PCN for entering road a minute under the restricted time

zamil_uk

Hi there everyone, I recently received a PCN from my council issuing me a fine for entering and parking on a road during restricted hours. I have attached a picture of the PCN and a picture of those restricted hours. 

I usually park on my road but unfortunately that day there was no parking around so had to park on that road. in order to park on those roads (including mine), residents require a permit which is issued by the council. I understand those restrictions have been enforced during school runs which I respect, but being issued a ticket for being one minute under? 

Can anyone advise me if this PCN is worth disputing, or shall i just pay it and move on?

NBLondon

1) you might want to crop that image to hide your number plate.

2) Do you have an S01 permit?  If so, you should challenge on the grounds that the sign suggests you are exempt.  If you have some other sort of permit that's not relevant.

If you are admitting that you drove into the pedestrian zone while it was operational - pay the fine and look more closely at your clock next time.

Ebe_Scrooge

It might also be worth asking for advice on PePiPoo, who are generally pretty knowledgeable on "genuine fines" from the council, as opposed to the fake fines/invoices issued by private parking companies.

Just be aware of the distinction - this is a genuine fine, so don't be tempted to just ignore it, or anything daft like that.  By all means you can appeal it if you wish, but make sure you follow the proper procedures.

Herzlos

NBLondon said:

If you are admitting that you drove into the pedestrian zone while it was operational - pay the fine and look more closely at your clock next time.

It's entirely possible the OP's car clock said it was after 4pm; for all we know this was issued at 3:59:59 according to the camera and it's not inconceivable for a car clock to be out by 2 or 3 minutes.

Whether an appeal on the basis that the OP's clock said it was 4pm (or 4:01 or whatever) would have any chance of success would be for pepipoo to say.

sheramber

If 3.59 pm was acceptable it would say 3-3.59pm.

Would you then object to being fined for arriving at 3.58pm?

No matter what time is operating there will always be one minute before,.

Ebe_Scrooge

I'm not an expert on such matters, but is there no concept of a grace period?  For instance, I know that in proper council-run car-parks (as opposed to private ones, although it may still be true), the guidelines are that they won't issue a ticket for an overstay of less than 5 minutes.

I realise this isn't actually a parking issue, but it does seem a bit pedantic for the sake of a one minute transgression (and I do appreciate that it will have been automatically issued, so the computer probably isn't clever enough to realise it's only one minute).  Or maybe it is an "absolute" limit with no leeway?

saajan_12

sheramber said:

If 3.59 pm was acceptable it would say 3-3.59pm.

Would you then object to being fined for arriving at 3.58pm?

No matter what time is operating there will always be one minute before,.

No, the point is you still say 3-4pm, but operationally only enforce between 3:03-3:57 for example, precisely to avoid issues of misaligned clocks etc.

Who's to say OP's clock didn't correctly say 4:00 and the camera clock isn't off by 1 min. 

Herzlos

The parking grace period is to give people to park, read signs, pay and leave etc, so wouldn't apply here. 

I think the only argument is about accuracy. How accurately can you expect the average person to know when it's turned 4?

diystarter7

sheramber said:

If 3.59 pm was acceptable it would say 3-3.59pm.

Would you then object to being fined for arriving at 3.58pm?

No matter what time is operating there will always be one minute before,.

The line has to be drawn somewhere and 4pm it is.

The OP may want to seek info re their timing my be a minute out, don't know.

diystarter7

Herzlos said:

The parking grace period is to give people to park, read signs, pay and leave etc, so wouldn't apply here. 

I think the only argument is about accuracy. How accurately can you expect the average person to know when it's turned 4?

Excellent argument.
Thanks

Car_54

Herzlos said:

The parking grace period is to give people to park, read signs, pay and leave etc, so wouldn't apply here. 

I think the only argument is about accuracy. How accurately can you expect the average person to know when it's turned 4?

The average person has at least one mobile phone!

If he can't look at it while driving, every car I've had since 1977 has had a clock. Most recent cars seem to set their clocks using radio signals. Otherwise he can check the car clock against his phone occasionally.