Private Parking Fine

bambam69

Hi

I wonder if anyone knows anything about private parking fines, rather than ones you get from the council for illegal parking etc?

I have had a couple for parking in a university car park. One was for parking on the grass (not in anybodies way and only because there were no proper spaces available, I even got a ticket from the machine!) and another because I didn't have change and only went to college to take books back to the library, was gone max of 5 minutes and had a ticket when I came back (it would have taken the same amount of time to go in and get change from the shop anyway!).

Unfortunately I lost the tickets when I cleaned out the car but thought this wouldn't be a problem as they write to you anyway in case someone takes them off the windscreen. Months passed, they didn't follow it up and I confess I thought maybe they'd not bother, but this week I have had two identical letters through in the same week demmanding 70 quid each. No other reminders etc, just an increase of over 50%!

I am fairly disgusted with this as it seems the uni is trying to squeeze money out of the people it is supposed to be educating. I have never heard of a car park demmanding money on weekend evenings when there is no-one there, or sundays, or bank hols but this one does. Even council pay and displays are free when there is little demmand such as these examples.

The letter says I have to pay immediately or they will pass the matter to their soliciters to consider legal action. I am not a rich student being put through college by a rich mum and dad and really can't afford this. What shoyuld I do and what are they likely to do?

Help very appreciated!

R

rikbar

Hey Dude,

Be warned, at my uni if you had outstanding fines at the end of your course, be it library or parking etc then they may withold your degree unless they are paid in full. This is normally part of the terms of your student contract when you start your course and as far as I am aware has not been challenged sucessfully yet.

With regards the fine, do not assume that they will chase you for their money, they already informed you of the fine when they gave you a ticket. Parking outside the confines of a space is a normal fineable item in most car parks and it might not matter if you were not in the way, and being minus a ticket is yet another. Without the purchased tickets I doubt you will have much joy in defending the tickets.

I would contact the uni and try and claim some kind of poverty and see if they will reduce the fines to the original fee, but as I say unlike a typical private fine you may have trouble ahead as they might withold your final degree, and I am sure that is worth more than the money.

I hope all goes well

Rikbar

Elle00

Well if you want genuine, honest advice - pay the fines you clearly owe!

Firstly you parked on grass instead of a specified parking bay (imagine if everyone did that when the spaces ran out?) and then you went to return some books with no intention of even paying on your return - so intended on parking for free anyway not getting some change.

Then, to top it off YOU threw away both fines and didn't bother to chase up the matter with the uni which you would have been able to do within the 14 days of issue thus paying the original fines and not the inflated ones you've been handed for throwing away fines!!!

I just don't see so much as a toe to stand on here mate. Pay up and park properly next time!!!

Hermione54

demmanding money on weekend evenings when there is no-one there, or sundays, or bank hols but this one does. Even council pay and displays are free when there is little demmand such as these examples.

The letter says I have to pay immediately or they will pass the matter to their soliciters

Blimey, I hope you're not doing a degree in English!

Idiophreak

I agree pretty much with Elle83

Parking on the grass is worth a fine - people work hard to try and keep campus grounds looking nice.

Not paying for a ticket (even for "just 5 minutes") is worth a fine.

If you didn't appeal or pay the fines at the lower rate, that's hardly the Uni's fault...

I think you just need to pay up and think more when parking in future.

ckerrd

You could write and say you lost the originals which is why you didn't pay and you would now like to pay the original amount, please.

There is a Uni car park near me which charges all the time - must make a small fortune in the evenings when many people assume it is free.

bambam69

Sweet baby Jesus!

I love this site and its forum but some people really do take full advantage of the opportunity to get on their self righteous high horse!

What perfect sin-free lives some people must lead, and what perfect worlds they must live in. It is clear that the answer is to move to the perfectly run Utopia they live in, away from the travails life in my city seems to throw up... Clearly in the places some people live the car parks are never full, and the parking machine accepts notes and card payments as well as small change. Although perhaps Elle and her friends have more small change in their pocket as I imagine instead of buying the occasional Big Issue or putting a few pence in someone less fortunates hand they probably lecture them for 5 minutes on how they have ruined their own lives and wasted all the free education given them by Mrs Thatcher, possibly giving them a small kick when they are down.

It is a University. It is meant to educate people. It is not meant to extort huge fines for minor offences.

Given that there is nowhere within half a mile that isn't resident parking or yellow lined, where would any of you have parked when there are no spaces? And who on earth would buy a parking ticket on the way out of a car park, when the minimum cost is a pound for half a day and you are now leaving after 5 minutes? Are you really so concerned about taking money away from the poor company directors charging students to use thier own car park at 3 am on christmas day should they feel the need? It wouldn't have made a difference if I had got change to buy a ticket on the way out I would still have had a fine!

Some people make my blood boil as is probably obvious, I know that by the letter of the law I haven't got much to stand on but that doesn’t always mean that there aren't mitigating factors.

Here's a beautiful English word for you - sanctimonious.
Spell check that, pedants!

anewman

Do what I do and leave the car at home and walk to university. No parking problems and is much cheaper. Don't be lazy and walk/catch the bus, it's cheaper than paying to park and stress free + keeps you fit. I've never ever had a parking ticket.

I personally think the Univeristy *is* educatiing you with the fine. The education is park within the rules, or leave the car at home, or get a fine.

Most universities that do have any parking it is usually all taken unless you arrive particularly early, and I think most universities will point out student parking is limited.

As for the no change problem if you keep a good amount in the car you will always have some in case of emergencies.

Not trying to be self-righteous, just realistic. 1 million students need to be at uni, say half are lucky enough to be able to afford to run a car, and there are less than 1000 spaces. Something's got to give.

Elle00

bambam69 wrote: »

Sweet baby Jesus!

I love this site and its forum but some people really do take full advantage of the opportunity to get on their self righteous high horse!

No I was just PMSL at your blatant ignorance! Nothing "sanctimonious" about it, I nearly cried with laughter.

bambam69 wrote: »

What perfect sin-free lives some people must lead, and what perfect worlds they must live in. It is clear that the answer is to move to the perfectly run Utopia they live in, away from the travails life in my city seems to throw up... Clearly in the places some people live the car parks are never full, and the parking machine accepts notes and card payments as well as small change. Although perhaps Elle and her friends have more small change in their pocket as I imagine instead of buying the occasional Big Issue or putting a few pence in someone less fortunates hand they probably lecture them for 5 minutes on how they have ruined their own lives and wasted all the free education given them by Mrs Thatcher, possibly giving them a small kick when they are down.

If you think spending the last year struggling to be a young single Mother, working in a degrading and tiring shop job and attending college part-time is somehow a perfect life you surprise me considering the special treatment you think you deserve for what appears to me to be a pretty easy life in comparison. I frequently have to lug my 30lb toddler and bags of shopping for what should be a two minute walk but takes ten minutes to get to my flat because all of the spaces are gone but as upsetting as it is, I know I have to respect the rules the same as everyone else does else the parking system would be in anarchy. I sincerely doubt you regularly buy the Big Issue although thanks if you do because it has helped those of us who have experienced extreme poverty and homelessness (not that you'd actually know about that though right, thanks to your rich parents?).

bambam69 wrote: »

It is a University. It is meant to educate people. It is not meant to extort huge fines for minor offences.

In fairness they're obviously not doing a great job of teaching students to respect rules, appreciate that they are equal to their peers and obey rules but at least they are trying by reinforcing the parking rules they have in place.

bambam69 wrote: »

Given that there is nowhere within half a mile that isn't resident parking or yellow lined, where would any of you have parked when there are no spaces? And who on earth would buy a parking ticket on the way out of a car park, when the minimum cost is a pound for half a day and you are now leaving after 5 minutes? Are you really so concerned about taking money away from the poor company directors charging students to use thier own car park at 3 am on christmas day should they feel the need? It wouldn't have made a difference if I had got change to buy a ticket on the way out I would still have had a fine!

I really do not think half a mile would have killed me and you don't say you have any medical conditions so if I could manage then I'm sure you could too. If you had genuinely gone to get change to pay for parking you would likely have been let off one of the fines because you did not intend to park illegally and were trying to remedy the situation. Most people would have been bright enough to buy a ticket regardless of seeing the fine to "prove" that's what they were doing. As for 3am on Christmas Day, wow you're a bad liar! You're telling me the uni was so packed at 3am on Christmas Day that you had to park on the grass? Or are you suggesting the library is open at that time? No parking attendant works at 3am any day!!

bambam69 wrote: »

Some people make my blood boil as is probably obvious, I know that by the letter of the law I haven't got much to stand on but that doesn’t always mean that there aren't mitigating factors.

Here's a beautiful English word for you - sanctimonious.
Spell check that, pedants!

Yeah, no there really aren't any mitigating factors here. You have enough money to run a car, rich parents to support you through the further education you are undertaking out of choice (nobody forced you to be a student) and you deserve the fines you have been given. If you'd come on here saying that you had gone to get change, were being absent-minded, suffer from a medical condition that makes transport difficult etc people would have been only too happy to help find loopholes for you. But as it stands you deliberately broke the law because you think you're somehow more special and deserving than everyone else!

That's all I'll say on the matter. Take it like an adult and learn from your mistakes. Nothing worse than those who go through life blaming everyone else for their mistakes. The uni are not at fault here and you did not park illegally out of protestation - you did so out of obnoxious laziness.

Hermione54

Here's a beautiful English word for you - sanctimonious.
Spell check that, pedants!

Well done - you got that one right. Now how about 'demanding' and 'solicitor'

ckerrd

bambam69 wrote: »

Sweet baby Jesus!

I love this site and its forum but some people really do take full advantage of the opportunity to get on their self righteous high horse!

What perfect sin-free lives some people must lead, and what perfect worlds they must live in. It is clear that the answer is to move to the perfectly run Utopia they live in, away from the travails life in my city seems to throw up... Clearly in the places some people live the car parks are never full, and the parking machine accepts notes and card payments as well as small change. Although perhaps Elle and her friends have more small change in their pocket as I imagine instead of buying the occasional Big Issue or putting a few pence in someone less fortunates hand they probably lecture them for 5 minutes on how they have ruined their own lives and wasted all the free education given them by Mrs Thatcher, possibly giving them a small kick when they are down.

It is a University. It is meant to educate people. It is not meant to extort huge fines for minor offences.

Given that there is nowhere within half a mile that isn't resident parking or yellow lined, where would any of you have parked when there are no spaces? And who on earth would buy a parking ticket on the way out of a car park, when the minimum cost is a pound for half a day and you are now leaving after 5 minutes? Are you really so concerned about taking money away from the poor company directors charging students to use thier own car park at 3 am on christmas day should they feel the need? It wouldn't have made a difference if I had got change to buy a ticket on the way out I would still have had a fine!

Some people make my blood boil as is probably obvious, I know that by the letter of the law I haven't got much to stand on but that doesn’t always mean that there aren't mitigating factors.

Here's a beautiful English word for you - sanctimonious.
Spell check that, pedants!

Made me smile a lot.
So many holes in your argument that it is laughable.

What an unfair world it is indeed, and it is the only one we have so we better get used to it.