Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) - Disk Zone??

[Randomface74]

My mum's just told me she got a PCN from a county council whilst travelling on holiday. The reason for the PCN is parking in a "disk zone" without displaying a disk, which is true.

She had no clue what a disk was, so didn't understand the sign. I know what a disk is so I've explained it to her, but even knowing that how are you meant to know where to get a disk from in order to comply with the sign? The sign doesn't tell you.

She's appealing it anyway because we think it's unreasonable to expect people to know what a disk zone is if they don't exist in your home part of the UK, and also unreasonable to expect everyone to have a disk just in case.

What does GD think? Would you all have known what a disk zone is? Is there some reason why UK drivers should know what a disk zone is? Do you keep a disk in your car just in case?

 

[UberTiger]

What was the exact sign?

Not understanding the sign doesn't mean you can just ignore what's on it. Could she not have googled it or asked a local shopkeeper?

I couldn't think what it was until I googled it, but I have seem them before. Never been anywhere that needed one, I think I've only seen them used in handicap situations before.

 

[paradigm]

No idea what a disk zone is, however if it was a condition of parking and I didn't have whatever one was, I wouldn’t park.

Given the disabled reference above, I’d assume a “disk” in this instance is actually a disc, and used to display arrival time?

 

[Dis86]

Ignorance isn't an excuse. If she didn't know what it was she shouldn't have parked there.

 

[Kenai]

Generally if I come across a parking sign I don't understand and don't have time/opportunity to look up what it means, I save myself any potential grief and find somewhere else to park.

 

[Rroff]

Generally if I come across a parking sign I don't understand and don't have time/opportunity to look up what it means, I save myself any potential grief and find somewhere else to park.

This.

 

[peterwalkley]

Think it was Yorkshire I came across a disc zone and had to ask a local what it was (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc_parking), but the signage was fairly clear that you needed one. His advice was to ignore it being a Sunday as they never pay anyone to enforce it.

Just to cover myself I wrote down arrival time on a bit of paper and put it by the tax disc (yes when we still had them!).

If the signage was inadequate then appeal.

 

[iamdjdz]

You might get away with it on appeal as a one off if you're polite and explain she's not used to disks etc. Might not, appeal and if that fails pay the pcn.

 

[Hotwired]

My mum's just told me she got a PCN from a county council whilst travelling on holiday. The reason for the PCN is parking in a "disk zone" without displaying a disk, which is true.

She had no clue what a disk was, so didn't understand the sign. I know what a disk is so I've explained it to her, but even knowing that how are you meant to know where to get a disk from in order to comply with the sign? The sign doesn't tell you.

She's appealing it anyway because we think it's unreasonable to expect people to know what a disk zone is if they don't exist in your home part of the UK, and also unreasonable to expect everyone to have a disk just in case.

What does GD think? Would you all have known what a disk zone is? Is there some reason why UK drivers should know what a disk zone is? Do you keep a disk in your car just in case?

If you don't have what the parking signs ask for then you don't park.

Claiming incomprehension is a terrible defence.

A disk is a parking permit and even if the parking permit being asked for was a green banana the two answers should be,

Yes I have one so I can park

or

No I don't have one, I cannot park

not

I don't have the item, I'm going to park anyway.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

I've got to agree with everybody else, I have no idea what a disk zone is so I wouldn't park either.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

After reading this I need instructions for a 5 year old - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc_parking

 

[Hotwired]

After reading this I need instructions for a 5 year old - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc_parking

It's a reusable parking ticket that doesn't need ticket machines installed.

You set the time you arrived so the warden can see it.

You then are allowed to stay for whatever length of time the signs say.

If you cheat by setting a false arrival time or overstay or park without one you get fined.

 

[Jean-F]

Ignorance isn't an excuse. If she didn't know what it was she shouldn't have parked there.

Exactly this, my nephew’s girlfriend got a PCN for driving down a street in Hackney, which was restricted to buses only at certain hours, (not a bus lane.)
The PCN went to the girl’s mother, the registered keeper, who sent a mitigating excuse letter, saying, “My daughter was driving the car that day, she lives in Hertfordshire, at this address, and is not used to driving in that area of London, she is very sorry, and can assure you that it will never happen again.”
She showed me the letter, and asked my opinion on how it would be received.
I said, “Probably with laughter and incredulity, I’m not used to driving in Aberdeen, but if I was there, I’d be expected to read and obey the traffic signs, just as Aberdonians are expected to.”
The fine stood.
Not for nothing, but I also think that the word is disc, not disk.
I use a few Americanisms, but disk is a step too far in my opinion.

 

[Moothead2]

To be honest I'm more surprised there are places in the UK without Disc zones. As others have said ignorance isn't really an excuse. Try to appeal but don't expect much.

Not for nothing, but I also think that the word is disc, not disk.
I use a few Americanisms, but disk is a step too far in my opinion.

There's nothing American about it, Disk and Disc are two different things.

 

[Munchies]

It's a reusable parking ticket that doesn't need ticket machines installed.

You set the time you arrived so the warden can see it.

You then are allowed to stay for whatever length of time the signs say.

If you cheat by setting a false arrival time or overstay or park without one you get fined.

I've never heard of a parking disc until this thread, no idea what the signs say regarding them. It either requires trust that drivers are honest, or an ANPR camera system in place, which begs the question why is there a need to display a disc?

If I arrive at 10:35 and put my time of arrival as 11:00 and the parking warden doesn't come by until after 11:00 unless there's a camera system in place he's none the wiser? Maybe it's just me that's struggling to get my head around it.

Either it requires honesty, not much of that around these days, or it requires an ANPR camera, in which case traffic wardens and the disc are obsolete?

 

[bremen1874]

If you deliberately set the time forward (beyond rounding to the nearest time) and get spotted you'll get done.

If you overstay based on the time set and get spotted you'll get done.

You can take a risk with times if you like, the same as you can in any non-ticketed limited stay parking.

If the system didn't work for them, the councils obviously wouldn't bother.

There's probably more honesty about than you think, depending on where you live.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

It's a reusable parking ticket that doesn't need ticket machines installed.

You set the time you arrived so the warden can see it.

You then are allowed to stay for whatever length of time the signs say.

If you cheat by setting a false arrival time or overstay or park without one you get fined.

How do you pay?
Or is this just for car parks that allow free parking for several hours?

 

[bremen1874]

The only time I've used them it was free street parking where there's a limited stay.

 

[JBuk]

We have loads of streets with disc zones, the disks here are available free at the council offices and the police station

 

[bigmike20vt]

I must admit it is the 1st I have heard of them however..... If I saw a sign saying anything along the lines of disc permit required then I would move on.
That said I don't blame her trying her luck.
I am not being holier than thou either. I emergency parked in a pay and display for 10 mins last week as I thought my kid was gonna puke. He was ok and we went on our way. Turns out it was camera enforced so I am bracing myself for a fine in the post