Council parking ticket

fiendishly

I returned to my car this evening to find a parking ticket it says it is for parking in a disabled bay. I was displaying my blue badge correctly, so I'm not sure how the appeal will go. The timings on it lead me to think the traffic warden was waiting for me to leave my car in my wheelchair before placing the ticket on my windscreen. Does anyone have any experience of this?

Trebor16

If it is a council issued penalty charge notice then don't ignore it. I would suggest you write to them to object to the PCN and point out to them that your blue badge was correctly displayed.

As it is a council PCN I would suggest going over to www.pepipoo.com as well, as this is their speciality.

TrickyWicky

Have you checked that the badge hasn't expired? - Common issue from my days of on-street enforcement. It was a regular issue to see people park with expired badges then they'd catch up with you round the block somewhere and give you every profanity under the sun for victimising them.

Also be sure it was the date side up not the photo. Since you've not told us much else about the area you were parked there isn't much else we can say to help other than ring the council and find out why it was issued.

fiendishly

My badge expires in may 2014, so not that. Good thinking though, I bet loads of outraged people do that

fiendishly

It was a council car park, 3 disabled spaces (the other two had cars parked and not displaying badges when I arrived). It was very dark and rainy. When I left about an hour and a half later there were no other cars so I don't know if the other cars got tickets. My badge is in a holder, so the photo side is hidden, the clock was set to the correct time. I've written a letter of appeal as the PCN says only written correspondence will be accepted, not phone calls.
Thanks for replies, I am stumped as to the reason.

TrickyWicky

Tons of disabled badge holders put the badge up the wrong way etc or display their old badge instead of the new one etc.

Is it definitely your badge? - There are indicators in the serial number that give it away for a council CEO if it isn't.

It varies from one issuing blue badge office to another but many use the following letters on the end of their serial numbers:
CM: Child Male
CF: Child Female
AM: Adult Male
AF: Adult Female

Of course some also switch the letters the other way around such as FA, MA, FC, MC. Some also put the letters at the front of the serial number. If you've got a badge for your parents or kids and you've been mis-using it and passing it off as yours and the CEO see's you, you're pretty much done for. I've personally caught many drivers abusing their relatives badges like this. You see a bloke get out of his car, look at the badge and it has AF on it. Issued the PCN, he'll come back ranting and raving "Why have you booked me, I've got my badge on display you ****". The moment you ask where the female owner is they shrink on the spot and become apologetic for the language etc. They'll still argue that the badge belongs to them even though they know you've caught them on the hop!

If it is definitely your badge and you've still no idea then you need to ring the council and find out exactly why your badge wasn't accepted in the disabled bay or post photos of the signage and your PCN (scrub it of your car details) so we can give more advice. Alternatively hit pepipoo.com and use their forums.

fiendishly

Hmmm TrickyWicky, I can see you're trying to think of good reasons. It's my badge, I'm a wheelchair user. The times on the notice that say I was observed parked in a disabled bay without displaying a badge were the 5 minutes in which I was hoisting my chair. First thing I do after turning ignition off is put my badge on the dash, so it was already in place during the wheelchair unloading. I'm wondering if it will turn into a 'well the traffic warden says there was no badge' sort of situation.

TrickyWicky

It shouldn't, the warden (CEO) should have photos of the dashboard. Go to the council website and then go to their parking section. Most councils will let you see the photographic evidence if you type in your registration and PCN number. I highly recommend you do this as a matter of urgency as your days are now ticking forward slowly.

One other thought, this disabled car park / space isn't a split timed one is it? - EG disabled until 6pm and then residents? - There are some odd ones like that out there so its worth checking.

fiendishly

Update. I have (only just) received letter of apology from the Parking Manager at the district council.
Very sorry about the parking ticket, apparently. Won't happen again :rotfl:

bondy_lad

great result.

Trebor16

fiendishly wrote: »

Update. I have (only just) received letter of apology from the Parking Manager at the district council.
Very sorry about the parking ticket, apparently. Won't happen again :rotfl:

Nice result.Thanks for the update:)