appealing a parking ticket?

[noog]

Over a month ago I was given a parking ticket outside my house, even though...

a) I was parked during an allowed parking time, After 11 (8am-11pm no parking on the sign)
b) The lines are broken
c) The lines aren't capped at one end properly

I've sent a letter to the ticket office, and recently they sent me a letter saying "We acknowledge your letter dated .... signed ..." And today I recieved a letter giving me another 30 days to pay up or they'll send me to court.

Now, It's only £30 and I'm not exactly skint or anything, but should I pay it or let them take me to court? I imagine alot of people would just pay up the £30 regardless, just to save the inconvenience of being taken to court... but my dad says I should definately not pay.

If i get taken to court I know I'll win, and It'll cost the police money.

What would you do? Anyone appealed before?

[solid_L]

I remember watching a program where just 1 silly rule (like the lines not being capped properly) resulted in the whole line being completely illegal and they couldn't get you for parking there.

They piss me off traffic wardens, wannabe cops with no life trying to look like they are actually an important part of society. I wouldn't pay, just for the sheer principle, traffic warden probably hadn't reached their quota for the day and decided they needed to get someone even though they were doing nothing wrong.

Traffic wardens = twats

[noog]

Heh, I was given it at 00.30 on sunday morning. So they obviously don't have a social life either

[solid_L]

They don't. Who the hell would want to be a traffic warden? They make me laugh. They walk around our town centre looking for cars which are idle for more than 3 seconds. I'm sure they'd give us a ticket at traffic lights!

It's funny how I've never known anyone who is friends with a traffic warden....shows they're loners!

Originally Posted by solid_L

traffic warden

They have their uses.

[solid_L]

As what? piss-aiming targets?

Originally Posted by solid_L

They make me laugh. They walk around our town centre looking for cars which are idle for more than 3 seconds. I'm sure they'd give us a ticket at traffic lights!

They are like that here too. My mum got one for parking outside my house in the residents bit so we could bring a tv into the house before taking the car to the car park. They couldn't realistically expect us to carry it :|

Originally Posted by solid_L

As what? piss-aiming targets?

Fining people that park in fucking dumb places.

Not noog maybe the traffic warden was on crack?

I dunno, noog. I got out of one once (no court involved) with a letter or two. Mine was on double yellows and broken down.

Maybe if you can get some evidence (a photo) of the parking restrictions. Not really versed in court proceeedings, though. If you're in the right, you shouldn't have to pay a thing, though.

[solid_L]

We should all show them this much respect:


pinchy pinchy

[noog]

Originally Posted by bad seed

Maybe if you can get some evidence (a photo) of the parking restrictions. Not really versed in court proceeedings, though. If you're in the right, you shouldn't have to pay a thing, though.

I sent them a photo of the sign and the ticket and circled the time on the sign and the time on the ticket. I dont know why it's taking this long.

I really can't be arsed to make a court appearance though, I'm sure they'll probably fuck me over my expenses/loss of earnings but I really dont want to take it up the arse. and I dont want to risk getting a CCJ.

[solid_L]

How can you get done when you haven't broken the law? That makes absolutely no sense

[Skive]

I caught a jobsworth giving me a ticket once despite the fact I'd clearly paid, but in effect he told me that if I had a problem I would have to appeal because once it's written he couldn't do anything about it. He wouldn't even admit he was wrong to have given it in the first place, he just refused to speak to me.

Of course I appealed and Plymouth council wrote back to me and said they'd wave the fine this time but if the same situation occured again I wouldn't be so lucky. Obviously I was pissed off with having to go through an appeal when it was so blatent I'd done nothing wrong. I wrote back and questioned why I'd been let off this time but wouldn't in future, because it didn't make sense. They failed to write back let alone give an appology.

I'd contest it if I were you. They don't like admiting they're wrong even when they quite cleary are.

[Kentish]

Originally Posted by noog

I sent them a photo of the sign and the ticket and circled the time on the sign and the time on the ticket. I dont know why it's taking this long.

I really can't be arsed to make a court appearance though, I'm sure they'll probably fuck me over my expenses/loss of earnings but I really dont want to take it up the arse. and I dont want to risk getting a CCJ.

If you've sent proof that you were parked legally, there is no way you should pay. You can normally request independent adjudication before it gets to court.

Try this website

[Kermit]

Go to your local council, and play hell.

They cannot do you if the parking restrictions were not in force, but a lot of traffic wardens will try.

Most parking tickets are actually acceptable. Park in a clearway, on double yellows, or in a disabled space without a blue badge, and the fine should be in the hundreds of pounds, not the tens of pounds. Most parking tickets are done by pond life in beemers or 4x4s who think "I was only two minutes" is a perfectly good reason to ignore parking restrictions that are normally there for a reason.

Park in a disabled bay without a blue badge and I'd make the fine £1000, to be quite honest.

The problem is many traffic wardens are on performance contracts- they don't issue enough tickets on behalf of the likes of NCP, and they get sacked. They will not show humanity because if they do they will lose their job.

[klintock]

Interesting how you have assumed that they actually have the power in the first place.

How do you know they do?

Just treat them like you would treat any other panhandler or mugger.