Parking Fine.
- Thread starter Slade2
- Start date
Could you clarify this please Dolph. Would you happily pay a private companies punitive invoice (considering only the crown is allowed to apply punitive punishments) OR would you happily pay their damages (that is to say, the income they lost from the "offender" overstaying/not paying the correct amount for the parking space)
false dichotomy, as the ticket is easily avoided by following simple instructions in the first place...
Deleted member 66701
Deleted member 66701
If it was a fact you'd have proof rather than just "a friend of a friends brother etc" hearsay
I see this all the time on OCUK forums. But I don't see any links provided to back up these statements that you do not have to pay. It almost seems like common knowledge but no back up links. I do not dispute it or claim it is false, I am just saying I would like to read it elsewhere other than OCUK as well.
So it seems clear than unless it is a council or police fine, you do not have to pay. How does one know if it is or not? Genuine question. How do you know who issued it? How does one know if the council owns a car park?
I once got fined in my local supermarket carpark and I think it stated it ws from XXXX borough council. But then...how do I know it is officially from them?
Aren't a huge amount of carparks non council owned? Are you lot suggesting never to worry about paying and displaying in said car parks? What about the carparks where you have to provide a paid ticket at a barrier to be able to leave the car park?
It all just sounds a bit fishy to me. You speak to anyone in real life and nobody is aware of this. "Yeah I read it on OCUK innit mate".
So it seems clear than unless it is a council or police fine, you do not have to pay. How does one know if it is or not? Genuine question. How do you know who issued it? How does one know if the council owns a car park?
I once got fined in my local supermarket carpark and I think it stated it ws from XXXX borough council. But then...how do I know it is officially from them?
Aren't a huge amount of carparks non council owned? Are you lot suggesting never to worry about paying and displaying in said car parks? What about the carparks where you have to provide a paid ticket at a barrier to be able to leave the car park?
It all just sounds a bit fishy to me. You speak to anyone in real life and nobody is aware of this. "Yeah I read it on OCUK innit mate".
Jaybee, I would imagine the issuer of the fine is clear on the parking ticket. I've only ever received one once from the council and it was very clear.
Inregards to everybody saying you don't need to pay, can I raise another question.
If that's really the case, what is to stop somebody parking on Asda's carpark everyday and leaving their car there all day while they go to work or swimming or whatever?
I'm not condoning dodgy parking fines and some of the scum that operate, but how are they supposed to protect their business if people can't come shopping because the Car Park is full of people who are using it to park and are elsewhere.
Inregards to everybody saying you don't need to pay, can I raise another question.
If that's really the case, what is to stop somebody parking on Asda's carpark everyday and leaving their car there all day while they go to work or swimming or whatever?
I'm not condoning dodgy parking fines and some of the scum that operate, but how are they supposed to protect their business if people can't come shopping because the Car Park is full of people who are using it to park and are elsewhere.
I agree. Whilst there are some dodgy clampers out there that jump out from dark corners and charge extortionate fees, there has to be a way for private land owners to stop people abusing their car parks.
Does anybody on here live near that swimming pool? Maybe the OP should just go and take up their driveway for a few hours and see how they feel then!
Yep. There are too many reasons to be pessimistic here. I have never heard of anyone having this "OCUK knowledge" in real life and encouraging anyone to throw a fine in the bin. The thing is I WANT to believe it.
Deleted member 66701
Deleted member 66701
Go and have a nosey round pepipoo.
Not seen this posted earlier in the thread then?
If you do that - i.e. park every day - then you run the risk of the company who runs the car park escalating the situation - i.e. clamping your car or towing it. It's all very well saying throw the "fine" in the bin (which I've done and will do again) but you're a bit stuck if you're clamped or towed - you can't really ignore that can you?
Also, I'd be a bit wary of some of the "attendants" taking matters into thier own hands and damaging your car out of spite one day when they realise you're just ignoring the "fines".
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Did you miss the link to the BBC Watchdog segment where they suggested binning them or turning them into paper airplanes?
Soldato
- Joined
- 8 Mar 2007
- Posts
- 10,938
If you can remove a wheel clamp without damaging it, they can't do anything but they can do you for vandalism if you take an angle grinder to it.
Only been clamped once and luckily managed to persuade the guy to take it off and let us go for nowt. Basically just said I was totally skint and thousands of pounds in debt so it would be impossible for me to ever repay the fine they were asking. Guess I managed to convince him that I'd be a lot of hassle with little chance of getting any money, they're running a business at the end of the day, nothing to do with 'justice'.
So much conflicting information here though. If the private companies are not allowed to act in the way they do, what is to stop people taking them to court for breaking the law when they demand these payments? Why has this not been done? Why are they allowed to operate/exist at all if in doing so it's actually "illegal" ? It's not clear to Jo Public is it, hence I wouldn't be calling people mugs that pay these fines. If I got a fine today I would only know to consider not paying purely from information I have read on here.
Feel free to waste your money then.
I've successfully ignored 3 such "fines" for £60 (£30 with the "discount") - none of which were my fault I might add.
1) Stayed in a Travelodge on motorway services, parked in Travelodge carpark (included with the hotel stay). Couple of weeks later got an invoice from parking company, complete with pictures of my car driving off the motorway sliproad in the evening, and onto the motorway sliproad in the morning. Straight in the bin.
2) Parked in a retail park car-park just before Christmas, signs on all the ticket machines stating "free parking between dates", so obviously didn't pay the ticket. Few weeks later, another invoice, again pictures of my car driving in, and driving out. Straight in the bin.
3) Same retail park, extremely busy Saturday. Drove round the car park for 10 mins looking for a space, couldn't find one, so pulled up outside the shop (not obstructing any traffic) and my girlfriend quickly ran in to grab what we came for (no more than 5 mins). Again, a few weeks later, another invoice, with the pictures of my car driving in and out. Again, straight in the bin.
You'll notice a recurring theme there:
- They only show pictures of the car, not the driver. Their "contract" is with the driver, but they can't prove who that was, so they can't take anyone to court.
- They only show pictures of the car driving in and out of the car park, never of it actually parked. They can't actually prove you ever parked the car, only that you entered and exited at certain times, for all they know you could have driven round the car park for 2 hours.
Therefore, the invoices are unenforceable.
But like I said, feel free to waste your money paying them if it puts your mind at ease.
Edit:
AFAIK they aren't allowed to punish you for prior offences. So if you don't pay a fine one day, but then park there and pay the next, they can't then clamp you for the previous fine, only if the breach of contract is actually occurring.
Of course, if as you've said, you never pay then that's true, if they recognise your car, chances are it'll get clamped/towed.
I don't see any conflicting information?
I see 99% of posters saying "just bin it" and 2-3 people saying "I don't believe you".
It's not "illegal", it's just "not legally enforceable" there's a very subtle difference.
Of course it isn't, do you think parking companies want people to know they are conmen?
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Simply ignore
If it is your intent to throw away £30, please pm me and I'll send you my name and address.
Millions of threads on the internet about - IT REALLY IS SIMPLE - IGNORE THE FINE. There is nothing they can do.
Google it and you will see. Only a total mug would pay it.
http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=51732
http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=46975
http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/showthread.php?33786-Parking-Eye
If it is your intent to throw away £30, please pm me and I'll send you my name and address.
Millions of threads on the internet about - IT REALLY IS SIMPLE - IGNORE THE FINE. There is nothing they can do.
Google it and you will see. Only a total mug would pay it.
http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=51732
http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=46975
http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/showthread.php?33786-Parking-Eye
Soldato
- Joined
- 2 May 2011
- Posts
- 12,465
- Location
- Woking
Do you ever watch the news???? It was a big thing a while ago because people were having to pay £70 to get clamps removed and everyone was ****** off!
So to confirm, if your ticket states it is issued by either:
A) Council
B) Traffic Warden
C) Police Officer
You must pay.
And this should be clearly stated on the ticket?
Otherwise through in bin.
Ok next question. Does one have to respond to tickets put ON ones car at all even if by the above people? I'm talking about ones not received via post at all and the only correspondence is you having one stuck on your car? Would a legit ticket be placed like this ever?
Just thinking what if it ever falls off your car or gets nicked by someone or or or. What if you do not see it and it was a real one and then the price goes up? Would that even happen?
A) Council
B) Traffic Warden
C) Police Officer
You must pay.
And this should be clearly stated on the ticket?
Otherwise through in bin.
Ok next question. Does one have to respond to tickets put ON ones car at all even if by the above people? I'm talking about ones not received via post at all and the only correspondence is you having one stuck on your car? Would a legit ticket be placed like this ever?
Just thinking what if it ever falls off your car or gets nicked by someone or or or. What if you do not see it and it was a real one and then the price goes up? Would that even happen?