Parking Fines

[RSM Masser]

Earlier this week I had a bit of an impromptu celebration after work involving several beers and rather nice posh pizza.
Having come straight from work my wife who was working late joined us about 8pm parking the car in the high street. This may sound grand, however High Street in South Croydon is a wide road littered with many pubs and loads of restaurants so its unsurprisingly fairly busy and parking is a premium.
Innocently enough we left the car in a bay on the road and enjoyed (well I did ) several beers.
Later that same evening we returned to find a £80 PCN (£40 if paid in 2 weeks) - now whilst I admit we did not check the parking rules I am amazed that restrictions apply up to MIDNIGHT, obviously designed to milk the cash cow motorist who needs to drive to a restaurant.
Croydon Council have received my letter of indignation - not that I expect it to much good, am I alone in feeling we the general public are just being ripped off at every opportunity?

 

[drewf]

Not alone - been hammered for parking in a shop car park whilst using a restaurant across the road. Shop closes at 6pm, has no particular use for the large carpark after hours, yet sees fit to charge £60 for any parking over 1 hour regardless of the time of day. I can see the point in charging during operating hours, as that's potentially taking away slots for real clients to use, and since it's near a railway station, I could see free all-day parking being attractive, but at night?

I used to buy from the shop, and of course, now I won't - they have refused to waive the parking fee, and can't see how short-sighted that is. Lose £60 or lose the profit from all my weekly purchases for the next 'n' years?

 

[dem maser]

its everywhere........parking bays outside your house?? have to pay to use them? whats road tax for??

 

[davy83]

Well maybe I can lighten this up a little. I was driving around Italy on vacation and one day we visited Sorrento and parked the car in the main shopping street put enough money in the meter and went for a wander. We liked it there and had a nice meal in a lovely veranda restaurant and bought lots of tourist trinkets and commented on how busy and bustling the place was, ah happy vacation days. Went back to the car to discover it was the annual fete, and the high street had been closed and made into a pedestrian precinct since we had parked and so the street was full of people, kids, jugglers and one car - mine. I had a parking ticket of course. I asked the policeman how I was meant to get out of there, and he replied "slowly". we crawled the length of the street getting dirty looks all the way squeezing through throngs of people. Nightmare. The parking fine was a lot less trouble than the embarrassment.

 

[hodroyd]

You have to check all the signs and lines on the road, a lot of the time these signs and lines are illegally placed and can not be enforced, if you know the rules you can get them to drop the charges, not in all cases though unfortunately. Most people don't bother and just pay up, so councils get away with it..!!

 

[dem maser]

organised crime...........

 

[hodroyd]

Abso bloomin lootely

 

[Brendan]

Sorry to hear that. Unfortunately no where seems car friendly these days. Went to get a sandwich at lunch, double yellows outside shop and warden walking up and down. All the roads are permit parking so i find a mini industrial estate, but there are loads of signs for no parking...In the end I drive back to work hungry!

 

[midlifecrisis]

I got a Parking Charge Notice (note not a fine) for parking in a Hotel car park. It was sent via post with a nice date and timed photo of my car parked and then exiting the car park. the 'fine' was for £60, £30 if I was a good boy and paid up in time. It's still unpaid and it triumphantly displayed at the works rest room. I've not paid it, as it's an opportunistic invoice that is completely unenforceable. These companies dress up the PCN as a 'fine' from the council/police but all they are are invoices. Check it carefully and where you parked. You'll probably find that they haven't got a leg to stand on.

 

[hodroyd]

Martin,

Totally agree mate, I had one in a pay and display, but private car park, they tried every threat in the book to get my money, they finally gave in and I did not pay.

Cheers
R

 

[midlifecrisis]

Robert,
The trick is not to contact them, they'll send the initial one. then another, then a final demand. Do NOT respond, it's a trait that us British have of complaining when something is unfair, but resist this urge. If you phone them then you have acknowledged that you have done something wrong and you will only make it worse for yourself. It's been two years now and I've heard nothing.

 

[drewf]

But don't they simply go to the courts?

 

[alfatwo]

You guys need to leave the London area and come and chill out in leafy Warwickshire,Ive never had a parking ticket in my life! ooop's sorry since 1975...

It takes 45mins on the train from Rugby to Euston at 7.30 in the morning..

Dave

 

[drewf]

I'm talking about Lincolnshire! Not everyone lives in London...

D

 

[CatmanV2]

But don't they simply go to the courts?

In the case of private contractors, it's pretty much un-enforcable. Of course, if it's council, they will, indeed, take you to court.

C

 

[hodroyd]

I say fight whoever it is, wear em down and win..!!

 

[CatmanV2]

What? Even those that park like total ******?

C

 

[dem maser]

Council will go to court, private idiots wont!
They cant even clamp you now....

 

[Parisien]

Its gotten like the wild west in the UK......bounty hunters the lot of them......

P