Parking Ticket

[User 105]

I was over in Milton Keynes today shopping. I parked up, got myself a ticket, put it on the dash.

The traffic warden as standing right next to me when I got my ticket and watched me walk to my car, about 10 feet away and put it in the window.

It was bit windy today and as my sister and girlfriend got out the car it must have blown the ticket off the dash.

As we walked away I saw the warden walk towards my car but thought nothing of it.

Obv, got back to the car and had the dreaded ticket stuck to the windscreen.

First of all what a git. He's seen me pay and put my ticket in the car. obv saw it had moved and could have easily pointed it out to me. And they wonder why people hate them.

The time he has written on the ticket is 2 mins after I paid for the parking slip. I've still got the slip and stub as well.

Anyone know what are my chances of getting out of this. I now it's my responsibility to ensure it's displayed correct, which I thought I had done. It's when I got out and went round the other side of the car to help my sister and GF it must have blown off the dash.

 

[RGDave]

Westy.....I'm your man for this. Had one identical not so long ago.

I got out of 3 in a row (using various excuses) despite being told to pay up by the good folk on this forum.

1. The warden HAS to give you a ticket. You in contravention of the contract you enter into when parking.
2. Most council run car parks offer an appeal service. You take a picture of the ticket and ask for mercy explaining the situation. I did this with my local council all by email and it only took 4 days to have the ticket rescinded.
3. This is the killer (sorry)....IF the ticket comes with a sticky backing to attach it to the windscreen, you can forget fighting it if they say no. However, if the ticket has no backing and motorists place them loosely on the dash and then if falls off or blows away (unknown to you) then they are 99% unable to enforce the ticket.

Send the photo ASAP and write a polite letter or email. It happens all the time. I apologised for the first one (and got let off) then was downright rude on the second.....the "director of parking" wouldn't let me off at first but I explained that without a sticky backing, it would be unreasonable to push the issue....

You are entering into a contract with them by buying and displaying a ticket. If there is a reason for there to be an issue whereby the ticket might not be visible after you have left the vehicle (and they cannot deny the possibility) you are plain sailing.

Your chances are very good. Try a quick email with a photo of the ticket.....

Did the ticket machine ask you to input your reg number?

Also, if they get nasty, warn them that you believe a warden saw the whole thing. If the warden saw you buy a ticket (or the machine collects data) then he/she would be liable to prosecution for denying the events.

This was one of my nuggets....it's not the same in your case, but essentially IF he saw you buy and ticket and put it in your car then refutes that he's in trouble.

- - - -


"Also, I must point out that under the Road Traffic Act 1991- Schedule 6 -Parking Penalties, by accepting his version of events ..... ...... ...... Any person issuing a ticket “which is false in a material particular and does so recklessly or knowing it to be false in that particular is guilty of an offence”. (Road traffic act 1991).

 

[User 105]

Dave, cheers for that.

The ticket didn't have a sticky back so sounds like I stand a good chance. I'll give it a go.

Thanks mate.

 

[RGDave]

good luck. basics are - you bought a ticket, you displayed in accordance etc. etc. it's not you fault...end of.

99% even if the first effort fails they'll back down.

 

[Gubog]

Westy next time your at MK park in the thearte multi storey carpark, really cheap for allday & you pay when you leave so no ticket to lose.

 

[Herbie]

I second this, as a similar incident happened to me. I was not very polite from the get go, I dont believe in being polite when the individuals concerned see and know you are doing the right thing by buying a ticket, then wait till you are out of sight before finding any excuse to stick a ticket on your car, like 'Not clear enough to read' or 'Date obscured by a crease' that kind of crap. Wardens that watch people purchase a ticket then sting them for a technicality should be made to pay for every questionable ticket they issue, this way the council get their money and wardens would be more careful and eventually no one would want to be one.

They know who they want when they employ wardens, creaps, yes men/women, God complex nutters, power cravers, people with few friends or hobbies beyond snail shell collections, people who failed cop school cos they were crap or mental suspects, bullies and people who have been bullied, these are all types you will find doing the job of traffic or parking warden, people who no one liked very much before they became traffic wardens are a popular selection.
Do I hate the job of wardens? No! Do I hate the kind of people who so often appear in wardens outfits?.....Oh yes!
Society failures in most cases in my view.Worst thing you can do in a society is to give power to people who simply should never have any, but it happens everywhere, just look at politics!

 

[Pants]

They know who they want when they employ wardens, creaps, yes men/women, God complex nutters, power cravers, people with few friends or hobbies beyond snail shell collections, people who failed cop school cos they were crap or mental suspects, bullies and people who have been bullied, these are all types you will find doing the job of traffic or parking warden, people who no one liked very much before they became traffic wardens are a popular selection.

I am looking for an outside job, meeting people. Sounds like I am perfectly suited

 

[CliveW]

I have an open top car with no hood. There is no way a ticket that doesn't have a sticky back is going to stay put.
I wonder what happens in that scenario?

 

[RGDave]

I have an open top car with no hood. There is no way a ticket that doesn't have a sticky back is going to stay put.
I wonder what happens in that scenario?

Exactly!! if the ticket has no backing and you do your best....they can hardly complain.

The "director of parking" for my town actually *advised* me to use the sticky backing.....now, come on....in the name of *whatever* do these people actually do anything for their £40k p.a. NOT ONE COUNCIL ticket machine within the walls of the town centre has sticky backed tickets.....

What planet?....I despair....

 

[Spoff]

I have an open top car with no hood. There is no way a ticket that doesn't have a sticky back is going to stay put.
I wonder what happens in that scenario?

You hope it doesn't rain I suppose...

 

[Adrena1in]

Anyone know what are my chances of getting out of this.

Is it the kind of ticket that you *could* have stuck to the windscreen? Because I had this same thing once, and I complained that because it was just a piece of paper and it was a windy day, it was quite difficult to just rest the curled up bit of paper on the dash without it blowing about, and I got away with it, but they said they wouldn't let me off next time.

If you've got a good excuse, and still have the ticket, (the Money-Saving-Expert would have told you to take lots of pictures), then I reckon they'll let you off. They might be a lot more strict these days though...it was 12 or 13 years ago I got caught.

Bad form of the inspector though. You're right, it's situations like that that give them all a bad name, and I don normally mind ticket inspectors.

 

[User 105]

Is it the kind of ticket that you *could* have stuck to the windscreen?

I guess so. If I had some sellotape or some Uhu with me

Rung them up this morning all ready for a unhelpful pain in the ass on the other end and got this really helpful girl.

I explained the situation and asked what the appeals process was and she explained it clearly for me. She has put the penalty on hold until the appeal is completed.

I've just got to photocopy the parking slip and send it back with an explanation of the circumstances.

And get this, actually apologised for the behaviour of the warden

 

[RGDave]

Rung them up this morning all ready for a unhelpful pain in the ass on the other end and got this really helpful girl.

I explained the situation and asked what the appeals process was and she explained it clearly for me. She has put the penalty on hold until the appeal is completed.

Great, first step completed.

 

[backwoodsman]

Is it the kind of ticket that you *could* have stuck to the windscreen?

I guess so. If I had some sellotape or some Uhu with me

Rung them up this morning all ready for a unhelpful pain in the ass on the other end and got this really helpful girl.

I explained the situation and asked what the appeals process was and she explained it clearly for me. She has put the penalty on hold until the appeal is completed.

I've just got to photocopy the parking slip and send it back with an explanation of the circumstances.

And get this, actually apologised for the behaviour of the warden

Nice to hear that not all people who work at "the town hall" are complete and utter norks. (Some of my best friends work at the town hall..)

But come on folks, how difficult is it really to put a ticket on the dash - even on a windy day? (ok, the open top car might be a problem). Smacks of carelessness to me?

And I think it a shame that that some think the best approach is to be belligerent from the start. Me, I've had two tickets (yep, just two in 30 years of motoring). The first I got off by sending a nice polite letter. The second I didn't - and I still haven't quite worked out where on my motorbike I was supposed to have put the P&D ticket?

 

[RGDave]

But come on folks, how difficult is it really to put a ticket on the dash - even on a windy day? (ok, the open top car might be a problem). Smacks of carelessness to me?

It's not difficult. The point is that you put it there and then close the door and leave your car. 99/100 it will stay there... occasionally, it doesn't.
We're not talking about buying a ticket and then forgetting to put it clearly on the dash.

 

[GasMan]

Click me!

Ticket busters aka the parking ticket appealing bible!

Used to be £5 lifetime mebership but now it's £9.99. Regularly having to park semi-legally at best dealing with emergency jobs in my van this site has saved me thousands of pounds! I haven't parted with a penny in over 5 years in payment a get at least 3 a month.

With regards to them saying they won't let you off next time it's a standard response to scare you into paying next time without appealing.

I've been to court twice over tickets and had the cases dismissed within minutes due to the bay markings being incorrectly painted (double bar-end etc) and whenever I need to park somewhere to work where parking legally is nigh on impossible, I actually looking for missing signs, line discrepancies, etc.

Golden rule - photograph everything, never pay if you have a valid case (negates your right to appeal) and don't be bullied by their scare tactics. The entire situation is borderline legalised robbery with so many illegally issued tickets being unwittingly paid everyday.

 

[backwoodsman]

But come on folks, how difficult is it really to put a ticket on the dash - even on a windy day? (ok, the open top car might be a problem). Smacks of carelessness to me?

It's not difficult. The point is that you put it there and then close the door and leave your car. 99/100 it will stay there... occasionally, it doesn't.
We're not talking about buying a ticket and then forgetting to put it clearly on the dash.

Point is - do you not bang the door shut, then have a quick check as you walk away. If you don't, then that's what I meant by smacks of carelessness