Result - parking ticket rescinded - solar-powered ticket machines !

[chr1s]

It’s worth writing grovelling letters, when you believe you are in the right, even if you have technically broken the law. The 'Notice to pay fixed excess charge' stated 'Failure to display a valid ticket' 'face/down'. I wrote the following letter about four weeks ago:

I received a parking ticket today (21st October) but I believe the excess charge should be waived for the following reasons:

I was parked in a marked space (with photographic proof) and I bought a valid ticket for the whole of my stay (ticket available as proof). It seems that a gust of wind blew the ticket face down, either as I shut the door or through a vent after I had left the vehicle.

I appreciate that it is my responsibility to display the ticket face up, but accidents happen.

I always purchase a ticket when parking in pay & display areas, including occasions such as this, when I was only stopping for 15 minutes. The previous payment system used tickets securely clamped by a closed window, but the new system uses tickets which are not designed to be clamped, not supplied with an adhesive strip and not printed on both sides. It is not surprising that occasionally tickets will blow over, with the details out of view.

I had no intention to park illegally, and as far as I knew (until I found the ECN) I was not parked illegally. This was, at worst, an honest error (if the ticket blew over before I left the vehicle) or possibly a blameless accident (if the ticket blew over after I left the vehicle).

The parking laws are in place for safety, traffic flow and council revenue. I tried to keep to the rules, but inadvertently allowed my ticket to blow over – this had no effect on safety, traffic flow or revenue. Surely you will agree that this is a case of an honest mistake, which does not deserve to be penalised ?

I received the following reply, yesterday, from Cardiff Council:

Thank you for your communication in connection with the above charge and your comments have been noted.

I have given the matter consideration and, on this occasion only, under these particular circumstances, the Notice has been cancelled.

The Council has been advised by the Pay and Display machine manufacturer, that only mains-powered machines are able to dispense self-adhesive tickets. All Council machines are solar-powered, and consequently, the tickets do not have self-adhesive strips.

I never knew they were solar-powered machines. Particularly surprising because you can pay by cash / credit card / debit card. I'll take a closer look next time I use one.

 

[Hellcat]

I'd have petrol bombed the council for being so damned pedantic. If you didn't have a ticket - fair enough the ticket should be enforced. But if you had proof that you had paid then regardless of the orientation of the ticket - you had paid the fee applicable.

About time councils, police, politicians, companies started treating us as people and not reference numbers.

 

[hmallett]

But if you had proof that you had paid then regardless of the orientation of the ticket - you had paid the fee applicable.

Isn't this his first contact with the council, where he's offering proof that he had a valid ticket?
Otherwise if you mean that they could see he had "a" ticket (but not whether it was valid), wouldn't people just use yesterday's ticket turned upside down?

 

[Hellcat]

The whole attitude from them stinks...

I have given the matter consideration and, on this occasion only, under these particular circumstances, the Notice has been cancelled.

jumped up little hitlers. Get out the petrol.

 

[chr1s]

Isn't this his first contact with the council, where he's offering proof that he had a valid ticket?
Otherwise if you mean that they could see he had "a" ticket (but not whether it was valid), wouldn't people just use yesterday's ticket turned upside down?

You're right.

To be fair on the council, I could have used another day's ticket - and I can't prove that my valid ticket was bought by me or given to me by another motorist. On this occasion I paid with cash, and the machine doesn't require the car's registration number (like some do).

In future I will always pay by card, so I have proof of payment.

 

[claymore]

The ticket machines have been solar powered here for a while now.

My favourite was the Saturday slacker.

Was shopping in the city center and came back to my car well within my time to find a ticket. Why? It wasn't showing according the notice.

I went to the office and wrote in a form about such a farce from which they sent back a reply noting the fine was cancelled and with a picture of where the ticket would be on the dashboard but just one problem. The light was shining on the windscreen and reflecting off in such a way you couldn't see through unless you looked carefully .

*sigh* it's said the wardens can't think for themselves.

 

[x Alex x]

I never have and never will have care about parking tickets, i got 3 in 2007 while i was at college, £30 which is what i got a week, threw them away and haven't heard anything to this day.

i remember one i got a notice to move my car AND a ticket before i'd seen the notice, jokes!

 

[colin79666]

The ticket machines up here (edinburgh) have solar panels but still dispense tickets the the stickly but to peel off, presumably they also have mains power. They also do that mPark thing so you can pay by mobile phone, but it uses an 0870 number which I think is a bit of cheek. Just gone up to a pound an hour for parking outside uni now - glad my course is just about over

 

[Captain Mike]

Solar powered aye?

So bin bag over the top of them then when you come to pay (probably have to be a few days after the bin bag) and it has no power just take a photo as evidence that the machine isn't working

 

[Kier]

Closet I've come to getting a parking ticket was when dropping something off to mums friend.

Parked in the bay, and not blocking anyones drive, they wouldn't have been able to drive in, but would have been able to reverse in.

Came back a few minutes later, and see this person standing by the car with a camera and notepad...thought it was a traffic wardan to start with, turns out it was someone who lived in the houses there. Started going on about how I cant park there, and that I would be getting a fine from the Police etc, pointed out that it was between the marked bays, and there was a sign that said 'Parking for 2 hours...no return within 1 hour' or something, and although it was a dropped curb along the whole road, I parked infront of a wall, so wasn't a drive.

Asked if he managed to take a photo and get my number plate, he said no, so got in and drove off.

Park there all the time now, just to **** him off.

 

[Captain Mike]

Closet I've come to getting a parking ticket was when dropping something off to mums friend.

Parked in the bay, and not blocking anyones drive, they wouldn't have been able to drive in, but would have been able to reverse in.

Came back a few minutes later, and see this person standing by the car with a camera and notepad...thought it was a traffic wardan to start with, turns out it was someone who lived in the houses there. Started going on about how I cant park there, and that I would be getting a fine from the Police etc, pointed out that it was between the marked bays, and there was a sign that said 'Parking for 2 hours...no return within 1 hour' or something, and although it was a dropped curb along the whole road, I parked infront of a wall, so wasn't a drive.

Asked if he managed to take a photo and get my number plate, he said no, so got in and drove off.

Park there all the time now, just to **** him off.

Lol where I used to go to watch football there was a bay that was faded and infront of some womans house. I parked there once and she said you can't park there. I told her I can and she said you'll get a ticket. There wasn't any where else to park so I left it there.

Came back and suprise suprise there was no ticket. She would be waiting in her doorway near kick off every week to tell people not to park there then I would park there after she scared them all away

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Came back and suprise suprise there was no ticket. She would be waiting in her doorway near kick off every week to tell people not to park there then I would park there after she scared them all away

 

[sludgeguts]

Mate of mine got a couple of complimentary tickets to watch cricket in London.
So he took his new squeeze along for a nice day out. As he was driving round the side streets looking for parking, an asian bloke offered him parking on his driveway, only £10 for the day & nice & safe.
My mate only had £8 change so offered him that & he accepted.
Off they went & had a great day at the cricket.
Upon his return, he was devastated to discover his car blocked in by six others.
He had to wait over an hour before all the other drivers came back - and to compound matters, the one car blocking everybody else was the last person to get back.
Nice little earner really, £70 cash in hand.
My mate spent some time knocking on the door, looking round the back etc but turned out the house was empty.
Seemed to be quite a scam going, they pick empty houses for sale with plenty of parking then offer 'their' house for cheap parking.
Of course, they have the rest of the family doing the same scam on other nearby streets.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Mate of mine got a couple of complimentary tickets to watch cricket in London.
So he took his new squeeze along for a nice day out. As he was driving round the side streets looking for parking, an asian bloke offered him parking on his driveway, only £10 for the day & nice & safe.
My mate only had £8 change so offered him that & he accepted.
Off they went & had a great day at the cricket.
Upon his return, he was devastated to discover his car blocked in by six others.
He had to wait over an hour before all the other drivers came back - and to compound matters, the one car blocking everybody else was the last person to get back.
Nice little earner really, £70 cash in hand.
My mate spent some time knocking on the door, looking round the back etc but turned out the house was empty.
Seemed to be quite a scam going, they pick empty houses for sale with plenty of parking then offer 'their' house for cheap parking.
Of course, they have the rest of the family doing the same scam on other nearby streets.

at that. The little sods, lol.

 

[ChrisUK]

I got into a full blown war with a parking attendant in Sunderland. Went to the next street over to get cash and change for parking only to find the jerk stood at my work van "just starting" to fill in the details.

I told him I was just getting change "which I still had in my hand" and was about to put into the meter when I saw him. He said something along the lines of "I'm sorry I still got to issue one". At this point I noticed he hadn't even got the Reg number yet never mind the number on the tax disc.

So I got in started the van and went to move off into the 1 lane one way street. He then leaped out into the middle of the road and subsequently blocked the whole road making every motorist behind angry. So I nudged the van towards him, Saying along the lines of get out the way, last time I checked a 2 ton van running in to you will hurt. He then got on the radio requesting police at which point I backed off.

Obviously I didn't pay it and contested it on the grounds that it's illegal for them to block your way once you have left the parking space. And Subsequently I won but not straight away, my "Informal Appeal" was rejected and It wasn't until I made a Formal Appeal by letter and email and made the request that if it was rejected again I'd like to see a Parking Adjudicator when they backed down and cancelled the PCN.

So your right it always pays to fight it even if your are in the wrong as technically I was. I was parked in the space with no ticket (even though I was getting change and had full intention to pay as I had on previous days)

 

[Focus Owner]

dont they have to wait 5 mins as well?

 

[ChrisUK]

dont they have to wait 5 mins as well?

they have to wait whats referred to in the law as a "reasonable" amount of time which as always is left to interpretation.