On 9 Mar 2011 at 3:09pm Ticketed and Grumpy wrote:
Just to let you know that I have heard back from ESCC today following my letter in which I quoted the Parking Charter. In my letter I asked what my individual circumstances were that prevented them from writing off my mistake (my ticket blew down), whilst others in the same situation had their fines waived.
A lot of ESCC's letter just repeats paragraphs from their previous letter. They do say, 'your case was investigated within our published policies and guidelines' but that's as far as they go in terms of explaining anything. Then they give me another 7 days to pay 25 quid before a Notice to Owner is sent and I might end up paying 50 quid.
Am I likely to get anywhere? Shall I just pay the 25 quid now? Am I wasting my time?
On 9 Mar 2011 at 3:22pm Hedley Lamarr wrote:
Think yourself lucky Grumpy.
My daughter was clamped in a Brighton car park (by Ethical Parking" - trust me ladies and gentlemen, that's right) for not displaying her ticket correctly. It had slipped down slightly on the dasboard and the window seal had abscured half the date/time but you could still plainly see what the date and the time were and she took a photo to prove it. We appealed against the fine and it was turned down. The cost? £120 to you and have a good day.
On 9 Mar 2011 at 5:12pm Ticketed and Grumpy wrote:
Blimmin' heck Hedley, that's appalling. Come the revolution 'Ethical Parking' will surely be first against the wall.
On 10 Mar 2011 at 8:56am Beth wrote:
At the end of the day ticketed grumpy you parked and got a ticket pay up and get off your high horse.
What's posting on lewes forum gonna do.
So if people tell u to wait for your notice to owner you will!!!
If they told you to jump of a cliff would you!!!
Your an adult grow up
On 10 Mar 2011 at 8:58am Vesbod wrote:
Absolutely right Beth. Park in the right places and display your ticket correctly - everyone else does !
On 10 Mar 2011 at 10:08am Hang on a minute wrote:
Beth and Vesbod, how can you tell Ticketed and Grumpy to get of their high horse, when they have a legitimate complaint and are simply asking for advice! If anyone is on a high horse it is you two! How I would laugh if the same unfortunate circumstances happened to you. I bet you wouldn't be so high and mighty about it then would you?
On 10 Mar 2011 at 1:14pm Ticketed and Grumpy wrote:
Thanks Hang on a minute. I don't think I'm particularly on a high horse. I made a mistake: my ticket blew off the dash and I didn't notice. Yes, it was my fault but surely the parking fines are designed to deter people who otherwise wouldn't buy a ticket, not penalise people who do buy them and then make a mistake.
A parking attendant told me to appeal. Others in the same situation have appealed and had their fines waived. However, for some unspecified reason mine hasn't been. So I am just trying to find my way through a complex and inconsistent system. Last time I posted here I found the experiences of others very useful.
On 10 Mar 2011 at 1:19pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
On a windy day it can be bloody difficult to get the things to stay on the dashboard. I don't why we can't go back to having sticky ones.
On 10 Mar 2011 at 1:26pm Hedley Lamarr wrote:
Mr Grumpy - I must agree with you. You paid, you made a mistake and you pay again. That's just not fair! These are money making schemes pure and simple (and the more meny they can make out of this sort of error the better) and any slight infringement must be a great hoot for them in the parking office. Sad, isn't it?
On 10 Mar 2011 at 4:58pm Ticket wrote:
I would fight on and take it to the next level, is there an appeals service ? Last October I was in Westminster and pulled over to find directions to a pre booked car park, a week later I received a letter from Westminster City Council with a PCN for £60 that was issued via a CCTV, complete with a colour photo of my car. I wrote to them explaining why I pulled over, then I sent another letter with witness statements from my passenger. Both letters met with the reply "Having considered etc etc you still owe us £60 and soon to be £120" I then went to the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service that covers London boroughs and councils and finally in December I received a letter from them saying that WCC were offering no evidence so the PCN was cancelled. PTAS were very helpful, so I'd fight on if I were you.
On 11 Mar 2011 at 12:33am Parking Info wrote:
Hello! Ignore Beth and Vesbods, they are exactly the kind of idiots who should work for ESCC . In fact where exactly did they spring from? They make unsubstantiated comments about others without any evidence. Just like staff at Parking Services. I know that recently they accused one resident (in writing!) , of faking a photograph and had to apologise. What kind of level of professionalism is that!? You are entitled to be annoyed that we are all being terated like criminals, when the fact is a simple mistake has occurred, of whish ESCC needs to take some responsibility. Do we all need to 'breeze-proof' our cars now, or take blu-tack and glue with us everywhere?. A flimsy bit of paper blew away, and you just expect them to acknowledge that. Why should they generate so much expensive correspondence, when the PCN should just be cancelled. If you challenge the ticket again, they cannot increase the fine until it is dealt with. It is disgraceful that they are failing to meet with the requirements of their own Charter. You explained the mistake , and you also provided the ticket you bought. It is your duty to display it, not your duty to ensure that after display it does not fall or blow off a dashboard when you are elsewhere. Mine blew off because it was placed near an open air vent. Ask for the legislation that indicates you have to go beyond the reasonable measure of placing a non adhesive ticket where requested to, as they seem to be suggesting that you are required to check at regular intervals to see that your ticket has not moved.. Ask for a specific reason why they are claiming that you did not initially display the ticket as required, and ask why they are not following the charter. Also state that if they will not cancel the ticket, that under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act, you would like the following information"details of any other tickets that have been cancelled because a ticket has fallen off the dashboard," as you wish to identify from the other examples why you don't qualify. See if that makes them realise you are not going to be walked all over.. On the web you will also find guidelines they should be following which make it clear that they should be impartial, bewithout bias and behave fairly. The guidelines make clear that Councils should not be pressuming guilt, but pressuming innocence.
It would be nice if Norman Baker would focus on this kind of thing, buth he is all talk about the scheme needing to be improved, but no action, leaving us sitting here on a local website having to provide the kind of information between ourselves that should be coming from well informed Councillors. Or not at all, because our Councillors have piut a stop to these shoddy practises.
I despair. Good on you for making the effort. If nothing else be aware that many of us are glad that other people like yourself are doing that right thing in taking the trouble to challenge what is a rotten system.
On 12 Mar 2011 at 6:40pm Beth wrote:
Parking info
Your an absolute idiot
On 12 Mar 2011 at 9:11pm Deelite wrote:
He's not but you are. Now f*** off Beth. You can come back when you've grown up a bit.
On 12 Mar 2011 at 10:26pm Williamdyer wrote:
I think Beth meant to say
"At the end of the day, Ticketed and Grumpy, you parked and got a ticket. Pay up and get off your high horse. What's posting on Lewes forum going to do? If people tell you to wait for your notice to owner you will! If they told you to jump of a cliff would you? You're an adult: grow up."
I feel a little cleaner and have less of a headache now. I'm not sure what the 'owner' line means though, but I'm sure it doesn't matter.
Oh, and if you mean 'you are', it's you're
On 13 Mar 2011 at 11:10am Beth wrote:
William you can f**k off as well u stupid old f**king g*t
On 13 Mar 2011 at 2:10pm stevied wrote:
There's nothing like a good well-informed debate - and, let's face it, (altogether now...)