parking ticket

chenko · 21 Jul 2006 at 21:07

I don't know the drill mate, how would I supposed to know, the warden doesn't really have a right to stop you from driving off.

Vertigo · 22 Jul 2006 at 14:29

chenko said:
I don't know the drill mate, how would I supposed to know, the warden doesn't really have a right to stop you from driving off.

Not having a pop or anything, just saying that the OP hasn't really got a leg to stand on IMO.

He came back to his illegally parked car to find a warden taking pictures of it. At this point it's obvious what's happening but rather than waiting until the warden has finished their job and attached a ticket to the car, or even talking to them, they decide to jump in the car and drive off, presumably in the hope that the ticket won't be valid.

Sometime later the fine arrives for the full amount with no option to pay the reduced rate, which would have been available to him had he waited for the warden to give him the ticket, and he's claiming that this is unfair?

Sorry but he obviously drove off in the first instance in the hope of escape a penalty altogether and is now paying the price for this by having sacrificed his right to the reduced penalty. Little sympathy from me I'm afraid.

Redrum · 22 Jul 2006 at 14:53

Vertigo1 said:
I'm not disputing he's a liar (assuming what you've said is true) but you appear to be losing sight of the fact that you were parked illegally. Justify it all you like but at the end of the day you broke the law and got fined.

You also admit to driving off before the warden could attach the notice to your car, how is this any different from someone who returns to their car to find a notice, rips it off and throws it away?

Do you not think that’s a bit hypocritical? You are saying he broke the parking rules, so should pay, but it is the same rules that govern parking and the enforcement of it that state that parking wardens must attach tickets to cars. And there is no rules or law that states that if a warden has starting the issuing process, that you have to wait around for him to finish.

You can’t use morality judgements with law enforcement. That’s not how it works. There are set rules, and these must be followed. The warden broke the rules, hence the ticket is invalid and the op should not pay a penny.

Vertigo · 22 Jul 2006 at 15:42

Redrum said:
Do you not think that’s a bit hypocritical? You are saying he broke the parking rules, so should pay

How is that in any way hypocritical? I've never once been done for parking and if I were to park illegally and get caught I'd take it on the chin as it would have been my decision to park there.

but it is the same rules that govern parking and the enforcement of it that state that parking wardens must attach tickets to cars. And there is no rules or law that states that if a warden has starting the issuing process, that you have to wait around for him to finish.

Fine, so the OP wasn't breaking the law by driving off before the warden had finished but he was still breaking the law by being parked there in the first place. The fact that the ticket isn't legally valid, first by virtue of not being attached to the car and subsequently compounded by the warden's lies, doesn't negate the fact tha the OP broke the law.

You can’t use morality judgements with law enforcement. That’s not how it works. There are set rules, and these must be followed. The warden broke the rules, hence the ticket is invalid and the op should not pay a penny.

Depends on your definition of "should not pay". Legally maybe not, as the ticket isn't valid and if he wishes to fight it he may well succeed in proving this and escape without penality. Personally I think he deserves to be fined as he was indeed illegally parked. The fact that he didn't get caught (at least not in a legally valid way) doesn't affect my "morality judgement" of his actions.

EDIT: Actually, perhaps "deserves" is too strong a word. What I mean is that if he fails to prove the ticket is invalid, even though it is, and ends up having to pay the fine, then I'd not have much sympathy.

Fr0dders · 22 Jul 2006 at 15:45

Vertigo1 said:
I'm not disputing he's a liar (assuming what you've said is true) but you appear to be losing sight of the fact that you were parked illegally. Justify it all you like but at the end of the day you broke the law and got fined.

You also admit to driving off before the warden could attach the notice to your car, how is this any different from someone who returns to their car to find a notice, rips it off and throws it away?

so ?

im sorry but you have to play by the rules and so do they. I've got 9 points on my license so i know all about paying the price

but im sorry there's no way id pay a parking ticket that the warden lied about. Not my fault if the warden cant follow rules either.