Parking Ticket Query....

copthis1

On the 1/7/2012, I pulled in to a Mecca Bingo car park in Wandsworth, it was 7.14 in the morning. I had stopped, engine running, for probably 2-3 minutes, checked my phone and glanced up to find a Mecca employee taking a picture of my car. I asked him what he was doing and was told he had taken my picture as I was parked illegally. I said I was not intending to stop, but he said 'tough, i've already taken the picture'. I did not receive a ticket.

Today (October 8th) I have received a letter from Parking Collection Services, stating that I have to pay £115 because I ignored a parking charge sent to me by post, I have never received a parking charge by post. This means I have lost the right to pay the lesser sum.

What should I do?

Panicing a bit, any advice gratefully received.

vuvuzela

Parking Tickets, Fines & Parking is where a lot of people hang out who know about this sort of thing. Maybe PM a board guide to get it moved over.

McKneff

in the meantime, stop panicking, they cannot enforce this 'invoice'

copthis1

This company is actually Debt Recovery Plus, are they the bailiffs. I've never had a fine in my life.

Hard not to sweat.

TadleyBaggie

copthis1 wrote: »

This company is actually Debt Recovery Plus, are they the bailiffs.

No they are not balliffs, they are just debt collectors who have no powers at all. Unless it went to court (very unlikely), they won (very unlikely) and you refused to pay, you are not going to be involved with balliffs.

wealdroam

OP has now started a thread on the Parking Tickets board.

neilmcl

OP, just ignore anything you get in the post.

Oh, and for the record be careful in future not to "check your phone" with the engine running if you don't want to fall foul of the law.

unholyangel

neilmcl wrote: »

OP, just ignore anything you get in the post.

Oh, and for the record be careful in future not to "check your phone" with the engine running if you don't want to fall foul of the law.

Perhaps I'm confused here, but I thought the law was that you cannot drive while using your phone and that its perfectly fine to remain stationary and use it? Otherwise why would the police recommend you pull over to use your phone?

The way I read the OP, him being parked "illegally" was nothing to do with him using his phone and instead was about him using the car park when there is probably a notice stating it is for customers only.

A mecca employee at 7am? Do they even open that early? :S

Handsome90

unholyangel wrote: »

Perhaps I'm confused here, but I thought the law was that you cannot drive while using your phone and that its perfectly fine to remain stationary and use it? Otherwise why would the police recommend you pull over to use your phone?
S

"Under existing law a person may be regarded as driving a vehicle while the engine is running and the vehicle is stationary. The offence applies to all motor vehicles, including motorcycles, but not apply to pedal cycles."

This is why it's a good idea to pull over and turn off the engine if you have to answer a phone call.

unholyangel

Handsome90 wrote: »

"Under existing law a person may be regarded as driving a vehicle while the engine is running and the vehicle is stationary. The offence applies to all motor vehicles, including motorcycles, but not apply to pedal cycles."

This is why it's a good idea to pull over and turn off the engine if you have to answer a phone call.

Guess my local force have more common sense than some. They've always advised pulling over is fine providing the handbrake is applied and car is in neutral as then you're not driving as the engine isnt engaged.

Kinda unfair in a way, law should be applied equally to all.

arcon5

Wipe your !!!! with it and enclose some Monopoly money when you send it back