Confessions of a parking attendant

Don't know if this has been posted before:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4596907.stm

that's disgusting,

there were a few up at devil's bridge on sunday and they have noo remorse.

i guess we park pretty much where we like during the year, but on sunday (bike day at devils) they have a chance to catch a few of us

interesting about the driving off thing though

Originally Posted by Carl PO51 MYV

that's disgusting

But not surprising

Can't say I'm surprised. I read a report a while ago about the training they get. Sounded like the only people on that particular training course who weren't illegal immigrants were the ones who were convicted criminals!

[timwilky]

Originally Posted by Carl PO51 MYV

that's disgusting,

there were a few up at devil's bridge on sunday and they have noo remorse.

i guess we park pretty much where we like during the year, but on sunday (bike day at devils) they have a chance to catch a few of us

interesting about the driving off thing though

what time were you there. I was up at about 12. It was so packed that I had to ride past twice trying to find a recently vacated gap to park in. you are right about the taffic wardens around there they are vicious.

Again it comes down to revenue. I was in Manchester a couple of weeks ago and a car stopped outside the Midland to drop off passengers/cases and traffic warden on moped grabs him. Won't let him leave (Sunday so not an obstruction) and tickets the poor guy. What gets me is traffic wardens moped is illegally parked whilst he tickets this guy, another passing warden should have ticketed him.

Originally Posted by Carl PO51 MYV

that's disgusting,

there were a few up at devil's bridge on sunday and they have noo remorse.

i guess we park pretty much where we like during the year, but on sunday (bike day at devils) they have a chance to catch a few of us

interesting about the driving off thing though

why/where were they ticketing at devils bridge?

I have no problem with people who selfishly park on double yellows in a way that really does hold up other traffic/poses a danger to other road users, just to save themselves 30 seconds, rather than parking round the corner, getting tickets.However, it seems that a hell of a lot of people are forced to park illegally, even in comparatively small towns. There are lots of single yellow lines/time restricted parking and even ticketed 'on road' parking, which could (should) be designated as free limitless parking.

Personally, I think you pay for road tax, you should expect to be able to park for free within a reasonable distance of your destination, unless you're right in the middle of a big city with good public transport links.

In my small, rural town (Cirencester), you cannot (legally) park within 5 minutes of my flat which is only on the outskirts of town. Instead, you either have to park a long way off and risk not hearing/seeing your vehicle being broken into/stolen (the only time my car has been interfered with was when I parked in the nearest legal available place, about 6 minutes walk away) or, as is more common, park illegally, even if it's only exceeding the alloted time you're allowed to stay in an area.

When visting mates in Bath (which again, is hardly inner city london) it takes the mick. You have to park 20 minutes walk away from their houses if you want to park legally. Hardly practical or realistic if you're taking a PC/turntables over there...

[timwilky]

Originally Posted by Captain Nemo

why/where were they ticketing at devils bridge?

After you go past the parking area on your left it is yellow lines as you continue, there were a couple of bikes getting traffic warden attention a few weeks ago there when I was there


Still parking related, Why do the wardens only patrol towns where there is a shortage of parking and therefore lots of potential for revenue. Adjacent the entrance to the small cul de sac where I live there is a newsagent with a single yellow line for 50yd either side of his shop. This does not stop people from stopping to go in for their morning paper/fags. I cannot see past their vehicles to safely exit. The residents are fed up of complaining but we never see any enforcement. the restriction was put in place as a result of a neighbours child being killed whilst crossing from between parked cars. but with 100s of yds of free parking only 50 yds away there is no prospect of a traffic warden

Originally Posted by timwilky

Still parking related, Why do the wardens only patrol towns where there is a shortage of parking and therefore lots of potential for revenue. Adjacent the entrance to the small cul de sac where I live there is a newsagent with a single yellow line for 50yd either side of his shop. This does not stop people from stopping to go in for their morning paper/fags. I cannot see past their vehicles to safely exit. The residents are fed up of complaining but we never see any enforcement. the restriction was put in place as a result of a neighbours child being killed whilst crossing from between parked cars. but with 100s of yds of free parking only 50 yds away there is no prospect of a traffic warden

My point exactly. Like a lot of road safety issues, the original purpose of traffic wardens has been lost in some money making scheme under the guise of law enforcement. For every car I see parked in a way that is a danger and inconvenience to other road users that doesn't have a ticket, I see one parked in a place that's not hurting anyone with a ticket on.

It makes me sick.

It's amazing how dispite how incompetant government is, they always find new and deplorable ways of extracting money out of people