Money Moral Dilemma: Is it OK to use other people's leftover parking time?

Patjan

I can't see this thought covered elsewhere: Council-run car parks may well be making loads of money through parking charges, but the income goes into their coffers and towards their budgets. If car park income is reduced by sharing tickets, then it's the local Council Tax ratepayer (not necessarily the car park user, who may live elsewhere) who will (ultimately) suffer, because all Councils have to set budgets based on their income from all sources. If that income suffers because, in this matter of car park charges, less is taken at the machines, then it is the local Council Tax payer who will make up the shortfall via an increased Council Tax rate. OK if you're a visitor, not so good if you're a local!

luvsnail

If the conditions state the tickets are non-transferable then no, it's not OK, and frankly I'm disgusted by the number of people here saying "it's fine because car parks are expensive". Do you think it's OK to steal bottles of champagne, because they're expensive too?

People saying "the space is already paid for" are completely missing the point - car park operators know most people aren't going to stay for the full allotted time slot, and they set their ticket prices accordingly. When they start losing revenue because unscrupulous folks (like many in this thread) start transferring tickets, they have to put the prices up to cover their costs. It's the honest people like myself and the OP who suffer most from this.

If your car parking ticket doesn't prohibit transfers then feel free to share, but most car parks don't allow it - and for good reason!

pollypenny

I certainly do pass my ticket on, as the parking in this county is very unfair! Only one town charges a parking fee, which means that streets tend to be used.

A fair system would be a residents' sticker so that people could pop to the bank, chemist etc, even buy something from a retailer.

It seems as if they are pushing customers to Tesco or the large 'mall' about five miles away.

Fergie76

luvsnail wrote: »

If the conditions state the tickets are non-transferable then no, it's not OK, and frankly I'm disgusted by the number of people here saying "it's fine because car parks are expensive". Do you think it's OK to steal bottles of champagne, because they're expensive too?

People saying "the space is already paid for" are completely missing the point - car park operators know most people aren't going to stay for the full allotted time slot, and they set their ticket prices accordingly. When they start losing revenue because unscrupulous folks (like many in this thread) start transferring tickets, they have to put the prices up to cover their costs. It's the honest people like myself and the OP who suffer most from this.

If your car parking ticket doesn't prohibit transfers then feel free to share, but most car parks don't allow it - and for good reason!

The terms and conditions to this reply to your post, is that as soon as you read it, you agree to pay me £100. This is non-transferable.

Please pm me for payment details.

newnhak

I read this thread with interest as I regularly give my ticket away and wondered if there was a moral argument to not doing so.
Thinking about the perspective of the business owner I think it comes down to what I am actually paying for and what assumptions are made in the business model.

Car park - I am paying for one parking bay for a fixed period of time. If I give some of that time away does this impact the business owner? Only if their pricing is based on more than 100% occupancy of bays.
restaurant - I am paying for food plus use of table and service for a reasonable amount of time. Owners will have made assumptions on what is a reasonable time and so I think it is not the eating of leftover food which is an issue but the time taken up over and above how long the previous diners used
Spotify - I am paying for 1 person to use the service to listen to reasonable amount of music. If the first person plus second person use still added up to what the business owner has assumed is reasonable for one person then all is good. If not.. .

JeremyCH

A difficult one. The Ts & Cs of most tickets state non-transferable - you are renting the spce for your use and not others. A similar parrallel could be given about passing on unused elemnts of rail and bus tickets - they've been paid for so why not? Yet such fare dodging and evasion is not only illegal but costs all of us a great deal of money through our taxes and, I suspect, most people would deprecate this.

On the other hand, a lot of counsils are very good at not giving chnage so if you overpay not only do you not get any change but the council makes an extra profit and I feel this is equally wrong. Soem authorities charge you by the minute or part so you get exactly what you pay for which seems reasonable.

I have been the beneficiary of 'free' tickets and have dished them out on occassion. Morally, I don't see a particular issue with this but it is agaisnt the terms and conditions so, I'm afarid, you must make your own judgement as to how it fits into your personal moral compass

batteryhens

Are you serious???? The time has been paid for so you are not doing anyone out of anything. Councils overcharge anyway & if they haven't got a number plate system then why not? I always pass an underused ticket to someone coming in, it is a kindness & would think someone refusing it quite rude!
No one gives you anything in this life so don't look a gift horse in the mouth:huh:

esmerobbo

esmerobbo wrote: »

Playing devils advocate again.

The person who purchasers the ticket forms a contract and accepts the conditions, the council accept the payment and offers the service, and accept limited liability.

So council employee whilst working in the car park damages your car, would you expect the council or their insurance to pay you?

As previously stated I have given and received car parking tickets,in the past and no doubt will do again. I am simply opening up the discussion.

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Anyone?

knitnut

I have done both - taken a ticket from someone leaving (very much appreciated) - and passed a ticket on to someone else when leaving. They way I see it is ,I have paid to use a parking space for X hours. Whether I leave my car, sit in my car or vacate the space and let someone else use it does not matter, as long as that space is paid for.

Mick_Leary

If you have already paid for your ticket and received it from the machine before you turn it over and read the terms, then even if it says it is non-transferable, you have surely already made your contract with the Car Park operators, and they cannot effectively enforce some new rule that you were not aware of when you purchased the ticket.

If the terms are however clearly printed on the machine though, where it should be read before you purchase the ticket, that might be a different story - but not for me! Unless there is a name or registration number on it, I would be happy to give or receive!