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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think that traffic wardens are only marginally better than baliffs

22 replies

Reallytired · 30/01/2008 21:26

What possesses soome to either become a traffic warden or a baliff? Do people who such a profession deserve hatred from the rest of us.

I am seething because I have just got a parking ticket. I parked in a car park at 5.05pm and I thought that that the fact it was only pay and display only applied up to 5pm. (The car park was completely free until recently!) The car park is totally unlit and I could not read the signs. My husband thinks I got reasonable grounds for appeal.

Am I unreasonable to think that traffic wardens are nasty people.

OP posts:

Tortington · 30/01/2008 21:32

i think you are

i thik that in general you should try t keep sane by thinking tht cerain people have to do certain jobs that are shitty.

i am certainly of the pinion that traffc wardens have a jobsworthnss about their jobs that can be shared with bailiffs.

however i do not know the inner workings of their system - i presume that they have to get or carch so many ofenders per day and that there isa bonus system 0 ir else why would they bother - why no just walk to nearest pub and drink for the nexr few hours

Pan · 30/01/2008 21:34

it's a job. And for Traffic types a required one. Puts food on the table.

So park better next time, and quit complaining.

fingerwoman · 30/01/2008 21:36

yes, I think you;re being unreasonable.
what made you think it was free after 5? I don't think you have grounds for appeal tbh.

I love traffic wardens. we have a few places round here where people tend to park which cause a lot of hassle for other drivers. I am very happy when I see a traffic warden on their way down the road.

charliecat · 30/01/2008 21:37

Well you should have had a ticket...even if you didnt know you should, you should have.
I LIKE traffic wardens. They occasionally scare the twats who park on the double yellows outside school away so we can walk on the pavement and SEE to cross the road.

DrNortherner · 30/01/2008 21:38

YABU. I ahte it when people moan about traffic wardens - don't farking park ilegally then - simple!!

They are just doing a job, as ar bailiffs. Not nasty people at all.

cheshirekitty · 30/01/2008 21:39

Having got a parking ticket for parking on a yellow line when I was a community nurse and was rushing to give a patient an insulin injection before he was blue lighted to hospital (could not park in residential home car park as ambulance was blocking the drive), I agree that some traffic wardens are completely jobworths.

However, as I was told, it is the car that gets the ticket, not the driver, don't hold out too much hope of not having to pay the fine.

Aimsmum · 30/01/2008 21:40

Message withdrawn

MotherFunk · 30/01/2008 21:55

Message withdrawn

ibelieveindreaming · 30/01/2008 21:57

YABU.

If there were no traffic wardens people would just park wherever they wanted, I'm glad that the traffic wardens are always near the school my dd's go to, people used to stick their cars wherever they wanted, often dangerously, now the traffic wardens pay a regular visit noone parks illegally and the children can cross the road easier and safer.

Lazylou · 30/01/2008 22:03

My dad is a traffic warden, although the correct term for it is parking attendant apparently . It was a means to an end for him when my parents were struggling financially and he quite enjoys all the walking. He's not yet allowed to do proper tickets, but has been practicing bless him. DH hates them and in his job, he tends to park somewhat dodgily at times but my dad is now on hand to give him tips on how to get out of parking tickets. So far this month, DH has gotten away with 2 at appeal.

I agree though, just don't park illegally and then you won't get hassled by them

Original poster

Reallytired · 30/01/2008 22:34

The car park that I parked in used to be FREE! That is why I am pissed off. If a council decide that they are going to charge then they should have CLEAR notices that are well lit.

I am in favour of people being fined for parking on yellow zigzag lines outside schools or anywhere that is clearly illegal.

OP posts:

theyoungvisiter · 30/01/2008 22:40

"What possesses soome to either become a traffic warden or a baliff?"

Same as the rest of us - they need to put food on the table and pay for a roof over their heads, I'd guess.

I would imagine it's not one of the most pleasant jobs in the world and they probably earn every penny. They aren't responsible for the rules the council make up, or for your parking mistakes. And its only their work that keeps the streets round here moving tbh.

MotherFunk · 30/01/2008 23:04

Message withdrawn

PeachesMcLean · 30/01/2008 23:09

If the signage isn't legible, and the rules have recently changed, then I do think you have grounds for complaint. There should be appropriate notices.

However, it's completely unreasonable to think that traffic wardens are nasty people. Don't blame your failure to park properly, or the council's failure to put up proper signs, on an individual doing his / her job properly.

MsHighwater · 31/01/2008 14:37

YAB a little bit U. It might have been free until recently but you obviously knew it no longer is. If there are no signs or they have been obscured then you might have a case. Otherwise, I think you have to learn from it and move on.

If you think that traffic wardens are a waste of time, consider the case that was highlighted in the (Glasgow) Herald recently. A filthy rich bloke makes a habit of parking his very large, very expensive car illegally every day. He gets fined every time but, being filthy rich, he just pays the fines and carries on parking illegally. The local authority has the right to tow cars away if they persistently park like this so the guy has, expressly to prevent this, imported an American car that is about 3 tons in weight and which the local authority's tow truck can't move! His "justification" for doing this is that his car is "too big" for the parking spaces in the nearby multi-storey car park and he thinks he's doing the council a favour by providing them with revenue, ffs!

I know traffic wardens can be jobsworths (there are some in every occupation, aren't there?) but surely our roads would be clogged with badly parked cars without them.

Emprexia · 31/01/2008 14:41

We've only appealed a parking ticket once.. the one my DH got for forgetting to pay and display on the hospital carpark when i was in labour.

He did go out and pay for a ticket as soon as he could, but they'd already got him.. he just sent a copy of the purchased ticket and my admittance tag and they kindly waived it.

Cheshirekitty.. its worth trying it as it was an emergency.

OrmIrian · 31/01/2008 14:45

Well i think it depends. If you get a ticket for parking on double yellows or on chevrons you deserve all you get. If you park without a ticket in a place that is otherwise quite safe by mistake, I have more sympathy. One is a safety issue, the other is a revenue collection scheme for the local authority . But quite often you can appeal against the second kind anyway.

And FWIW bailiffs are doing a neccessary job too.

nutcracker · 31/01/2008 14:47

My cousin is a traffic warden. He is a lovely bloke, just doing a job to earn some money for his family.

theowlwhowasafraidofthedark · 31/01/2008 14:50

YABU - a job's a job. We all need to make a living

needmorecoffee · 31/01/2008 14:54

Its just a job to feed the family/pay the mortgage, nothing personal.
Car drivers get a bit precious IMO. Read the signs and pay for tickets and don't illegally park. Thats the way to avoid tickets.

Lulumama · 31/01/2008 14:59

if you park illegally, you get a ticket, onus on you to check before you park, it is a pain, but there you go

i got a ticket once for parking over two spaces as I could not get DDs car seat out of the car otherwise

traffic warden issuing ticket just as i got back to car, very apologetic when he saw i had the baby ,but rules is rules

i never parked like that again !!

have met several very nice wardens, got free parking once when they were changing the roll at the pay and display, so not all bad

needmorecoffee · 31/01/2008 15:12

or, I could lend you my brain damaged child and you could get a blue badge (been told how lucky I am as obviously getting a parking ticket is way more traumatic than have brain damage).
Never getting a parking ticket again and you can park on double yellows.

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