Parking Charge Notice

[PriceySnr85]

I am a staff member on a site where I pay for parking, I received a parking charge and the charge was stated as "The vehicle was not parked within a marked bay".
This is true I was not parked in a bay, I was instead parked on the far end of the car park where no markings had been put down. The site does use hatched areas and double yellow lines, but I was parked in a unmarked area.

I was not blocking anything or anyone and the Notice board states "Vehicles must park entirely within the marked bays. No parking on yellow lines, white lines, or hatched area".

I read this:
"Vehicles must park entirely within the marked bays." to meaning that you should not straddle parking bays, taking up 2 instead of 1 because of bad parking.

I then read on to the where not to park:
"No parking on yellow lines, white lines, or hatched area". which clearly states no parking on double yellow lines, white lines or a hatched area.

I should also note that the area to which I was parked was a dead end, and that there are no access issues, and nobody would use that for access to anything as its an empty area. Would anybody agree that there is enough ambiguity over unmarked areas to challenge the ticket?

It says vehicles must be parked entirely within marked bays. Therefore the car must be in a marked bay to not be ticketed.

You can try, but I'd expect to lose.

You weren't in a bay. I can't see how you'd win.

What's the precedence? Do you know others who have fought? Is parking outside of bays common in your place of work.

I don't fancy your chances

The signs very clear, vehicles must parked within the marked bays. You didn't, I don't think you'd win this.

It looks like there's marked parking spaces and you parked somewhere not designated for parking. So you're being fined which is fair enough.

Sounds clear cut to me. Cars must be parked in a marked bay, you weren't parked in a marked bay.

There is no ambiguity at all. The notice says you must park entirely within the marked bays. You have chosen to read that as meaning that you must be entirely within a bay if you choose to park in one, but you can park somewhere else if you want. However, that isn't what it says. The plain English meaning of the sign is that you must park only within one of the marked bays.

Also, whilst you may not have been blocking anyone in, it looks like you would have been close to an exit from a building, making it harder to evacuate in the event of a fire.

I would have to disagree with your assessments on the grounds that the first part of the paragraph to me reads along with the picture don't straddle bays. Also the ambiguity happens as on campus it has been common to park in unmarked areas such as [images attached]

A road way with double yellows one side (also ticketed same day)

This car park is entirely unmarked

Where I parked has also historically been allowed; and no matter how I read the sign i read the sign as meaning Don't straddle bays and no parking where you can block access or on double yellow lines etc. until now they have been fairly reasonable on site.

Park within the marked bays seems pretty clear to me.

the space you parked in looks like it could be a turning space for those parked in the mark bay?

So by your logic, you can park in the middle of the path for cars because there won’t be any yellow lines or hatched area, and you won’t be in a bay?

Or perhaps in the middle of the pavement?

It’s very obvious what within the bay means…

"Vehicles must park entirely within the marked bays."

You must park completely within a marked bay.

Your car was not in a marked bay at all. 0% inside a bay.

There's no ambiguity there. It does not say that if you choose to use a bay, you must park fully within it. It says the whole of your car must be inside one.

You can challenge, but I can't see how you'd win.

That would be blocking access so clearly not and common sense parking still applies (highway parking rules would still apply). I'm posting the last images that failed to upload...
and all the photos are on the same site.

Where I was double yellow lines ceased before the white bays, every other area on campus also has hatched areas, and workmen are also allowed to park in the areas, the ambiguity still exists even though it seems that nobody here seems to agree.

You weren’t in a marked bay. I don’t get the issue! Pay the fine and park elsewhere

While you might not have been obstrucing anyone if the sign clearly says you have to park in the marked bays and you weren't I don't see how you would have an argument really

Doesn’t state you can’t block the road so no reason why you can’t park in the middle of the road.

There is no ambiguity. You’re making the ambiguity up to support your case. It very clear states cars must park in bays. It doesn’t say if you choose to park in one, it says cars must. That’s the end of it.

Genuinely surprised you thought it was ok to park in a random spot.

It's really not ambiguous at all, it says park entirely within marked bays, which you didn't. You can't just add on extra words in your head for context which don't exist. It doesn't say anything about straddling bays and being able to park elsewhere as long as long as you're not straddling bays, it literally says park within the mark bays which is very clear.

It may be common to park in unmarked areas on campus, but that car park sign is clear and unambiguous. It does not say that you must park within the marked bays if you choose to use them, but it is ok to park elsewhere, which is what you want it to say. It clearly says that you must park within the marked bays. By all means appeal if you want, but I would expect you to lose and I would expect the courts to rule against you if you took it that far.

Move away from the car park and you can park wherever you want provided there are no yellow lines or other notices with restrictions and provided you aren't causing an obstruction. But within the car park you must park within the marked bays.

looks like it's to be kept free. it's very near to what looks like an emergency exit.

pay the penalty and do not park there again.

Oh come on.

Everyone knows in a car park you can only park in the marked bays.

The fact they need to tell people to park properly and they still don't understand just makes me laugh.

Pay the fine. Then follow the same rules the rest of us seem to understand perfectly without a diagram.

"Vehicles must park entirely within the marked bays"
The "entirely" was put there to stop any ambiguity about cars 99% in the bay. It's some mental gymnastics you're doing to interpret it as "Either totally in or totally outside of a bay"!

Of course you haven't got grounds to contest the parking fine! 😆😆😆

Challenge it anyway - is it NHS by any chance?

Vehicles must park entirely within a parked bay.

Was your vehicle parked entirely within a marked bay? Hint, the answer is no so you need to pay the fine.

You hit gold lol