Petty revenge on parking ticket companies

dninja

Since the GDPR regulations came into affect, anyone can now request a full copy of data held on them by almost any company, certainly all those in the UK, including the parking ticket companies. You can also request all data on you is deleted from their systems.

You are allowed to do this for free as long as you are not seen to be obviously abusing the system. I've talked to a friend who does a lot of GDPR work and he reckons that if you are using a car park controlled by one of these companies a lot, then a monthly request probably wouldn't be deemed extreme, less frequently and you could definitely get away with quarterly.

They have 3 days to respond to an initial request then 30 days to do what you request after they have authenticated you. If they don't do what you ask, then they can be reported to the ICO who can issue fines.

I've sent in my first request and will see what happens. Once I get the process sorted out, I plan to repeat it every month or so, just to give the company a little extra work to do. If lots of people start doing it, then that little bit of work will build up.

Petty I know, but much more legal than taking a spray can to their cameras and if they mess up their end, it could even end up costing them a lot of money. Especially if someone at the ICOs office has had a ticket recently!

Aylesbury_Duck

The potential downside being that it increases their costs, they increase their management fees and the car park owners increase charges to cover their increased costs.

Umkomaas

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

The potential downside being that it increases their costs, they increase their management fees and the car park owners increase charges to cover their increased costs.

1. Hardly any PPC requires a 'management fee', they do it for free on condition they are able to farm the car park for errant motorists and retain 100% of penalties paid. The business model is extremely profitable without management fees.

2. If they're paying nowt out, there's no reason for a car park owner to increase any charges.

The_Deep

You can also, if you win at Popla or in court send them a letter before action for your time dealing with this, it is free, and you have six years to act on it.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=free+letter+before+action+template&form=EDNTHT&mkt=en-gb&httpsmsn=1&refig=78b42cdc4e624614ff410ab76731c730&PC=ACTS&sp=1&qs=AS&pq=free+letter+before+action+&sc=2-26&cvid=78b42cdc4e624614ff410ab76731c730&cc=GB&setlang=en-GB

complain to your MP, replying it costs them money.

complain to their ATA

complain about a data breach to the DVLA and the ICO.

Look out for an FCA breach.

Complain to the SRA if a solicitor is involved.

https://sra.org.uk/home/home.page

If you think that the PPC or the solicitor has behave unreasonable or unprofessionally ask the judge t award "unreasonable behaviour" costs under CPR27.14(2)(g)

Write bad stuff about hotels, leisure centres, |Gyms, etc. on Facebook, TripAdviser, twitter, Hotel consolidators, etc

Ask local councils if PPC have obtained planning and advertising consents for cameras poles and signs

and, if appropriate, complaint to Trading Standards.

If you put your mind to it you can be a right PITA.

dninja

I like the idea of negative comments on TripAdviser etc. I got a ticket paid off by Mothercare a few years ago as I got the press involved. The tagline MotherDoesn'tCare worked really well.

twhitehousescat

forget the ICO , I have 2 cases on at the moment , both from mid last year , they are simply overworked , have no staff and I suspect my cases will not be resolved till the next millennia , or the companies have closed down,

Marvel1

Saw this posted on the main board so was curious.

Or just simply park within the rules and none of this monthly writing in, wasting my time.

The_Slithy_Tove

Marvel1 wrote: »

Or just simply park within the rules

You only have to read this forum a bit to realise what a naïve statement that is.

Marvel1

The_Slithy_Tove wrote: »

You only have to read this forum a bit to realise what a naïve statement that is.

Not really, i speed but when I get caught i won't moan and appeal, I know what I'm doing.

beamerguy

Marvel1 wrote: »

Not really, i speed but when I get caught i won't moan and appeal, I know what I'm doing.

But does your bank manager know ?

The_Slithy_Tove

Marvel1 wrote: »

Not really, i speed but when I get caught i won't moan and appeal, I know what I'm doing.

But what about

• When you visit a car park twice in one day, but the ANPR cameras conveniently forget your first exit and second entrance, and assume you've been there all day
• When the PPC operatives fraudulently cook the evidence
• When they PPC operative photographs your dashboard from a sneaky angle such that your displayed permit is not visible
• When you enter letter O instead of number 0 (typographically identical on a number plate), pay up, but still get a ticket
• When you are parked 1 inch on the white line, causing no inconvenience to anyone
• When the signage is hidden, invisible in the dark, or mounted so high you can't actually read it
• When the machines don't work properly, happily take your money, but issue a duff ticket
• When you circle a full car park for 20 minutes in the hope of finding a space, give up and leave, yet still get a ticket
• When you stop for 30 seconds to check the parking conditions, decide against and leave, yet someone has photographed your car and you get a ticket in the post

and many more, all of which are well documented here.

Speeding is an absolute offence. Parking charges are much muddier. Like I said, you are being a tad naïve.