Could pay, won't pay

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On the motoring forums there's quite a bit about this, in particular a company called "Parking Eye" come in for a lot of flack.

Interestingly, the same company have won the contract for parking at our hospital, can't wait for it all to kick off as most clinics run late and people will almost be guaranteed to overstay!

You would have won in court easily using the defended that £100 is a punitive fine which isn't allowed AFAIK.

Shaun

I have had that.

What we have done is write a supporting letter stating that the clinic over ran and the patient was unable to leave to top up the ticket... every appeal has been successful.

However what tends to happen is that the system changes to a "pay as you leave" so that there is no "overstaying"
 

swansonj

Guru
I have had that.

What we have done is write a supporting letter stating that the clinic over ran and the patient was unable to leave to top up the ticket... every appeal has been successful.

However what tends to happen is that the system changes to a "pay as you leave" so that there is no "overstaying"
But under "pay as you leave", no-one is getting charged large and/or disproportionate amounts for overstaying anything, everyone pays the set rate for the length of time they used the service. So if motorists object to that, it presumably can only be on the grounds of feeling that they should not have to pay, or not pay so much, to park at all.

Hospitals are, however, one of the few instances where I feel uncomfortable with parking charges. Normally, I think the higher the better, and if I'm using the facility, it is probably because I've selfishly opted for speed or convenience in choosing to use the car, so it's entirely fair that I should pay for the privilege, preferably pay through the nose if the money goes to a good cause rather than a private contractor. But I have, like I guess many of us, several times taken elderly folk to hospital appointments, or children to A&E, in circumstances where cycling or public transport would not readily be an alternative. Under those circumstances, the alternative would be an ambulance, and charging large amounts for parking then is about the one time it seems against the overall societal interest.
 

marknotgeorge

Hol den Vorschlaghammer!
Location
Derby.
When I worked at McDonald's, the franchisee also had the franchise for the restaurant next to Markeaton Park. He signed up with a parking management company because people were parking in the restaurant's car park and going off to the park (which has a car park itself, but that's pay and display). Given the restaurant at the time was the busiest in the city, being next to the A38 and the A52, it was a bit of a problem. The idea wasn't so much to rake in the cash, but to hopefully discourage people from taking the mick.
 

mustang1

Legendary Member
Location
London, UK
Many years ago, I know of someone who got wheelclamped at such a parking lot. The driver was in a hurry and requested the clamp be removed. They wouldn't remove it unless he paid a fine, which he did.

Later, I was informed that not only did he get the money back, but that the cabin that was used to house the persons of the parking company caught fire. As I was passing this place, I actually saw the cabin had burnt up.
 

subaqua

What’s the point
Location
Leytonstone
On the motoring forums there's quite a bit about this, in particular a company called "Parking Eye" come in for a lot of flack.

Interestingly, the same company have won the contract for parking at our hospital, can't wait for it all to kick off as most clinics run late and people will almost be guaranteed to overstay!

You would have won in court easily using the defended that £100 is a punitive fine which isn't allowed AFAIK.

Shaun


to be fair parking eye are one of the better operators . they run the mountbatten centre parking in Plymouth and I know several people who have gone over by a few minutes had an automatic letter and then called , spoke to a real human who has cancelled the ticket immediately. its the long term nobbers abusing things by parking for days on end they are aiming for
 
OP
OP
Pale Rider

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
[QUOTE 3911552, member: 45"]As far as I understand it the parking company is allowed to charge for compensation for the impact of you parking there. So if you spent all day parked in a McDonalds car park which had three other cars in it all day they'd not be able to justify any disruption, but if your unauthorised parking has an impact on their business they have a stronger case.[/QUOTE]

The company has to establish an interest in the land, difficult if they don't own it which they usually do not.

Assuming the parking company has a genuine interest, they can only seek damages caused by what would be characterised as a civil trespass.

Difficult to prove any loss when parking is free.

They would need a statement from a third party saying: "It it wasn't for that ruddy Pale Rider parked there, I would have paid you £XXX to park there."

Even if parking is charged by the hour, the company would still need to prove the car parked without a ticket prevented others parking who would have paid.

Then there's the amount, which can only be a reasonable sum for the length of time parked, no more than that.

A hundred quid for 12 minutes, as in my case, is clearly nonsensical.
 
But under "pay as you leave", no-one is getting charged large and/or disproportionate amounts for overstaying anything, everyone pays the set rate for the length of time they used the service. So if motorists object to that, it presumably can only be on the grounds of feeling that they should not have to pay, or not pay so much, to park at all.

.... it removes the responsibility ofteh Hospital to be on time. If a patient is supposed to be two hours and pays two hours, than that it it - a ticket can be contested and will be canceled. With Pay as you exit the patient pays for the privilege of being seen late



Hospitals are, however, one of the few instances where I feel uncomfortable with parking charges. Normally, I think the higher the better, and if I'm using the facility, it is probably because I've selfishly opted for speed or convenience in choosing to use the car, so it's entirely fair that I should pay for the privilege, preferably pay through the nose if the money goes to a good cause rather than a private contractor. But I have, like I guess many of us, several times taken elderly folk to hospital appointments, or children to A&E, in circumstances where cycling or public transport would not readily be an alternative. Under those circumstances, the alternative would be an ambulance, and charging large amounts for parking then is about the one time it seems against the overall societal interest.

Very few Hospitals actually charge for car parking!

It is usually the case (especially in PFI) that it was given as a contract outside the Hospital who will se little or none of the revenue

The Labour government's misuse of PFI is a major issue in these cases
 

mybike

Grumblin at Garmin on the Granny Gear
dont say that.... i park at kidbrooke when i go to London....

My memories are of prefabs and a army depot. Think it may have changed since.

Very few Hospitals actually charge for car parking!

It is usually the case (especially in PFI) that it was given as a contract outside the Hospital who will se little or none of the revenue

The Labour government's misuse of PFI is a major issue in these cases

But the patient & their transport still pay. It makes taking someone to A&E a gamble.
 

swansonj

Guru
Very few Hospitals actually charge for car parking!

It is usually the case (especially in PFI) that it was given as a contract outside the Hospital who will se little or none of the revenue

The Labour government's misuse of PFI is a major issue in these cases
I am well aware that, if I pay incrementally more, or alternatively find a way to pay incrementally less, at my local hospital car park, that directly affects the revue and profit of only the parking contractor and not the hospital. But the theory is surely that, when the contract comes up for renewal, the hospital will be able to screw more money for the contractor for the next contract the more profitable the contract has proved?
 

Rural Spaceman

Active Member
My advice,as far as Mc Donalds is concerned,is always to empty bags of cement down their toilets. N.B. This post is intended for entertainment purposes only.It should in no way be taken as incitement to commit criminal damage against evil multi-national corporations that are guilty of human rights abuses.
 

ianrauk

Tattooed Beat Messiah
Location
Rides Ti2
[QUOTE 3913101, member: 259"]The sausage McMuffins are good though. :hungry:[/QUOTE]
And the coffee....and the brekkie..,and the porridge.......
 

Milkfloat

An Peanut
Location
Midlands
Back to the hospitals - I don't think I have ever been to a hospital that does not charge for car parking, usually at an extortionate rate too. In fact my local hospitals charges are so high that when my wife was in the late stages of labour, I persuaded her to walk because I knew we would be there for sometime.
 
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