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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To hate this heartless traffic warden

62 replies

Edenviolet · 25/05/2015 13:41

Took a friends disabled dd out for the morning as they needed a break desperately. Went through everything including use of blue badge and we were told use timer bit for single or double lines for up to three hours but in a disabled space just the badge is fine....

Went out (was an ordeal getting ready/organised/out etc) but we did it and planned to pick up some paints etc to do some art later. We had seen a space thought great and parked, put bb in, all good we thought.

We were about an hour and returned to a parking ticket???? We double checked yes bb in, yes it's def a bb space and couldn't work out what we had done till we walked right down the road and saw a sign about the size of a a4 sheet saying max stay three hours. We are going to just pay it as I suppose we were in the wrong but it really was a tiny sign Sad

I think the traffic warden is heartless, it's bank holiday, we had a valid bb in the car and it's obvious there was stuff in the car you can see through the window that would lead you to assume it was a child that was unwell. I'm so bloody pissed off. I know they are doing their job but it has really upset me.

OP posts:
MrsDeVere · 25/05/2015 14:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AnImpalaCalledBABY · 25/05/2015 14:10

Disabled spaces almost always need the timer as well as the badge, if in doubt always set the clock because if it's not needed there's no harm having it there and you can't get caught out

Your friend obviously made a mistake, that's not the traffic wardens fault and it certainly doesn't make them 'heartless' Hmm

Just appeal the ticket and explain reasonably what happened, my timer fell off once and I got a ticket but they canceled for me as a one off and were lovely about it

PotteringAlong · 25/05/2015 14:11

The traffic warden wasn't heartless; you broke the rules.

Original poster
Edenviolet · 25/05/2015 14:13

I can't blame df, she is sleep deprived and stressed atm and had so much other stuff to tell me I think it was just information overload for me and too much for her to get across. Better a mistake in info re blue badge than anything to do with medicine etc I suppose. At least I know for next time.

I still think the sign is too small though so will be writing about that and tbh there are a lot of bb spaces there and it does seem unfair to have a time limit on them all but that's another issue I'm sure

OP posts:
Original poster
Edenviolet · 25/05/2015 14:15

Think I was very annoyed and upset when I wrote my op perhaps heartless was the wrong choice.

OP posts:
hedgehogsdontbite · 25/05/2015 14:18

OP contact the council and explain what happened. I got a ticket when I forgot to put the dial out. I wrote to the council explaining. I got a snotty letter back lecturing me on the need to use it but they did cancel the ticket 'on this occasion'.

Smellyoulateralligator · 25/05/2015 14:18

I think a lot of traffic wardens actually are quite heartless. It's part of the nature of the job. I mean what use would a kind / empathetic traffic warden (or even bailiff) be?
Obviously they are doing what they are meant to but that doesn't preclude them from often being quite heartless about how they go about their job.
You've got nothing to lose by appealing OP.

PtolemysNeedle · 25/05/2015 14:30

It's unfair to call the traffic warden heartless (I'm glad you've seen that now OP), she has a job to do and can you imagine the excuses they must get? If they believed every story that someone thinks should excuse them from paying their parking ticket, they may as well not exist and we'll just have people parking anywhere and everywhere.

I honestly can't see why disability equipment in the car should make a difference. There could be plenty of genuine medical reasons why someone didn't park according to the rules or return to their car on time without having disability equipment in the car, or even having a blue badge, so it's right that those things are disregarded.

Traffic wardens have a difficult job to do and someone has to do it. It's better for someone to be a traffic warden or a bailiff than not to work at all.

Original poster
Edenviolet · 25/05/2015 14:38

I do think it's just me being ultra aware of how much equipment etc is needed and then I assumed that everybody would notice it as I was so ultra aware about all the stuff we needed with us when in reality it probably wasn't at the forefront of anybody else's mind

I have realised though I'd be a rubbish traffic warden, I'd probably let everyone off!

OP posts:
Theycallmemellowjello · 25/05/2015 14:43

Yes traffic wardens definitely should not inspect peoples' cars for clues as to whether or not the ticket was deserved!

NRomanoff · 25/05/2015 14:44

My mum has a bb and I was under the impression you always used the timer. How else is the warden to know how long you have been there? Your timer said you had been there more than 3 hours.

The size of the sign is irrelevant as you should use the timer automatically. Its your df that was incorrect, I understand not wanting to blame her though. Basically your dispute needs to be you were there less than 3 hours. Without blaming the traffic warden as its not their fault

IKnowIAmButWhatAreYou · 25/05/2015 14:47

parking in disabled space with blue badge not in prescribed manner

Nothing to do with the sign, everything to do with the timer on the badge not being set.

Bad luck, but you'll know for next time....

amicissimma · 25/05/2015 14:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Stopandlook · 25/05/2015 14:57

I'd appeal, honest mistake, send off the appeal and forget about it. If they let you off great, if not, no harm done.

Original poster
Edenviolet · 25/05/2015 14:59

I just didn't see the sign it was so small and nowhere near the space

OP posts:
GlitterNails · 25/05/2015 15:06

It might be worth scanning your parking ticket and putting a post on Pepipoo. They help with tickets - and it may be the sign was smaller than it should be or not in the right place legally.

TheWintersmith · 25/05/2015 15:10

There are quite strict rules about where signs have to be , and the size of the signs.

You might well get off on an appeal if the signs are too small or too far away.

sashh · 25/05/2015 16:10

I have no idea what you have done wrong if you were an hour and it says max stay 3 hours?

Not putting the time clock out, I've had one for this and there wasn't a three hour limit.

Eastpoint · 25/05/2015 16:20

You can explain the circumstances and ask them to waive the ticket in this instance. This means they are not accepting fault but your mitigating circumstances mean you should be treated gently. Worth a try.

TenerifeSea · 25/05/2015 17:13

YABU but I understand why you are upset. Appeal it but be very calm, factual and polite. I made a genuine mistake once because the signage wasn't clear and they let me off.

RightSideOfWrong · 25/05/2015 17:22

Be very careful that you appeal the right thing, if you choose to appeal this.

Your ticket is for 'parking in a disabled space with blue badge not in prescribed manner'. It's not for overstaying, so appealing that you weren't there that long doesn't matter, because you didn't get a ticket for that.

It's essentially a ticket for not putting the timer out, so that's what you'd need to appeal. How long you stayed or how clear the sign is wouldn't be relevant.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 25/05/2015 17:31

Was this parking ticket issued by the council or someone other than them?.

ShakesBootyFlabWobbles · 25/05/2015 17:51

I would give it a go anyway.

Whatever the rights or wrongs, you may still get lucky.

crazykat · 25/05/2015 18:25

You're supposed to use the badge and clock no matter where you park. My mum had a blue badge and had to use the clock whether she was in a disabled bay or not. The only time you don't need the clock is when you have to pay for parking even with a blue badge.

I wouldn't mention the fine to your friend but I would tell her she should be using the clock whenever she uses the blue badge or she could end up with a fine.

You can contest the ticket but as it's for not using the clock it's doubtful it will be cancelled.

Songlark · 25/05/2015 18:35

Yanbu, lots of these signs are purposely placed so as not to be seen. A sneaky but unfortunately legal way of taking people's money.

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