The Day Spoilt By Bureaucracy.

[Evans Electric]

Friday .  Drive to Lichfield to do shopping ...effortlessly reverse into disabled space in the market square , 1 inch bigger than car...feeling good.

Assemble mobility scooter , missus speeds off into market , I go into bank.

Walk back out   , missus has returned ,  "We've got a parking ticket , just had an argument but warden does'nt give a shytte"

Blue Badge is correctly displayed whats the problem ?       We did'nt set the silly cardboard dial they give you  at our arrival time . Never ever used the thing in 6 yrs ....but apparently it was a 3 hour only limit zone and when you park you're supposed to set the dial ,  we didn't  .....£70 please .!!!!

We were there two weeks ago ,  American visitors next to us had ticket because the warden couldn't recognise a US Blue Badge .

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

 I have to agree with why you got the ticket. The fact you have not used the "silly cardboard dial" in 6 years does not mean that you can just ignore it.

 

[ProDave]

they have a "better" system in Australia.

If it's a 2 hour waiting zone, every hour the warden comes round and puts a chalk mark on one of your tyres.  If your car. with chalk mark is still there on his next visit, you get a ticket.

(The locals know this, and every hour come and wipe the chalk mark off and turn their vehicle around in the space)

 

[NozSpark]

Was it a private or public car park?

I don't think that there's a time limit in private, unless they say on the signs

 

[steptoe]

almost all parking on the rock is 2hr timed using one of those time disks,

 

[Evans Electric]

 I have to agree with why you got the ticket. The fact you have not used the "silly cardboard dial" in 6 years does not mean that you can just ignore it.

What is wrong with the warden merely pointing out that lf you read the other side of the sign that is facing the opposite direction to where you are standing all would be revealed ........or are they under instruction to keep their "quota" up and keep the revenue coming in .   One wonders if the vehicles parked outside the designated bays are locals as they didn't seem to attract any tickets at all ......but what do I know .....I'm just the pratt that didn't set the cardboard clock . 

Was it a private or public car park?

I don't think that there's a time limit in private, unless they say on the signs

A row of kerbside disabled bays in the market square Noz, so public road ,  the sign is indeed there , all the warden need do was point it out to the Missus but insisted on issuing the ticket .

 

[septiclecky]

almost all parking on the rock is 2hr timed using one of those time disks,

Is that as in Fraggle Rock in the middle of the Irish Sea?

 

[steptoe]

Is that as in Fraggle Rock in the middle of the Irish Sea?

thats it,

the one with the 70,000 alcoholics clinging to it.!!!!!!! 

Guinness   Guinness   Guinness   Guinness

 

[apprentice87]

Ok, who was the operator/ owner of the car park?? council or private??

john..

 

[apprentice87]

Oh, and furthermore, is there a time limit for users that are NOT disabled to park in this carpark, in other words, are "normal people" limited to 3 hours...

john..

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

What is wrong with the warden merely pointing out that lf you read the other side of the sign that is facing the opposite direction to where you are standing all would be revealed ........or are they under instruction to keep their "quota" up and keep the revenue coming in .   One wonders if the vehicles parked outside the designated bays are locals as they didn't seem to attract any tickets at all ......but what do I know .....I'm just the pratt that didn't set the cardboard clock . 

A row of kerbside disabled bays in the market square Noz, so public road ,  the sign is indeed there , all the warden need do was point it out to the Missus but insisted on issuing the ticket .

For the definitive answer you would have to ask the "warden" but I would guess that he had already started to issue the ticket when your wife arrived.

Let me put it this way.

You do an Inspection and you find several things that are not only wrong but dangerous, only to be told "well it works"

Same thing really, you have been getting away with "ignoring the rules" for 6 years, now you have been caught.

The question is, next time you park, will you "set" the "silly cardboard dial"

The facts seem to be, you knew what you should have done, and you chose to ignore it, but this time you were caught.

I park and use "pay and display" machines several times a day, most days of the week, I don't like to do it, but I do because I know that is what I must do to avoid a ticket.

 

[mikel]

Perhaps this job advert in Bolton explains the wardens attitude more - an enforcement officer with uncapped commission !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Be our remote control Enforcement Officers Salary + uncapped commission Based in Bolton (2013 average gross income £25,140) + full time flexible...

 

[OnOff]

I feel for you. My elderly (should he even be driving) father recently got a ticket. Got out of the car and placed his Blue Badge upside down or something........some oversight, can't remember exactly what. Bang to rights you'd have thought. Brother got him off (helps being a barrister). On the basis that most people pay and don't bother to appeal properly etc a carefully worded letter may be worth a try. I'll contact big bro and see if I can get the wording of his letter then pm you. Just heard he's in A&E at the mo with a slipped disc! Will give him something to do when he gets back.

 

[Andy™]

The facts seem to be, you knew what you should have done, and you chose to ignore it, but this time you were caught.

you dont always need the clock, in this case he did, but didnt realise so didnt put it in place. nowhere does he say he knew he should have used it (before getting the ticket)

 

[Evans Electric]

Andy is right there ,  and the sign which faces the other way to where we were , does not say  " Set your silly cardboard clock a soon as you stop"   .

It DOES say  , however ,  "Parking limited to 3 hours" .

Apprentice :-

Its a public road , Lichfield District Council........ there are only disabled bays in that area ,  The wardens seem to police them like Storm Troopers TBH .

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

Andy is right there ,  and the sign which faces the other way to where we were , does not say  " Set your silly cardboard clock a soon as you stop"   .

It DOES say  , however ,  "Parking limited to 3 hours" .

Doesn't need to. Part of having a disabled badge and cardboard indicator is that when you park you display your "silly cardboard dial"

 

[steptoe]

My mother doesn't have a cardboard clock,

What would happen to her if she was there I mm holiday?

 

[Evans Electric]

She'd be fined £70  Stepps .    My God  she must be some kind of international gangster to be driving around without a cardboard clock   :innocent   Don't let her park in B,ham Stepps,  car would be towed away and crushed & the bill sent . 

And yes I've met  a few badge holders who have never had time indicators............'spose you could write it on some paper ...thats just a £50 fine .

 

[binky]

they have a "better" system in Australia.

If it's a 2 hour waiting zone, every hour the warden comes round and puts a chalk mark on one of your tyres.  If your car. with chalk mark is still there on his next visit, you get a ticket.

(The locals know this, and every hour come and wipe the chalk mark off and turn their vehicle around in the space)

they used to do that in this country too...don't know what happened to it?

 

[apprentice87]

Richard the Ninth,

As it happens, no you do most certainly NOT have to have the clock thing all the time, ONLY, if you are parking in a "time limited" place, like double yellow lines.

Secondly, i would be asking what statute the council are relying on to say that you can only park for three hours, anyone can put a sign up, ask them to produce or explain the legal authority for the sign. In the same way you cannot just set speed limits, they have to follow a set procedure, not just stick a sign up... Worth a go...

Why i asked about other parking there, is because is "other" people can park for MORE than three hours, they cannot say that is the limit for disabled folk, that would be illegal.

Furthermore, and i am not 100% sure about this mind!! I do not even think they can do anything if you park in a disabled bay WITHOUT a badge, as long as you ARE disabled. They are required by the equality act to make reasonable adjustments to facilitate you, [like parking] there is nothing in the equality act that says a service provider is exempt from this DUTY if you do not have a blue badge....

john