I've become everything I hate!

slicksps

I parked in a disabled bay.

The longer story is that while working for a removals guy, I was moving furniture from a house to a city flat. To get to location, I drove along a single track backstreet off which is a small pay and display car park. Parking on the road would cause an obstruction so I went for the car park.

There were non-disabled spaces available but in order to park a van so that it could be unloaded, I would have blocked off half the car park. So I parked in one of the disabled bays.

There were 2 bays, both empty, and we were loading and unloading constantly so would have happily moved if anyone needed it or told us to leave.

We went upstairs to grab a sofa and came down to see him scurrying off around the corner. I chased him and explained the situation and he reminded me that parking in a disabled bay is a big no-no. Blocking disabled people from parking by unloading in the middle of the street according to him would have been ok... (logic?)

Anyway it is a council car park so a proper PCN, and because I didn't like the lack of compassion from ninja ticket warden, I think I have arguments to contest.

The main one being the signs and road markings...

(as a noob, I can't post links, so go to i.imgur.com/agHir2q.jpg)

Can they really call that a disabled bay? I was in the one on the right. No signs, worn paint, multiple bay markings clearly visible. I know common sense, but if they're going to get technical with me, I want to fight back.

I also did have a valid pay and display ticket, so they can't rebound on that if I can prove the markings are insufficient. Struggling to find proper guidelines though. Any help gratefully appreciated.

Coupon-mad

There are less guidelines about car park bays than there are on-street. Here's your image:

https://i.imgur.com/agHir2q.jpg

and I take your point that there are no upright signs so that if a driver drove straight in after another car had just vacated it you could argue you didn't see the symbol I suppose - but the hashed lines around it are pretty clear.

As always I would encourage you to post that picture and a photo or scan of both sides of your PCN in a new topic on pepipoo forum:

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

They may be able to spot something wrong with the PCN which you could add as a technical point to your appeal about lack of any upright sign. Bear in mind that most first appeals are rejected routinely.

So if you decide to fight this ticket then forget the discount bribe because ultimately it will be on an all or nothing basis and would go to an adjudication meeting (and unless there is a fatal flaw with the ticket I am not sure you'd win). But you'd still only have to pay the actual penalty amount if you lose, no costs or court or anything onerous.

Iceweasel

Coupon-mad is correct - you can contest this only on a legal basis that the markings and (lack of) signs do not conform to the necessary requirements.

AFAIK road markings need to be supported by upright signs.

So post on pepipoo as she suggests.

All your mitigation stuff is unfortunately irrelevant - the traffic warden was correct - you can block the street, park on yellow lines etc. in order to unload, and they are perfectly happy with that.

A vehicle in the process of being loaded/unloaded is not considered parked at all.

That's why there are loading restrictions in addition to parking restrictions.

As an ex white-van-man I had more than my share of unloading/delivering problems and trying to cause no obstruction by stopping in a parking bay etc didn't help me stay clear of trouble.

Good luck.

slicksps

Thanks, yes I appreciate I broke the law, I can't deny it. I also appreciate that I had no realistic choice and yet that is no excuse, however I'm hoping to find some way around regardless. Relying possibly on the poor markings and signage. The blue back marking is worn away with another line coming down through the middle, it's pretty ambiguous.

I'll ask Pepipoo but for completeness, the PCN is here: i.imgur.com/mtSXEwC.jpg

Coupon-mad

PCN looks OK to me - and I do go on pepipoo as SchoolRunMum so have seen loads! Not seeing a flaw.