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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Parking fine whilst at undertakers!

90 replies

january123 · 03/04/2023 10:13

Wrote a long post and lost it so I'll be brief.

One hour parking ticket purchased for 1st undertaker's meeting to discuss DM's funeral the day after she died unexpectedly. Big public car park, very quiet.

Without me thinking, the Meeting over ran by 10 minutes, I'm slapped with a ticket.

Appealed, gave circumstances, gave evidence, asked for a bit of compassion.
Just heard back - rejected Sad
Can pay £50 now or take it to ombudsmen, but if I lose fine will be doubled.

Worth appealing again or do I just suck it up? Funeral director also appalled and prepared to help.

OP posts:
MrsSkylerWhite · 03/04/2023 10:42

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Ifailed · 03/04/2023 10:43

parking ticket issuers are vermin that should be shot on sight

Charming.

Slimjimtobe · 03/04/2023 10:43

It’s so sad. But I think I would pay it and not let it overtake your thoughts at this difficult time

sorry you lost your mum and may she rest in peace

Mariposista · 03/04/2023 10:45

Just pay it OP. You have so much else to think about at the moment, you won't have the mental or physical energy to deal with something as petty as this. Let it go. I speak from experience - my beloved gran died on Wednesday and my my was given a ticket collecting me from the airport on Monday to get to her on time. Given everything tat is going on, unless you are so so skint you can't afford it, put it down to a shitty thing that happens in life, but oh well.
So sorry about your mum, Sharing your pain right now.

SullysBabyMama · 03/04/2023 10:46

You have to pay it. You did it.

ThomasinaLivesHere · 03/04/2023 10:46

The problem is that they can’t tell genuine reasons over those that people say to try to get out of tickets. It would be nice if they were compassionate.

TomatoFrog · 03/04/2023 10:47

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Billybagpuss · 03/04/2023 10:48

I’m not a lawyer but Unfortunately I think the court will have to follow the letter of the law and not the emotion and if the car Park company are refusing so show any compassion there’s not a lot they can do to the contrary so better to pay up and save yourself the stress.

worth checking out the 10 minute thing po mentioned though.

UnsolicitedOpinions · 03/04/2023 10:48

This is ridiculous.

We need car parks and people own the land used for them. If they can’t make money out of them, then they wouldn’t be able to exist.

If they don’t give people tickets for overstaying the time they’ve paid for, then loads of people would just pay for the minimum time and stay all day and the business wouldn’t be viable.

Should somebody who owns a car park near an undertakers but has nothing to do with the undertakers themselves be obliged to give their clients free parking? People will be going to that undertakers and parking in the car park to go there all day every day.

It’s unfortunate and annoying yes, but it’s just one of those shit things that happen. You don’t have any grounds to be exempt from paying the parking.

Just pay it and then stop thinking about it.

I am sorry for your loss, OP.

LakeTiticaca · 03/04/2023 10:48

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Dont Park illegaly or overstay in the carpark and you won't be penalised. It's actually quite simple!!

Poppins2016 · 03/04/2023 10:48

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Slight tangent, but following on from your comment, I think it's also a shame that we have to pay for parking in some areas. People complain that shops in my local town are shutting and I try to make sure I use the independent stores as often as I can... but faced with the choice between buying something at Sainsbury's (free parking) or heading into town and paying for the item at an independent shop plus parking at quite a hefty cost for an hour (£1.20), unfortunately the supermarket wins.

Hoppinggreen · 03/04/2023 10:48

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Well exactly.
You can only be fined if you aren’t parked correctly (or a mistake has been made).
It’s a job and the people doing it are human beings. They issue parking tickets, they aren’t kicking puppies to death

TomatoFrog · 03/04/2023 10:49

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This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Deathbyfluffy · 03/04/2023 10:50

As shitty as it is, by the book you did overstay.
I wouldn’t waste more time on it, as the ombudsman will go by the law too.

UnsolicitedOpinions · 03/04/2023 10:50

UnsolicitedOpinions · 03/04/2023 10:48

This is ridiculous.

We need car parks and people own the land used for them. If they can’t make money out of them, then they wouldn’t be able to exist.

If they don’t give people tickets for overstaying the time they’ve paid for, then loads of people would just pay for the minimum time and stay all day and the business wouldn’t be viable.

Should somebody who owns a car park near an undertakers but has nothing to do with the undertakers themselves be obliged to give their clients free parking? People will be going to that undertakers and parking in the car park to go there all day every day.

It’s unfortunate and annoying yes, but it’s just one of those shit things that happen. You don’t have any grounds to be exempt from paying the parking.

Just pay it and then stop thinking about it.

I am sorry for your loss, OP.

Sorry, this was in response to the post which said car park attendants should be shot on sight etc.

I did quote it but it somehow disappeared during the posting process.

I don’t think your post is ridiculous, OP.

ACynicalDad · 03/04/2023 10:51

Overstaying parking and what you were doing are two separate issues, you paid to park on someone's land and then overstayed. It needs paying. Sorry about your mum, but this isn't about your mum.

stbrandonsboat · 03/04/2023 10:54

Awful, but typical of this country. Every penny has to be squeezed out of the population for anything whatsoever. They do this at my local hospital too.

NewShoesRub · 03/04/2023 10:55

This is so galling OP. I feel for you.

I would advise pay it, and then forget about it. These companies / councils etc only look at the law and you did run over.

I got a fine in an empty free carpark bc I forgot to get the 'free ticket' out of the machine. I was there 15 mins.

I got another fine when I paid for parking via RingGo selecting my car but I was in my husbands car as mine was being MOTed at the time. I even supplied timed and dated evidence of where MY car was at the time of getting the ticket in my husbands car. I pleaded that I had clearly bought a parking ticket and had paid for a space - just selected the wrong car.

These companies do not give an inch and you will only get more and more wound up over the lack of human to human compassion in these situations that are simply human error.

I'm sorry for your loss and that this fine made your day worse than it already was x

Allywill · 03/04/2023 10:55

The 10 minute grace period was included in the draft legislation “private parking code of practice” but it was withdrawn in June last year pending a review so it’s not actually in force (and may never be)

BodenCardiganNot · 03/04/2023 10:58

@t@thenightsky
How were they to know that she was there? She could have been anywhere really. Unfortunately the rules are rigid and are enforced.

BrioNotBiro · 03/04/2023 11:01

Personally I think parking ticket issuers are vermin that should be shot on sight but that’s just me. They exist purely to penalise people for trying to earn a living or being out and about. They delight in the misery they create because only an arsehole would want to do such an areshole job. They also don’t care that their fines or for want of a better phrase extortion payments take food from the mouths of poor children!

Charming. You don't have to use the facility they provide and maintain, they are a business like any other.

Sorry for your loss OP, but you did overstay your time and it seems one gets an extra 10 minutes anyway. Do you really need the extra stress of pursuing this when you are in the wrong?

JauntyJinty · 03/04/2023 11:01

I'm sorry for your loss

As others have said there is a manditory 10 minute grace period, how long after your ticket expiring was the ticket actually issued?

Send this with the relevent times - (I've bastardised it slightly, but it's mostly copy pasted from money saving expert - it worked for me when I entered a car park at 17:58 and parking was free after 18:00). You may have to remove the part about "no admissions of who was driving" if you've alrady admited it was you in your 1st complaint

I dispute your 'parking charge', as the keeper of the vehicle. I deny any liability or contractual agreement and I will be making a complaint about your predatory conduct to your client landowner.

There will be no admissions as to who was driving and no assumptions can be drawn. I require an explanation of the allegation and your evidence. You must include a close up actual photograph of the sign you contend was at the location on the material date as well as your images of the vehicle. Parking was purchased until xx:xx your charge noticed was issued at xx:xx your evidence must include the grace period agreed by the landowner.

Phoebo · 03/04/2023 11:04

That's horrible, but in fairness you did overstay ... 🤷‍♀️ I would hope they'd have showed some compassion though

Hollyhead · 03/04/2023 11:12

@NewShoesRub surprised you didn’t get off on the RingGo one, I did the same thing, emailed all the evidence and the ticket was cancelled immediately.

weirdoboelady · 03/04/2023 11:13

LakeTiticaca · 03/04/2023 10:48

Dont Park illegaly or overstay in the carpark and you won't be penalised. It's actually quite simple!!

Show quote history

Actually it really isn't. And @Hoppinggreen it does seem that some (many) local councils ticket illegally - often! - to maximise revenue. They do it knowing few people will complain and most will just pay up.

Anyone who doubts this should try reading a few (dozen!) posts on pepipoo.com, which I repeat is the best place to post for advice. This is where to post. http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?s=92b8f05c811e44e5c861d404c58cde14&showforum=30

FightBack Forums -> Council Tickets & Clamping and Decriminalised Notices

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?s=92b8f05c811e44e5c861d404c58cde14&showforum=30

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