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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Am I bu/goody two shoes to think...

67 replies

formerbabe · 10/01/2014 09:23

It is not that difficult to not get parking tickets?

My dh calls me a goody two shoes for this but I am baffled by people who complain constantly that they get parking tickets/fines. I have a friend who seems to get one every week, she complains that they are all unfair! Now of course sometimes they are given out incorrectly but not often enough to justify the number she gets.

I haven't got a parking ticket for 6 years now (no, I don't want a medal!). I just read the signs and follow them. Last time I got one was because I over stayed on a meter, so fair dos, my fault.

Aibu to think they are easily avoidable?

OP posts:
Ruprekt · 10/01/2014 10:01

Juno! That was very rude!

I have never had a parking ticket as dh and I would be furious at spending money on the fine and we also read the parking guidelines when we park!

Yanbu. SmileSmile

soontobeslendergirl · 10/01/2014 10:01

DontmindifIdo - nope, I beat you, 27 years, no parking tickets, no speeding tickets and no points on my license. never had an insurance claim either as, other than people dinging my car door in car parks, I've been lucky enough never to be in an accident.

LyndaCartersBigPants · 10/01/2014 10:02

My XH likes to point out that in 30 years of driving he's never had a speeding ticket or a crash/bump.

I've had several of each.

I think he's a smug self-righteous bastard.

Just sayin'.

soontobeslendergirl · 10/01/2014 10:05

Doh! that was stupid, yes I have had a parking ticket!! sorry DontmindifIdo :o

redskyatnight · 10/01/2014 10:06

DH and I regularly get parking tickets because we've paid for parking on-line but it's not registered on the parking wardens machine. They are always cancelled as we can prove we've paid, but obviously the technology is a long way off fool proof.

Stinklebell · 10/01/2014 10:20

I've had 3 in nearly 20 years of driving

1, my dad has his own business and I was doing a delivery for him as a favour. Parked in a loading bay and was given a ticket as I wasn't using an 'official delivery vehicle'. Traffic warden didn't believe I wasn't just popping to the bank, despite the fact that I was clearly carrying boxes into the building, and my car boot was open so he could see several boxes still in there

2, we have a little on street parking area in town which has been painted and repainted about a million times but never in the same place so it's really not clear which white lines are the current ones. I parked in the last available space. Came back an hour or so later to a ticket as I wasn't within the correct lines.

3, in the last house I lived in we had residents parking permits, it had snowed heavily overnight and the traffic warden came round at about 7am and ticketed everyone on the street as the permits weren't visible under the snow.

Appealed all 3 and won

dexter73 · 10/01/2014 10:21

Just watching the news at the moment and they are talking about parking charges. They are saying that some councils use parking charges as a cash cow and that their charges should be lowered. Also that councils should be asked to bring in a 5 minute grace period before issuing a ticket, and limiting CCTV to enforce parking restrictions.
Councils make £600 million a year from parking fines. They would like councils to produce a report for council tax payers to show why the restrictions are there, what the money being raised is used for and how they justify the charges.

DeWe · 10/01/2014 10:22

Neither of my parents ever have had a parking ticket and they've both been driving for over 40 years each. They won't pay for parking either, so usually end up parked in an hour resticted parking about 20 minutes from the shops Hmm Funniest on that was when my df bought an exercise bike and had to carry it back to the car at speed. Grin I discovered words I didn't know existed that day.

I haven't either, but I've only been driving for 5 years.

But some people (particuarly things like stations where they are regularly commuting from) have worked out that it's cheaper to park on the streets and get a parking ticket every couple of weeks or so, than park in the station and pay every day.
In those situations, maybe the ticket should double each time you get one within a certain length of time.

Sometimes there are genuine mistakes-I was very grateful to the resident who ran out to tell me the parking was now residential. It's somewhere I go about every 3-4 months, so had missed the "New parking" signs. That would have been irritating, but a fair cop.

dexter73 · 10/01/2014 10:23

Link

ProfYaffle · 10/01/2014 10:24

I've been driving 20 years and haven't had a speeding ticket or parking fine (touch wood). I only know 1 or 2 people who have been fined and they were the result of genuine errors, ie not realising they'd parked in an 'unmarked' spot, or being mistaken about the speed limit.

cls77 · 10/01/2014 10:26

Juno has clearly had lots of ticketsGrin
Ive never had a parking ticket, or speeding ticket, but then I secretly use my parents disabled badges Shock

Birdsgottafly · 10/01/2014 10:26

I unfairly got a parking ticket.

I visited the same supermarket twice in one day, whilst camping and was accused of overstaying.

If I had if contested, my fine would of gone up.

There are some very vague parking instructions around the country and I know lots of oeople who haven't parked illegally on purpose, or at all, but have been fined.

Joysmum · 10/01/2014 10:27

YANBU

It's rare nowadays for parking restrictions not to be very clear and therefore easily avoided. Of course, this doesn't mean it makes life easier to avoid them but people who choose to take the risk and decide not to inconvenience themselves by looking for alternative parking only have themselves to blame.

Viviennemary · 10/01/2014 10:29

I agree. Don't park where you shouldn't and you won't get a parking ticket. It's not rocket science.

stickysausages · 10/01/2014 10:29

Yanbu. A lot of people prefer to park illegally and pay the fine, than park sensibly & walk the length of themselves.

jacks365 · 10/01/2014 10:30

Where I live there are 2 banks opposite each other both with cash machines. Outside one is a big parking layby but the number of cars who pull up on the double yellow lines outside the other one is silly and there really is no need. I had to wait the other day to get past because car on pavement plus driver at machine leaves no room to get a pram through. Some people do not care that it inconveniences other people.

Juno77 · 10/01/2014 10:33

I wasn't being rude.

It smacks of 'look at me, I can park properly and all you ticket-receivers obviously can't'.

I've had loads. I don't park 'wherever I like', I park in bays. Sadly, because I work in the city centre and the parking rules mean I can only stay in one place for 4 hours, sometimes I overstay my welcome. The allowance is 5 minutes. So say I am on a phonecall, or dealing with a client, I can't just up and walk out. Happens probably once a month.

You are also expected to move more than 3 bays away from where you were parked previously. Sometimes there are no other free spaces, other than one 2 bays away, say. So, you park, you pay the £9 for the 4 hours, and you get a fine anyway because the warden remembers that you were only 2 bays away.

I don't have the luxury of being able to leave work for 20 minutes to drive around looking for a space that is further away, and then have to walk back to work again. And then repeat the exercise in 4 hours.

So, apologies for getting my back up, but it's really bloody frustrating when people think they are holier than thou for 'managing' not to get a ticket.

Juno77 · 10/01/2014 10:35

But yeah, I have had a lot of tickets Grin

It's patronising when people say 'Don't park where you shouldn't and you won't get a parking ticket. It's not rocket science' and such like.

It isn't always that straightforward.

Original poster
formerbabe · 10/01/2014 10:42

Juno...that situation sounds like a nightmare...do you have to move your car every four hours whilst at work?

OP posts:
Juno77 · 10/01/2014 10:46

Yep. You can only stay for 4 hours in one bay, so every 4 hours I have to go outside and move it to a distance they consider reasonable.

That is 3 times a day I have to move. And sometimes, I just can't leave. I can watch them give me a ticket out the window though, which is just a delight.

Juno77 · 10/01/2014 10:47

And I am sorry for calling your OP stupid and self righteous.

Flowers
LessMissAbs · 10/01/2014 10:48

YANBU. It just needs a bit of concentration. The only times I've got parking tickets were when I transgressed the rules, which are printed on little signs.

Except for once - the rule that you weren't allowed to repay for the same space and meter and presumably had to move your car was routinely ignored, until I got ticketed for it one day. I was annoyed by that one.

Monetbyhimself · 10/01/2014 10:48

YANBU.

Original poster
formerbabe · 10/01/2014 10:48

He he...I have been called worse!

OP posts:
soontobeslendergirl · 10/01/2014 10:51

Are there really no other options Juno? Is there no park and ride? are there car parks that are further away that would allow you to park all day? Is public transport not an option? I think if possible I'd rather have a bit longer walk/travel at either end of the day rather than the hassle/stress of all that during the day while at work.

Sorry if that sounds patronising, it is a genuine enquiry.

I don't live in the city and I work out in the sticks where there is no public transport and parking is supplied by my employer - because of my working hours though I am always at the far end of the car park and so, despite "being on campus" it can still take a good 15 minutes fast walk to get into the office from my car.

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