Fixed Penalty notice advice

howthe

howthe

howthe

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Joined
27 Nov 2008
Posts
328
Hi all,

I parked my golf this morning where I always park, as well as 100 other people. Its a long straight road with a school on the side I park. Got back this afternoon at 16:30 to find that a PCSO has given me a fixed penalty notice for £30, the reason? Offence Code 2007: Unnecessary Obstruction.

Now when I arrived there was a car parked very oddly half blocking a residential road.

I took a few pics on my phone.

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That is my golf. If you add easily another car length in front of me there is dropped curb for a driveway. I always leave plenty of room as the drive is on an angle. What really made me chuckle is that the car behind me also got fixed penalty notice and there is no way she was doing anything wrong.

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In this photo you can see the front of the golf again and also the residential street on the other side of the road. This road is wide enough to accommodate cars parked on both sides and passing traffic in the middle. As you should be able to tell I am parked far enough away from the turning that I don't obstruct anyone turning in or out.

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This photo again shows the residential turning and the silver car (also with a ticket) that earlier was parked even further forwards. I understand this one getting a ticket.

I think that maybe someone report the silver one and some over enthusiastic PCSO decided to do us as well. There are also no parking restrictions or double yellow lines here.

Can anyone confirm whether I am in fact causing an obstruction?

If I am wrong I am happy to pay the £30. I haven't got a problem with that, however I don't think I was in the wrong in this case.

SO my options are:

a) Pay the £30. Easiest to do and £30 isn't that big a deal, but why should they win?
b) Ignore it and face further action. Not really an option!
c) Contest it and face court costs etc on top and maybe having to have time off work!

If I was to go to the police station could I ask to speak to the PCSO and ask the reasons why he/she ticketed me? Do they carry cameras to back up their tickets? Can I ask to see any proof they may have?

Any other advice?

Sorry for the long post and thanks for reading it. It just really annoys me, and to think I put this police station down as the one I wanted to work as when I am accepted as a special constable.
 
If you feel that you have been unfairly ticketed and that the PCSO is wrong then you can elect to be heard at court and also speak to the PCSOs supervisor, usually the duty inspector is a good place to start.

In my humble opinion, I fail to see how you are causing an obstruction coupled with what you say in that there are no parking restrictions.
 
Not sure if it's the same there, but they are having a big push around my way with parking around schools due to the sheer amount of on street parking that goes on during school dropping off/picking up time. Few times over the last week the PCSO's and normal coppers have been around ticketing cars for parking exactly like that row of cars you were in for causing an obstruction - and the cars on the opposite side (i suppose it might be that if an HGV was overtaking you guys and had to come to a halt due to traffic then an emergency vehicle wouldn't be able to get past, either that or possible the residents have complained about the parking).
 
from your photos it looks harsh , however "opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction, except in an authorised parking space" is the highway codes stance so from my take on your photo your at fault, pay the fine and forget it.

It is probably because of the school that the junction is deemed dangerous to block but you could be done for being that close to any junction.
 
Domi said:
from your photos it looks harsh , however "opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction, except in an authorised parking space" is the highway codes stance so from my take on your photo your at fault, pay the fine and forget it.

It is probably because of the school that the junction is deemed dangerous to block but you could be done for being that close to any junction.
Click to expand...

yup a lot of people seem to forget that junctions should be clear. around here people park on them as if its fine. causing all manor of problems.


HOWEVER, this case is just daft. the road is wide enough anyway.
 
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