The hate for traffic wardens

snapdragon69 · 11 Jun 2016 at 19:43

I usually say I am reading the restrictions and look at the sign on the nearest post. They say, "I'm telling you you can't park there" and you say wait I will see what the signs say, they say you can't and you say I could have read them by now if you didn't keep talking by which time the wife comes scuttling over with handfuls of bags and you're off.

Arthur Hucksake · 11 Jun 2016 at 22:02

Mount the pavement and run them over. No ticket.....Yay!

Gimli · 17 Jun 2016 at 16:13

I got a ticket for parking in a motorcycle bay today. I had no idea I was parked in one! What makes it worse is I went back to the car about 10 minutes before the ticket was issued to get something, so if I'd just left I'd have been fine. Photos in the spoiler.

As you can see the bay is raised so you can't see the badly drawn out bay markings, especially when reversing up the banking. Only reason I know it's there is went back later to take photos.

The only real indicator was the sign on the wall... which I missed by reversing in! Without examining it closely it looks just like a regular Parking sign.

I suppose the metal rail at the back should have given it away, but at the time I assumed it was to stop me damaging the wall. If I was going to park illegally I certainly wouldn't pay for the parking! Not sure if there's any point in appealing or whether I should just pay the £35 fine.

Steampunk · 17 Jun 2016 at 18:19

I'd appeal that based on the markings.

Liquidfox · 17 Jun 2016 at 18:21

I'd definitely be appealing that

koolpc · 17 Jun 2016 at 20:31

Is that a 'Motorcycles Only' sign on the wall?

Gimli · 17 Jun 2016 at 21:05

koolpc said:
Is that a 'Motorcycles Only' sign on the wall?

Yes (I pointed it out in the post) but it's not really noticeable at a distance. When you drive up and see the space you see the P, Maximum stay 4 hours and Welcome to Riverside Car Park. My main concern was making sure I didn't hit anybody when maneuvering in.

Driving in looking for a space, you miss it. As far as I'm aware it should have clear markings as required by Schedule 6 of Traffic Signs Regualations 1994 (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/3113/pdfs/uksi_20023113_en.pdf#page=182 takes a while to load). In my opinion it should also have a bigger sign on one or both of the walls. Looking at it, it looks like a standard row of bays. Reversing in you miss the sign completely.

The sign is my main concern with appealing.

mattyg · 17 Jun 2016 at 22:24

Traffic wardens. About the only job where you get stick for doing your job well.

Raymond Lin · 17 Jun 2016 at 22:30

At the end of my road is a co-op, it's basically on a corner of a T junction that is next to another mini roundabout. So that corner is really busy with traffic and the entry/exit to the road of that T junction and people always park outside the co-op and pop into do their shopping even though it means they make the road a lot narrower and difficult for traffic and recently the council has put double yellow on it because of safety reasons. But people are still parking there...I wish people start getting tickets because it is actually causing obstruction and creating a hazard by parking there.

mattyg · 17 Jun 2016 at 22:40

Yellow lines are there for a reason. They cost councils money to paint them so they don't take that decision lightly.
Its a shame they can't put up signs that state that reason. "we have to put yellow lines here as a young child was killed trying to cross the road between parked cars"

pokerking · 17 Jun 2016 at 22:43

I got a ticket in Leeds, had my Transit parked in a Loading bay 5 mins away from where I needed to be as they are full, dropped a machine off in Barclays Bank and got issued a ticket as I were not visible loading and unloading. Lost the appeal too, they have also put the pay and display ending from 6pm to 10pm, all about money for the Councils, they get a bad rep though, seen a lot of fights break out, you have to be very thick skinned, not a job I would ever do.

Woden · 17 Jun 2016 at 22:49

My dad's area is a resident permit only area. Every Sunday I visit and without fail at least one car has a ticket.

Often the car is parked right next to the sign warning is s permit area!

The_Dark_Side · 17 Jun 2016 at 23:15

Liquidfox said:
I'd definitely be appealing that

How would that appeal go.
Sorry your honour but I didn't see the markings on the road or the unobscured sign on the wall......but it wasn't my fault?

koolpc said:
Is that a 'Motorcycles Only' sign on the wall?

Gimli said:
Yes (I pointed it out in the post) but it's not really noticeable at a distance.

It's next to the space you parked in. What distance are we talking about? 6 feet?

Personally I don't hate traffic wardens because I'm aware that the motoring public includes a huge percentage of arrogant, inconsiderate morons that can't be relied upon to give a monkey's about anyone but themselves. Do away with the wardens and enjoy hours of fun playing the "I can't get off my driveway" game. Some are way too overzealous but you get jobsworths in all walks of life. I crossed paths with one a while back over a ticket and you can see the difference between doing a job and doing it from a soapbox.

Gimli · 17 Jun 2016 at 23:23

The_Dark_Side said:
How would that appeal go.
Sorry your honour but I didn't see the markings on the road or the unobscured sign on the wall......but it wasn't my fault?

It's next to the space you parked in. What distance are we talking about? 6 feet?

Personally I don't hate traffic wardens because I'm aware that the motoring public includes a huge percentage of arrogant, inconsiderate morons that can't be relied upon to give a monkey's about anyone but themselves. Do away with the wardens and enjoy hours of fun playing the "I can't get off my driveway" game. Some are way too overzealous but you get jobsworths in all walks of life. I crossed paths with one a while back over a ticket and you can see the difference between doing a job and doing it from a soapbox.

I'm looking into it now actually, but if it's similar to on road parking the markings have to meet certain requirements.

I'm not blaming the warden. He did his job correctly, the problem I have is with the bay itself and how it is marked up and signed. If it meets all requirements then I'll obviously just pay. I've asked a few people if they thought they could park there (without telling them I got it ticket etc.), they all said yes. It's a genuine mistake on my part but I think it should be much clearer.

Trucamo · 17 Jun 2016 at 23:34

The problem I have with traffic wardens is that they are judge and jury. You are guilty and have to go through an appeal to prove your innocence which does not seem right to me. The appeals process is also a joke.

Trucamo · 17 Jun 2016 at 23:37

Woden said:
My dad's area is a resident permit only area. Every Sunday I visit and without fail at least one car has a ticket.

Often the car is parked right next to the sign warning is s permit area!

If it's anything like my area, the residents have to pay to get a permit, if they don't it's impossible to park within 500m of their house, "residents parking" is just another cash cow for the local council. If it was true residents parking we would all be getting permits or the choice of whether the area should be residents parking.

The_Dark_Side · 17 Jun 2016 at 23:40

Gimli said:
I'm looking into it now actually, but if it's similar to on road parking the markings have to meet certain requirements.

I'm not blaming the warden. He did his job correctly, the problem I have is with the bay itself and how it is marked up and signed. If it meets all requirements then I'll obviously just pay. I've asked a few people if they thought they could park there (without telling them I got it ticket etc.), they all said yes. It's a genuine mistake on my part but I think it should be much clearer.

I think if the metal sign wasn't there and it was just the painted markings you'd be crazy not to appeal and it'd be as good as a guaranteed win for you. Hey, we're all human. These things happen and they're a PITA but it's just one of those things. I bet from now on every time you park you'll scope out the car park like a special ops team on recon patrol.

The_Dark_Side · 17 Jun 2016 at 23:42

Trucamo said:
If it's anything like my area, the residents have to pay to get a permit, if they don't it's impossible to park within 500m of their house, "residents parking" is just another cash cow for the local council. If it was true residents parking we would all be getting permits or the choice of whether the area should be residents parking.

You do get a choice but, unfortunately, once it's in its in for good. Some jellyhead near me wants this for our area but thankfully he's in a majority of one.

Gimli · 17 Jun 2016 at 23:49

The_Dark_Side said:
I think if the metal sign wasn't there and it was just the painted markings you'd be crazy not to appeal and it'd be as good as a guaranteed win for you. Hey, we're all human. These things happen and they're a PITA but it's just one of those things. I bet from now on every time you park you'll scope out the car park like a special ops team on recon patrol.

I've only been driving since April so you're damn right I will be! I don't have money to go throwing at parking fines, I only went for a haircut, if I hadn't had gone and got some bones for the dogs afterwards I'd have missed the warden.

I'm going to see if there's any point in appealing, if there isn't I'll pay up before the fine doubles.

The_Dark_Side · 18 Jun 2016 at 00:01

Gimli said:
I've only been driving since April so you're damn right I will be! I don't have money to go throwing at parking fines, I only went for a haircut, if I hadn't had gone and got some bones for the dogs afterwards I'd have missed the warden.

I'm going to see if there's any point in appealing, if there isn't I'll pay up before the fine doubles.

If I was going to be sceptical I'd suggest that maybe there's a good reason those markings haven't been repainted......surely not?