Euro car parks - Parking fine, do you think i could get away with...

mccristo

custardy wrote: »

i assume you walked into town to save paying for parking?

Guilty as charged. Speed and cost efficiency yes, the library where I was primarily headed is closer than the NCP is from the afore mentioned car park.

Brooker_Dave

mccristo wrote: »

Its not like I've robbed a bank is it?

You saw the sign and ignored it, and now you're unhappy that you've been caught.

mccristo

If I was parked in a disabled space, denying genuine shoppers of easy access parking, defrauding businesses of customers or causing an obstruction then I'd hold my hand up and say yes sorry my bad. But I have done none of the above.

mccristo

Well I've paid it due to the excessive nagging of the OH, but thanks for your advice guys. At least its done now, I wont be such a cheap skate in future. Infact its cheaper not to shop...!

darich

i was driving the other day at 50mph in a 30 limit.
The road was empty nad i thought I'd get away with it. Can't believe the police had the audacity to pull me in and charge me.

I had a book from the library but it was a really good read and kept it a few extra days so i could finish it. Couldn't believe the library fined me for returning it late. The library was quiet and no one was looking for that book.

Come on...you parked illegally by your own admission and were caught. I don't think you can complain when you're caught. The capacity of the car park is irrelevant. The rule is there and should be obeyed. Same goes for yellow lines on an empty road - it might be empty but you can't park there.

And if you believe what others tell you about not paying because the company will only get the keeper's details and not necessarily the driver's then dream on. If it was as easy as saying "i wasn't driving the car" and they walked away, do you really think they'd go to the bother of erecting signs, employing wardens, printing tickets etc etc????
The keeper's details would be passed to a debt collection agency and if you need to know what they're like simply do a search for them. Some of the tales are quite scary.

mccristo

Yep you are right Darich, its just annoying. I'm general quite law abiding and it hurts to get stung...£30 out of my MBing profits

chuckles1066

darich wrote: »

And if you believe what others tell you about not paying because the company will only get the keeper's details and not necessarily the driver's then dream on. If it was as easy as saying "i wasn't driving the car" and they walked away, do you really think they'd go to the bother of erecting signs, employing wardens, printing tickets etc etc????
The keeper's details would be passed to a debt collection agency and if you need to know what they're like simply do a search for them. Some of the tales are quite scary.

Nonsense.

Civil enforcement notices aren't legally enforceable.

What these operators rely on is people like the OP not knowing their rights and meekly paying up. If they'd really meant business they'd have clamped his vehicle.

custardy

i park legally all the time as i refuse to pay any extra.
here in edinburgh they hae cars.
last ticket i got was for a tyre touching a yellow line,one before that was probably 10 years before!

custardy

chuckles1066 wrote: »

Nonsense.

Civil enforcement notices aren't legally enforceable.

What these operators rely on is people like the OP not knowing their rights and meekly paying up. If they'd really meant business they'd have clamped his vehicle.

depends where they are.private companys cant clamp in scotland for example

darich

chuckles1066 wrote: »

Nonsense.

Civil enforcement notices aren't legally enforceable.

What these operators rely on is people like the OP not knowing their rights and meekly paying up. If they'd really meant business they'd have clamped his vehicle.

I didn't ever say they were but that doesn't stop companies using strong arm or bullying tactics to get the money.

Legally the OP shouldn't have parked where they did but it still happened.

Like i said, if these companies couldn't get money then they wouldn't exist. But they can and do get money whether it's legally enforceable or not.

"Not knowing thier rights"?
Let's be honest here there was a sign saying what the limit was and that limit was exceeded so a fine was imposed. I think if it went to court or a debt collection agency, legally enforceable or not, the OP's position is weak. The OP had no right to exceed the limit but did so why shouldn't there be a punishment?

Here's an example.
20mph limit outside a school is advisory and you drive past at 28mph. You're within the legally enforceable 30mph but above the advisory limit. A child runs out from the playground and you run them over. The police would more than likely charge you with careless driving regardless of the legally enforceable limit because you didn't adjust your driving to suit the prevailing conditions. Do you think you'd have a chance of contesting the charge/decision because legally you weren't breaking any laws??

I'm going slightly off topic but i think the OP's position is weak, if legally correct, especially since they've admitted that they thought they'd get away with it.

EDIT : I believe it's an urban myth that civil notices aren't legally enforceable. If the sign is prominently displayed (and it was), is observed by the car park users (and it was) then any fine which is shown on the sign can be issued (and it was). With that taken into account, i believe the car park operator are perfectly entitled to chase any money they are entitled to using whatever means they deem necessary while staying within the law.