23 replies to this topic

[Tinbasher]

Yesterday I parked in a "Disabled Only" car park in my home town. I don't think I have parked here in years anyhow I put up my Blue Badge but on looking around saw no need to put up my clock. For our colonial cousins some parking in the UK is time limited to 3hrs and we have to set the arrival time on a "clock" disc.

Anyhow, I get back to my car after abot 11/2 hours and i have a £35 ($70) penalty ticket. The parking guy was still around so I asked him to explain why I was ticketed. "You didnt display your clock, this is a three hour carpark". So I look around and still can't see the sign telling me that its a clock zone. I as where the sign informing me of this and he points to the one pictured below.





WTF!!

I tell the guy he must be joking and all I get is the "appeal" excuse but I think this is a crude ploy to rip off disabled drivers at £35 a time.

A very annoyed Tinbasher

[gordonr]

Tinbasher, on Feb 26 2010, 09:54 PM, said:

I tell the guy he must be joking and all I get is the "appeal" excuse but I think this is a crude ploy to rip off disabled drivers at £35 a time.

It's simply part of a larger plot to steal from car drivers.

Remember... YOU are responsible for the polar bears.

apparently.

maybe.

(yeah right sure)

-G

[greybeard]

Arseholes. Appeal and tell them you are certified blind so couldn't be expected to see the small print. They are bound to be too thick to wonder how you could have been driving!!!

Edited by greybeard, 26 February 2010 - 10:39 PM.

[Izziwhizzi]

Doesn't look like that size text on that sign that far away can be read by someone in a wheelchair. It does have to be reasonable to gain access to read the sign between the cars.

Appeal, and if it fails, contact the press or local TV.

[Tinbasher]

greybeard, on Feb 26 2010, 10:39 PM, said:

Arseholes. Appeal and tell them you are certified blind so couldn't be expected to see the small print. They are bound to be too thick to wonder how you could have been driving!!!

I could get the wee westie in a guide dog outfit

I dont mind a fair cop but this is just unfair.

Tin

[greybeard]

Tinbasher, on Feb 26 2010, 10:56 PM, said:

greybeard, on Feb 26 2010, 10:39 PM, said:

Arseholes. Appeal and tell them you are certified blind so couldn't be expected to see the small print. They are bound to be too thick to wonder how you could have been driving!!!

I could get the wee westie in a guide dog outfit

I dont mind a fair cop but this is just unfair.

Tin

It's not only unfair, it's also unreasonable to expect anyone in a wheelchair to be able to read that tiny wording. It also looks as though the small print was stuck on as an afterthought and I wonder about the legality of it as an enforceable sign. Even if you had been able to read it, how were you supposed to know that it hadn't just been stuck on to the sign board as a joke?

Definitely appeal.

[Beautiful]

That would be really hard to read while youre sitting in a wheelchair...

[dingle]

Hello
What you must remember the sole aim of a parking warden is to give as many tickets as possible and let you sort it out,
what they are playing on is not all people who get a ticket will appeal,
some years ago I was parked out side the Masons hall in London and received a parking ticket and I appleaed and had to go to a tribunal at a court but what a farce,after comming from Thame and finding a parking place all I was told your free to go,what a bummer.

[Slowlegs]

dingle, on Feb 27 2010, 09:31 AM, said:

Hello
What you must remember the sole aim of a parking warden is to give as many tickets as possible and let you sort it out,
what they are playing on is not all people who get a ticket will appeal,
some years ago I was parked out side the Masons hall in London and received a parking ticket and I appleaed and had to go to a tribunal at a court but what a farce,after comming from Thame and finding a parking place all I was told your free to go,what a bummer.

Appeal by saying you would have got up to read it but you're kind of stuck in a wheelchair and it wasn't an official council sign, just some bodged sign with some paper stuck on with tape. Remember though that they are trying to prevent the spaces being abused by all day parkers. If you do still happen to lose, tell them to get some legal signs done by a professional signwriter with your money, not just a photocopied piece of paper stuck on with sellotape.

[pikey]

Watch Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and see what happens to the traffic warden it may make you feel better. Not that I have much against those tax collectors!

[Tinbasher]

Well no surprise they knocked back my appeal because the sign was "clearly visible". It sure was visible but it wasnt readable.

Tin

[JimG]

Tinbasher, on Mar 3 2010, 10:12 PM, said:

Well no surprise they knocked back my appeal because the sign was "clearly visible". It sure was visible but it wasnt readable.

Tin

Take it to the media and create an outrage is what I would do.

[Trinity]

Keep fighting, they will soon realise it's not worth their time or money fighting.
Take it as far as you can, it's not a matter of money it's a matter of principle!!!!

[Travelling Blackbird]

Tinbasher, on Mar 3 2010, 10:12 PM, said:

Well no surprise they knocked back my appeal because the sign was "clearly visible". It sure was visible but it wasnt readable.

Tin

That's seriously ridiculous. Sounds like a "let's knock it back and see what happens, he might not bother trying to fight it" tactic. That sign is nowhere near clearly visible.

Sorry to hear they're being so stubborn.

[Soryfam]

I'm with everyone else-- fight that ticket to the bitter end. For heaven's sake, I don't think most able bodied people would read it either, and being in a wheelchair would make reading it very difficult.

Sandy

P.S. Can you explain the clock thing to me? Do you have your own clock, or is there one at each space, sort of like our parking meters? I've never heard of this before.

[Ratticis]

In order to even have half a chance to attempt to read that you would have to be right beside it. So what, they expect you to find somewhere else to park, transfer into you chair, go try to read it, then go transfer back in to your car and move, hoping no one else takes that space while your doing that?

Talk about 'guilty until proven innocent'
What a farce

[spot]

Soryfam, on Mar 3 2010, 04:40 PM, said:

I'm with everyone else-- fight that ticket to the bitter end. For heaven's sake, I don't think most able bodied people would read it either, and being in a wheelchair would make reading it very difficult.

Sandy

P.S. Can you explain the clock thing to me? Do you have your own clock, or is there one at each space, sort of like our parking meters? I've never heard of this before.

Things may have changed, but back in the day, when I was young, it was a cardboard/pasteboard thiny with a 24-hour clock face and a pointer on a wheel. You set the pointer to the hour you arrived and left it on the top of the dashboard, where it was visible from the outside. The driver was responsible for owning one. I'm sure those who still live in lands where such objects are required will let me know if things have changed.

[dangerousdave]

The first stage of appeal is to the people that issue the ticket - so it will be "knocked back"
The second stage is the independant ombudsman
So do that
Also ask the council division in charge of signs if it's legal
If they say yes - they are blind
The charge should be dropped as the sign does not satisfy the disabled rights act in that it can't be read from a wheelchair which is discriminatory communication
There is legal jargon - it's in the act

Yep I've been there
I don't pay parking charges

[greybeard]

Tin, your initial knockback will have been made by a "jobsworth" low down in the pecking order. Escalate and keep doing it until you get satisfaction. Whatever you do, don't pay up. Keep us updated on your progress.

Edited by greybeard, 04 March 2010 - 12:14 PM.

[dangerousdave]

The clockthing

Is somin that only exists in UK and Wales where society reckons that disabled people after a period of time become not disabled and grow legs and walk

Here in UK we are not allowed to be disabled for all time

In the minds of the non disabled - miracles are comonplace

I do not discriminate against myself so, have never used one
Got a drawer full of unpaid tickets

[Ratticis]

Many a year ago (back when I had legs) I was with my dad at the drug store. We pulled into a parking space and I undid my seatbelt. Then another space closer to the door opens up so my dad pulls into it and I get out. Then this asshole cop pulls up with a huge attitude and gives me a seatbelt ticket. Apparently moving 5mph for 20 can result in a high speed collision. Needless to say I never paid that, nor did I have the time to show up in court to dispute it. Then about a month later 2 cops show up at my moms place looking for me. She gives them my cell number and this prick calls me (still huge attitude) and tries threatening me. He tells me that I was informed that there would be an arrest warrent issued if I didn't show up in court. I say the cop was to busy being a prick with a huge attitude to inform me of anything. So apparently I have a warent out for me in Saskatchewan. Meh, no big loss.

[edlee]

Rat boy,,, you're a wanted man. Is it ok for me to write them to tell them where you are??? The updates you could send while on the run/roll, would be a trip.

You could try to be the first to accumulate parking tickets in every province,, then come south and do the states, too. I don't thik you ought to go any farther south than the US, tho. Those Mexican cops have no sense of humor. Don't ask how I know that.
ed

[Ratticis]

They can't touch me as long as I don't go to saskatchewan. No big loss

[dangerousdave]

Hi Ratticis

I to once had a warrent issued for my arrest and they taped it to my back door
The local plod new I didn't use the front door (its up a step)
So I rang them up said I was home and they could come and collect me
There was a silence
Then - are you mr smith - yes - are you the guy in a wheelchair - yes
Arh - well there is no way I am sending a officer round to arrest you
I will tell the guys that issued the warrent that your home
That was the last I heard about that one

Long live wheelie anarchy

Edited by dangerousdave, 05 March 2010 - 10:12 AM.