Fixed penalty notice - should I pay?

[Maz]

I got a letter through the post the other day, saying I owe Cambridge city council £60 for 'not clearly displaying a valid permit in a resident parking area'.

I deffo had a valid permit on display, but when the guy slapped the ticket on it was a frosty a.m. and the inside of my windscreen was moist and condensed up etc.

Do I have to pay? What do you think?

 

[Kirstie]

So your permit was on your dashboard, your car had frosted up overnight, and you get a ticket? That's fecking disgraceful. What a jobsworth. Cos of course you deliberately obscured your permit, having control over the weather and all.

Jesus christ...

Knowing the faceless nature of these parking ticket people you probably won't get any joy for protesting it, but give it a go and I'd try the local rag as well.

 

[User482]

Deffo appeal. Was anyone else ticketed?

 

[domtyler]

Definitely grounds for appeal if what your saying is true.

 

[yello]

What's the procedure? Do they suspend the ticket if you lodge an appeal?

Personally, I'd give it a shot. Their records will show that you had a valid permit at the time so you stand a fair chance of having the ticket rescinded. It shouldn't be necessary but do you reckon you could back up your argument with proof of the overnight temperature that morning??

 

[Maz]

Deffo appeal. Was anyone else ticketed?

I didn't notice any.

 

[NickM]

I can't see the point of paying and then appealing. They've got your money then, and the upper hand is theirs. Better to explain the circumstances and tell them politely but firmly to go away, and let them take their ludicrous case to court if they like.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

if you've got a valid ticket, they'll have to back down before it gets to/thrown out of court.

 

[User482]

if you've got a valid ticket, they'll have to back down before it gets to/thrown out of court.

...unless they've got evidence (a photo) that it wasn't displayed. But no court would entertain a prosecution if the ticket was obscured by a frosted up windscreen.

 

[andygates]

Time of issue + weather conditions on the day should help. If you have the permit, appeal.

 

[Dave Davenport]

Had one a few weeks ago even though my permit was in window, wrote to council telling then this and asking why I'd got a ticket. got an apology and 'we will be doing some training with the warden concerned' a few days later.

 

[gbb]

I got a letter through the post the other day, saying I owe Cambridge city council £60 for 'not clearly displaying a valid permit in a resident parking area'.

I deffo had a valid permit on display, but when the guy slapped the ticket on it was a frosty a.m. and the inside of my windscreen was moist and condensed up etc.

Do I have to pay? What do you think?

That makes me wonder !!!

The INSIDE of the windscreen.
I would like to think they would make exceptions for frost on the outside. Thats an act of nature...nothing you can do.
But moisture etc on the inside ???? I'm not sure i would focus on that in an appeal....thats something they would(or could)argue you conceivably could do something about. I'd stick with the frosty windscreen explanation.

Just my opinion...not saying i'm right.

 

[yello]

I can't see the point of paying and then appealing. They've got your money then, and the upper hand is theirs. Better to explain the circumstances and tell them politely but firmly to go away, and let them take their ludicrous case to court if they like.

Oh the earnest naivety As much as I might want that to be true, it's just not the way it works. If you don't pay, the fine doubles, and then some more, and then has bailiffs fees added etc etc etc. The rules are stacked against you. You play the game, it really isn't worth the agro to do otherwise!

Some councils suspend the ticket once an appeal is lodged. Some want payment THEN they'll talk about it. Whatever the rules are, it is better to tug the forelock and play by them, believe me.

Maz has got decent grounds for appeal in that he has a valid permit. There's a very good chance that the council, in all fairness to them, will probably accept his appeal and rescind the ticket... but you will have to play by their rules to make that happen.

 

[NickM]

...you will have to play by their rules...

I am constitutionally incapable of doing that. I'd sooner have the aggro.

It's probably just as well that I am not a car owner

 

[Mortiroloboy]

Outrageous, their records will show you have a valid residents parking permit, or have paid for a visitors permit, I would challenge it on those grounds. You cannot control what the weather does, providing you have a valid permit I would take it the whole 9 yards.

We have a residents parking scheme(that's why I extended our off road parking) I wasn't going to pay £60 per annum to park outside my own house (yes it is the public highway) but it is a residential road.

Anyway the council has not set in place a force of wardens, so people still park outside, safe in the knowledge that they won't get a ticket.