Given a parking ticket for being one minute late

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Dini
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I parked my car on a single yellow line just before 16:00PM. The restriction on this road is that no parking is allowed between 16:00PM and 19:00PM but you can park at any other time. The road where the ticket was issued near Totteridge & Whetstone tube station (London Borough of Barnet).

I went in to the shop to buy a drink and came out seeing the parking attendant taking a picture of my car with the ticket on my windscreen. I told him that i am only one minute late and he was having none of it.

The ticket shows that it was issued at at 16:01 and that the car was observed from 16:00PM.

I am not sure if i should just pay it or challenge it. Isn't there some sort of grace period to allow people to get back to their car? What chance do i have if i do challenge it?
 
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To be honest i dont think there is a period these days, i dont know but i suspect London as well might be a bit more ruthless than other cities. Roads like that seem the type of place that might get targetted by wardens.

I took this ages ago, free parking after 6, she wrote this on at 5.59!


Untitled by 4737 carlin, on Flickr
 
No parking between 4 and 5 means just that.

If you let one person off for being one minute late, do you let the next one off for being a minute and a half late? Two?

It's (possibly) harsh, but rules is rules etc.
 
Simmotino said:
No parking between 4 and 5 means just that.

If you let one person off for being one minute late, do you let the next one off for being a minute and a half late? Two?

It's (possibly) harsh, but rules is rules etc.
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:agree:

At what time would it have been acceptable to issue a ticket? 16:02? 16:03?

As for the photo is post #2, the ticket may have been issued at 5:59 but the car had obviously been parked there for longer so wasn't entitled to free parking.
 
There was a typo on my original post. The restricted times is between 4 to 7 not 4 to 5.

I think a grace period is probably fair in some cases. For example, if someone comes back with a young child, it will probably take her/him a couple of minutes to strap the baby on the car seat :)

In my view one or two minutes is reasonable but 10 minutes is not.
 
Simmotino said:
No parking between 4 and 5 means just that.

If you let one person off for being one minute late, do you let the next one off for being a minute and a half late? Two?

It's (possibly) harsh, but rules is rules etc.
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:agree:

Everyday I see motorists pleading to be left off with an offence.

Like the next person if I have done no wrong then I will stand my ground but let's be honest if we park up, speed a couple of mph over etc etc , we know that we are breaking the rules and as such it is up to us to take the responsiblity for that regardless of how little outside of the rules it falls.

The rules are in place for a reason....If we choose to break them then how do we have a right to contest the punishment??

Just pay it and ensure you give yourself more time to return to your vehicle next time if you don't wish to chance receiving similar again!
 
ziggy©;4539546 said:
There was a typo on my original post. The restricted times is between 4 to 7 not 4 to 5.

I think a grace period is probably fair in some cases. For example, if someone comes back with a young child, it will probably take her/him a couple of minutes to strap the baby on the car seat :)

In my view one or two minutes is reasonable but 10 minutes is not.
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Well if they know it is going to take a couple of minutes to get the child in the car make sure you are back a couple of minutes before the restriction starts. :bang:

16:00-19:00 means just that, not 16:09-18:51 (taking your 10 minutes is not reasonable quote).
 
Ploddles said:
Well if they know it is going to take a couple of minutes to get the child in the car make sure you are back a couple of minutes before the restriction starts. :bang:
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Precisely!!

If temporary traffic lights added a few mins to your commute to work, would you not leave those few mins earlier so as not to get into trouble with your employer??
 
Well i understand what you guys are saying. If i wanted to ensure that i did not get a ticket i should have gone back to the car earlier - Fair point.

I do still believe that a few minutes grace period should be in place for several reasons. Though it was not the case with, i would bet that people's watches are not in synch with the parking attendants watch so allowing one or two minutes for that seems reasonable. :)
 
ziggy©;4539600 said:
i would bet that people's watches are not in synch with the parking attendants watch so allowing one or two minutes for that seems reasonable. :)
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Valid point but people will always take the p*** and those one or two mins will be expected by some to be stretched to three, four , five mins etc .....how can anything be policed properly with grey areas like that......eg:

Where I live, parking of motorcyles and scooters are tolerated on pavements, indeed my own is parked up outside my home on the pavement not least of all because there is rarely space in the local designated 2 whhels parking area and it is prone to thieves.

This tolerance is a classic example of grey area......I do not have a god given right ....I take a chance and I have parked in the same spot for nearly 2 years with no problem BUT I know that if I received a fine then I have no fight against it.

As it is the grey area of law works in my favour for the moment but at some point there will be a jobsworth who stuffs me .....however the jobsworth will only be doing his/her job!!!
 
ziggy©;4539446 said:
I parked my car on a single yellow line just before 16:00PM. The restriction on this road is that no parking is allowed between 16:00PM and 19:00PM but you can park at any other time. The road where the ticket was issued near Totteridge & Whetstone tube station (London Borough of Barnet).

I went in to the shop to buy a drink and came out seeing the parking attendant taking a picture of my car with the ticket on my windscreen. I told him that i am only one minute late and he was having none of it.

The ticket shows that it was issued at at 16:01 and that the car was observed from 16:00PM.

I am not sure if i should just pay it or challenge it. Isn't there some sort of grace period to allow people to get back to their car? What chance do i have if i do challenge it?
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Seems a bit harsh but looks like there is no grace period

http://www.barnet.gov.uk/faq-parking-appeals-q3
 
Buy an accurate watch, keep an eye on it,problem solved............:)
 
If you are going to say there is no grace period and any infringement can result in punishment then surely it would make sense to apply that across the board. Speeding for example you are allowed upto 10% +2mph over the speed limit usually.

Why give a margin for one offence but no margin for another? Allowing 5 mins before a ticket would seem reasonable
 
Unfortunately common sense is never applied. The parking attendants are probably on a bonus scheme where the more cars they fine the more money they earn.

Here is an example where common sense was not applied: :wacky:

Towing-Hurse.jpg
 
ziggy©;4539716 said:
Unfortunately common sense is never applied. The parking attendants are probably on a bonus scheme where the more cars they fine the more money they earn.

Here is an example where common sense was not applied: :wacky:

Towing-Hurse.jpg
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Please do tell me that is a "made up" shot .......if not then surely ther was public outcry no??
 
ziggy©;4539746 said:
I will admit and say I don't know if it is real or fake. I saw it on on the front page of PenaltyChargeNotice.co.uk.
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God forbid if it is a genuine shot!

If edited then someones sick sense of humour although I must admit that i couldn't help but smirk slightly ....awful I know!!
 
I think i will just go ahead and pay the fine and learn from the mistake. Not happy about it but i guess if i have no chance if i appeal it then it is not worth the hassle.
 
Seems like the best idea to me .....appealing may work but i think you will be causing yourself un needed hassle/sress and possibly show yourself up to be a complete ass!!

No one ( inc myself) is happy at being punished for a wrong doing ....... simply one of those not so pleaasant things in life!
Without doubt, makes us think more about it before doing it again although for some bizzare reason, doesn't necessarily stop us ......nowt so funny as folk as the saying goes!
 
Drawing a comparison between a parking charge and speeding is wrong, parking infringements are no longer a criminal offence, speeding is.
There is no 'grace' level in the legislation on speeding, if the speed limit is 30, then 30.000000000000001 is an offence. What there is though is ACPO's gudelines. They say that between the posted limit and 10% + 2mph a driver should be warned, but guidelines are not tram lines, and in theory there's nothing preventing a Police Officer from issuing a ticket or summons.
Anyway, back to parking, firstly council employed or contracted parking attendants are not traffic wardens. Secondly they do not have a right or duty of discretion like a Police Officer theoretically has (or had until the last Government came along!), they have no option under the rules they work with. It's annoying I agree, but there's no point in slagging the poor sods who slap tickets on your windscreen, they are have no option, and anyway, they didn't park there, you did, so there's only one person at fault. If you were given a job and knew you'd be sacked for not doing it, would you no do it?
Simple answer is, if you don't want to pay the ticket, don't park there. Same as any other act that results in a fixed penalty or court appearance.
 
Let me set the scene.
I was parked in a free car park, I was working not too far from the car. 5 yards max.
Its a loop road with a concrete hard standing at the far end.
And bushes on the rest. So in effect a massive roundabout a few hundred yards long.
The inner circle has double yellow lines around it, and the parking spaces are on the "outer ring", if you get the idea.

All the spaces were full so I pulled onto the concrete hard standing, there are
no "no parking signs" on this area, just yellow lines surrounding it.
Its also used by Taxi's but its not a designated taxi rank.

I got out of the car, walked about 5 yards to look at an area, and walked back to the car.
I was gone maybe a minute, certainly no more

When I returned to the car, yep there was a ticket.

He must have moved like greased lightning and in fact must have been hiding somewhere as he was nowhere to be seen, when I pulled in.

Anyhow I collared the little scrote and he just said tough!
you were on a double yellow, I told him that I wasn't, and was surrounded
by yellow lines but not actually on them.

And that as there were double yellow lines accross my drive, does that mean I can't park on my drive?

He grinned jumped on his moped and sped off.

On closer inspection of the parking ticket, I noted that in his haste to get one
more under his belt, that day, the twatt had got my registration wrong, by one character.

What an idiot!
I ignored said ticket and never heard another word.

Did I say that I thought he was a idiot? :D
 
ziggy©;4539800 said:
I think i will just go ahead and pay the fine and learn from the mistake. Not happy about it but i guess if i have no chance if i appeal it then it is not worth the hassle.
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I think if I was only 1 minute over I'd seriously ask for proof of when the parking attendants watch was last synchronised with a known accurate chronometer?

It's a reasonable question given the circumstances. All arguments that you should have allowed more time and so on are irrelevant. The fact is that you didn't, but the question is just what was the correct time?
 
Cobra said:
Let me set the scene.
I was parked in a free car park, I was working not too far from the car. 5 yards max.
Its a loop road with a concrete hard standing at the far end.
And bushes on the rest. So in effect a massive roundabout a few hundred yards long.
The inner circle has double yellow lines around it, and the parking spaces are on the "outer ring", if you get the idea.

All the spaces were full so I pulled onto the concrete hard standing, there are
no "no parking signs" on this area, just yellow lines surrounding it.
Its also used by Taxi's but its not a designated taxi rank.

I got out of the car, walked about 5 yards to look at an area, and walked back to the car.
I was gone maybe a minute, certainly no more

When I returned to the car, yep there was a ticket.

He must have moved like greased lightning and in fact must have been hiding somewhere as he was nowhere to be seen, when I pulled in.

Anyhow I collared the little scrote and he just said tough!
you were on a double yellow, I told him that I wasn't, and was surrounded
by yellow lines but not actually on them.

And that as there were double yellow lines accross my drive, does that mean I can't park on my drive?

He grinned jumped on his moped and sped off.

On closer inspection of the parking ticket, I noted that in his haste to get one
more under his belt, that day, the twatt had got my registration wrong, by one character.

What an idiot!
I ignored said ticket and never heard another word.

Did I say that I thought he was an idiot? :D
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This is why nobody trusts them. I have seen videos on youtube showing them hiding behind a tree to catch you out.
 
When my dad use a shop (amongst a row of shops), and the council decided to make all the roads outside them yellow lines (great for business!) they all had whistles at one stage when a traffic warden use to come along and you'd see lots of people running to their cars!
 
Cobra said:
Let me set the scene.
I was parked in a free car park, I was working not too far from the car. 5 yards max.
Its a loop road with a concrete hard standing at the far end.
And bushes on the rest. So in effect a massive roundabout a few hundred yards long.
The inner circle has double yellow lines around it, and the parking spaces are on the "outer ring", if you get the idea.

All the spaces were full so I pulled onto the concrete hard standing, there are
no "no parking signs" on this area, just yellow lines surrounding it.
Its also used by Taxi's but its not a designated taxi rank.

I got out of the car, walked about 5 yards to look at an area, and walked back to the car.
I was gone maybe a minute, certainly no more

When I returned to the car, yep there was a ticket.

He must have moved like greased lightning and in fact must have been hiding somewhere as he was nowhere to be seen, when I pulled in.

Anyhow I collared the little scrote and he just said tough!
you were on a double yellow, I told him that I wasn't, and was surrounded
by yellow lines but not actually on them.

And that as there were double yellow lines accross my drive, does that mean I can't park on my drive?

He grinned jumped on his moped and sped off.

On closer inspection of the parking ticket, I noted that in his haste to get one
more under his belt, that day, the twatt had got my registration wrong, by one character.

What an idiot!
I ignored said ticket and never heard another word.

Did I say that I thought he was an idiot? :D
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You didn't consider "constricting" him in a slippery snake kind of way then?? !!! LOL
 
By what time do we all go by - our watches that are prob set to the pips of the radio or by the wardens watch that may/coulkd be a minute or two faster...
 
a minute does seem a bit extreme.............. to be honest. just checked and of 4 clocks / watches I can see as of now... the times vary by 3 mins....

Personally... given the above, I would allow a 5 min "period of grace".... but I guess the problem is the TW etc is probably on a crap wage with a bonus enhancement of the number of tickets issued per week.........

Bad targets and incentives lead to bad behaviours.... etc etc.... Just a guess.

Personally I would appeal it like anything, though i doubt you'll get far....


as mentioned above (now I have read the thread) surely, as if you get done for speeding etc you can ask when the gun was calibrated, had the officer had the correct training etc etc.... is the TW capable of telling the time, was his / her watch synchronised?
 
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Problem with, say, a 5 minute grace is that suddenly the accepted time (in peoples' minds) then becomes 16:05. The car's owner comes back to his/her car to find a ticket timed at 16:06 and screams "it's only a minute FFS!"

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know for sure if Traffic Wardens get any "reward" for the number of tickets they issue?
 
I got a ticket a few years ago while helping an old lady who was injured - I was driving down the high street and i saw this crowd of people surrounding this prone old lady, so being a trained medic i binned my car in a parking space and went to help

she'd had a funny turn and then fallen on a load of broken glass and cut her hand to buggery - it took as little while to stop the bleeding, get an ambulance , and hand her over to the propper paramedics , and I then returned to my car to find i'd been ticketed, which was fair enough as mrs meter maid couldnt have known where i was and why it was parked without a valid ticket.

However what did **** me off was when I appealed it I was told , 'tough its one rule for everybody' , which struck me as unnecessarily jobsworthy. So I phoned them and asked to speak to a senior manager then said in essence " your staff are right according to the letter of the rules , but what do you think the press would make of this "

and he very quickly realised that £30 would'nt be worth the resultant hassle and bad PR so he agreed to bin the ticket ... a victory for common sense :LOL:
 
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fabs said:
Problem with, say, a 5 minute grace is that suddenly the accepted time (in peoples' minds) then becomes 16:05. The car's owner comes back to his/her car to find a ticket timed at 16:06 and screams "it's only a minute FFS!"

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know for sure if Traffic Wardens get any "reward" for the number of tickets they issue?
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But then you can just argue that even though its only 1 minute over the grace period they have still parked 6 minutes over the allowed time and perfectly reasonable then to expect a ticket.

Where there are double yellows, not only can you expect a ticket if you park on them, but even if you're car is completely off the road behind them you are still not allowed to park there. Personally i don't see why the rules are that way as if the car is completely off the road and not causing any obstruction (assuming its not a footpath or something) then whats the problem with it.

Your driveway is probably private property so even though you are parking behind double yellows it is your property so no problem.

I have seen laybys where the road has doube yellows, meaning the layby which would presumable be used to dropoff/pickup/parking would be ticketed if any cars were found in it. Why have a layby if no one can use it?
 
ziggy©;4539716 said:
Unfortunately common sense is never applied. The parking attendants are probably on a bonus scheme where the more cars they fine the more money they earn.
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those bonus schemes are now if not illegal, certainly against guidance to councils from the secretary of state. I don't think anywhere still operates them.

Having said that most of the parking attendants around here are jumped up unpleasant jobsworths who take a strange satisfaction in what they do.
 
I would appeal that, appeal anything as the parking attendant can not issue a ticket within 1 minute the process takes longer than that to do. comming from a person I know (I stopped callign him a mate when he got the job, he even booked his uncle) who is one.
 
Little John said:
I would appeal that, appeal anything as the parking attendant can not issue a ticket within 1 minute the process takes longer than that to do. comming from a person I know (I stopped callign him a mate when he got the job, he even booked his uncle) who is one.
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Actually thats a good point!
In my case, I may have sat in the car a minute or two before getting out.
So the the son of un-married parents, must have started writing as I pulled
up. What an anus!
 
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