someone a ticket - didn't really think about it at the time.

around 17:05 he approaches my car and starts writing on his machine so I ask the person on the phone to hold for a second and get out to ask why he's issuing a ticket (still hasn't attached it to my car). I say it's free after 5pm and he says "no it isn't" and directs me to look at the "sign at the bottom".

I approach the machine and there's nothing on the machine stating any issues, during which time the guy puts the ticket on my car, and then comes over and points out the sign on the post next to (and higher than) the machine, stating resident parking only after 5pm.

Considering I was in my car and could have left if he'd even indicated that I was contravening parking regulations I'm understandably a bit miffed.

Ticket was issued at 17:06 which even puts it within 15 minutes of my original ticket purchase time!!!

Anyway I've filled in an online form to appeal and I'm about to send the below pictures (actually can't show you as I'm a new member but if seeing will help, let me know - just shows the meter stating Chargeable House 9am-5pm, and my ticket issued at 16:52), but is there anything else I should add or am I just going to be unlucky with this one. Really annoyed as I was only 5 minutes from my house and would normally have walked but needed to get to the bank before 5pm and didn't want to take the chance walking would take too long.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Antony

david39

Think this might be a wind-up - OP's first post (under this name?)

Why do you think that buying a ticket at a machine will absolve you from penalties if you park during the hours of residents-only parking?

If it did mean that you were protected, then you could park there at any time of the evening or night by just buying a ticket from the machine - and thereby deprive the local residents in the area of overnight parking for their cars.

pararct

You were parked in a residents only zone during its hours of operation.

Sounds tough I know but they have to draw the line somewhere.

What grounds did you use on the appeal form?

Coupon-mad

What the heck are you thinking of with that unhelpful answer, david39? Was this thread on the wrong board at first or something as these are not the usual sort of parking board replies?

OP please ignore the above comment by david39, of course you can appeal this ticket - I would appeal ANY Council parking ticket. If you appeal within the first 14 days (check the PCN) the chances are you can still be offered the discounted fine so what's to lose?

BUT you need proper advice to appeal, go to pepipoo.com, register, and start a new topic:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showforum=30

Good luck, maybe there's something to appeal on - Councils often draw their lines badly and I am not just talking about the lines on the road!

Show the pepipoo regulars a pic of the front & back of the PCN in your first post just like you will see others have done on their threads. If you can, also add asap a daylight pic of the lines & signs (or a GoogleStreetview link as a last resort although it won't be current).

ace_dynamo

I didn't realise that it was resident parking only, the adjacent road is free after 5pm and as the machine didn't state residents parking only I didn't think to look at the sign.

My problem isn't that I was parked in residents parking - I wouldn't appeal a ticket in that case, it was that the warden could have suggested I move or even point out that I was contravening - I was in the car within 2 minutes of the expiry time (even though I had thought it was free after 5pm I had only needed to park for 10 minutes).

I'm not asking for the ability to park anywhere I want but considering he (in his own words) gave me 5 minutes to move, without actually indicating to me that I needed to, I feel it's a bit unjust.

Also I got the PCN within 15 minutes of actually buying a parking ticket which again I feel could have been given a little leeway with.

If I hadn't received a phone call as I was getting in the car I wouldn't still have been sat in the bay but that's just bad luck I guess.

All I was asking is whether anyone thought I had any grounds for complaint. Yes I have just joined the site, and yes because I wanted to ask this question and stupidly thought this would be the best place to ask it. Sorry if you thought I was trying to wind people up but I honestly was just venting after what I consider to be an unjust action by the warden. If i'd come back 30 minutes later then I could understand but I was actually SAT IN MY CAR!

peter_the_piper

Ditto C.M, she always gives good advice.

ace_dynamo

Coupon-mad wrote: »

What the heck are you thinking of with that unhelpful answer, david39? Was this thread on the wrong board at first or something as these are not the usual sort of parking board replies?

OP please ignore the above comment by david39, of course you can appeal this ticket - I would appeal ANY Council parking ticket. If you appeal within the first 14 days (check the PCN) the chances are you can still be offered the discounted fine so what's to lose?

BUT you need proper advice to appeal, go to pepipoo.com, register, and start a new topic:


Good luck, maybe there's something to appeal on - Councils often draw their lines badly!

Show them a pic of the front & back of the PCN in your first post just like you will see others have done on their threads. If you can, also add asap a daylight pic of the lines & signs (or a GoogleStreetview link as a last resort although it won't be current).

Thanks, coupon-mad. I did look through the pepipoo site before posting on here but I'll go back and register and post on there.

Sorry about the rant in my second post, was just taking aback by the replies of the first two posts and didn't see yours until I sent mine.

pararct

Pepipoo will probably only be able to offer a technical defence if there is a problem with the sign age, lines or the wording of the ticket.

They are very helpful though, I took a (speeding) case right up to the High Court some years ago with assistance from a few on there.

Bottom line is you got a mumpty parking enforcement officer. He could have asked you to move or simply even gestured to his watch but he didn't.

Consider your options carefully once you have the advice from pepipoo. There is no point trying to defend it if everything seems to be in order and you will simply incur further charges.

Sadly being ticketed by a mumpty is not sufficient grounds to appeal.

peter_the_piper

pararct wrote: »

Pepipoo will probably only be able to offer a technical defence if there is a problem with the sign age, lines or the wording of the ticket.

Err, what else do you need?

pararct

peter_the_piper wrote: »

Err, what else do you need?

The fact they have actually made an error. More are switching on to getting it right these days.

taffy056

pararct wrote: »

Consider your options carefully once you have the advice from pepipoo. There is no point trying to defend it if everything seems to be in order and you will simply incur further charges.

Why consider options carefully? All he is risking is the non discount price, NO other charges will be added, to suggest otherwise clearly shows that you should not be offering advice on the subject!