PARKING FINE !

lazicat
lazicat Member Posts: 177
edited 22. Nov 2013, 17:30 in Living with Arthritis archive
Got a parking charge notice through the post today for £95. I was parked on a free private carpark in a disabled bay with my badge displayed, which wasnt looked at , just my car photograped going into & leaving car park & I was a few minutes late back (20 mins). The free pay & display ticket machine doesnt work on this car park & there is a normal sign saying how long parking is allowed. I was in dredful pain that day & struggled to walk back to my car & had to sit down & have a coffee to rest. It seems very unfair to me & the charge huge for free parking !! I actually didnt realise I was late back, I felt so out of it, was just glad I had made it. Ive never had a fine before & been driving 34 years.
Im wondering if I could appeal as I get DLA & Blue Badge & dont have my own income.
Has anyone else had this happen to them ?

Comments

  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Oh dear, that is expensive and what a shock for you. Whether one or twenty minutes back I guess the limit for free parking was exceeded and hence the fine. Do you know who owns the car park? Who issued the ticket? DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • DebbieT
    DebbieT Member Posts: 1,033
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I'd write to them asking for leniency. Explain the circumstances, a brief outline of ure disability & the reason you were late back. I've done the same for my mother in law & tho they haven't written the fine off they have lowered it considerably.

    Good luck.x
    Healing Hugs
    Debbie.x
  • applerose
    applerose Member Posts: 3,621
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    That seems very harsh. I would do as Debbie suggested and write to whoever gave you the ticket.
    Christine
  • bubbadog
    bubbadog Member Posts: 5,544
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    You hear a lot of these stories on tv programmes and in the news papers these days because the car parks are sold off to private companies who use them as a way for 'free money'!! I'd find out who owns it and write a letter, not a begging letter but quite a firm one explaining you had you blue badge in the car which was able to be seen and you where parked in a disabled bay and that the ticket machines where out of order even though blue badge holders are allowed to park free in car parks with badge shown. So you did all the correct things so the fine should be cancelled. Also I would get a solicitor to look over the fine and explain everything to them so you know where you stand legally. Good luck.
  • premierscfc04
    premierscfc04 Member Posts: 57
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Sorry to hear about your possible £95 fine..
    I had a similar fine a couple of years ago for being 50 mins over the 2hr limit from a company who enforce &ldi car parks. On checking the company website I found that if you were in receipt of a Blue Badge then you were allowed an extra hour. When I phoned them they agreed to waive the fine after I supplied them with the details from the BB.

    Hope this helps!
  • hileena111
    hileena111 Member Posts: 7,099
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi
    Yes appeal.....no doubt about it.....but grovel if you have to :lol:
    I got one not long ago in our Metro Centre {Free} indoor car park
    Everyone can park free.
    I was meeting my daughter, running a bit late and needed a disabled space to get my rollater out of the car without scratching someones car :o so was panicking a bit about this.
    I got there, someone drove out of a disabled park and I drove in, got my walker out and went to meet my daughter.

    She was coming back home for a meal so when we got to the car park she said is that your car with a ticket? :shock: It was......I had forgotten in all the rush to put the badge up at all, it was in the pocket of the car :oops:
    I was driving back and talking to my d. and said about paying it and she said appeal. I said I can't.......it was my fault....I didn't put the BB up.
    When we got back home we got on the computer and she dictated and I typed, it was all about how I was OAP {I'm 67} and how I needed my rollator etc and how sorry I was for the inconvenience I had caused etc etc .....it was all true but a really grovelling pathetic letter.

    I got a lovely letter from them apologising for the inconvenience they had caused me :? and saying that they would overlook the ticket.
    Good Luck
    Love
    Hileena
  • lazicat
    lazicat Member Posts: 177
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I emailed them and gave them my DLA & BB details & said I wasnt feeling well that day, the meter wasnt working and they wrote the fine off. That was lucky !
  • hileena111
    hileena111 Member Posts: 7,099
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    That's fantastic news.......I've had good luck with them as well.
    I wasn't going to appeal because I thought....well I didn't put my badge up {in the side pocket of the car} so it was my fault.
    It was my daughter that made me appeal and they were lovely

    Love
    Hileena
  • Starburst
    Starburst Member Posts: 2,546
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Oh that's great news!

    I got one last week for parking with one wheel slightly on the curb. :shock: I was furious with myself, that silly mistake cost me £55! The fine was £110 but reduced by 50% if I paid within 14 days.
  • applerose
    applerose Member Posts: 3,621
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Starburst, I am very surprised you were fined for that. Where I live, most people park with at least 2 wheels on the pavement, sometimes almost the whole car. It's often difficult to get past and people in wheelchairs or with baby buggies have to go on the road to get past. I think 1 wheel slightly on the kerb is a slight mistake but almost a whole car is ridiculous.
    Christine