Any advice over apealing parking tickets? I GOT LET OFF!

[northwind]

Interesting. Legally biased, since fines without conviction are offered as an alternative to legal proceedings, not as a replacement- in other words, you can't be forced to pay a fine without a criminal conviction, but if you refuse to pay the fine you'll be taken to court. A definate distinction IMO.

Last year for me was 'year of the parking fine'. I had a total of 8 parking fines for parking at my office without displaying a valid parking permit. We had allocated bays but had to display a permit. I did have a permit and then 2 got stolen from my bike (how can you really secure a parking permit on a bike? already tried tax disck holder). They charge £50 for a replacement permit too. Either way they were getting money out of me. Finally though they gave us a motorcycle bay so we could park for free. But they designated the bike bay with the permit holders area so they still gave me tickets claiming that I was still in a permit holders bay!!! I fought tooth and nail and it went to the parking appeals service last Novemeber. I still have not heard anything back. The bike bay was clearly marked as a free bike bay and the notice board clearly stated that bikes were free when parked in baike bays. So it's obvious to me why they put the bike bay in the permit holders area, so they could try it on. Still, makes me wonder why they persisited with a £40 fine for over 8 months. Hounslow parking wardens!!!! Gah!

In your case mate I would fight it all the way. Don't give in to the f*ckers.

I sent them a letter arguing that the bike was there due to circumstances beyond my control. We'll see what they say!

Incidentally, my father got a ticket on Edgeware Road, whilst parked next to a car that had arabic number plates. You can guess that it didn't have a ticket on it! He paid, but eventually got his cheque back.

Anyway, my ticket was issued by the police rather than the council, so it may not be possible for them to just drop it. Fingers crossed though.

I think you may have a better case against the police. Tell them your tale of woe and you might be alright.

Good luck mate.

[northwind]

Originally Posted by thor

Incidentally, my father got a ticket on Edgeware Road, whilst parked next to a car that had arabic number plates. You can guess that it didn't have a ticket on it!

Diplomatic plates? Or just a UK prvate plate in, somehow, arabic? Just curious. They don't ticket diplomatic plates because there's realyl no point- plus, if we did it here, then we'd have to start paying our parking fines in other countries, which would probably start a war

Originally Posted by thor

Incidentally, my father got a ticket on Edgeware Road, whilst parked next to a car that had arabic number plates. You can guess that it didn't have a ticket on it! He paid, but eventually got his cheque back.

Some chinesse guys a work never used to get small speeding fines because the plods couldn't copy their names off the chinesse driving licences.

Originally Posted by northwind

Diplomatic plates? Or just a UK prvate plate in, somehow, arabic? Just curious. They don't ticket diplomatic plates because there's realyl no point- plus, if we did it here, then we'd have to start paying our parking fines in other countries, which would probably start a war

Neither. An arabic car, flown over from Saudia Arabia (or wherever). There are a lot of rich Arabs who come over to London for the summer to play around, and drive their Ferrari's up and down edgeware road. Therefore, there are quite a few cars with arabic script number plates parked illegally in that area.

[21QUEST]

Originally Posted by thor

Neither. An arabic car, flown over from Saudia Arabia (or wherever). There are a lot of rich Arabs who come over to London for the summer to play around, and drive their Ferrari's up and down edgeware road. Therefore, there are quite a few cars with arabic script number plates parked illegally in that area.

Maybe the driver has a Slate .


The chances of you getting off is at best 50/50. Had actually had a mechanical fault then that would be a different matter(then the ticket would be squashed). Running out of petrol would not normally be seen as a vehicle fault.

The good news is that you don't have to pay the fine straight away but make sure you write in within 14 days of the ticket issue date explaining the situation. if you luck is in , then you would be laughing. On the other hand they might not accept your argument (and there is a good chance) then you would be advised to pay the fine(£50) as once you write in within 14 days the fine is pegged at the reduced rate till a decision is made.

Cheers
Ben

Have you checked the highway code? I had a look through over the weekend and it contradicts itself. One one hand it sayd that it is illegal to 'drive' onto the pavement (so you can push a vehicle onto it?) but on the other hand if you breakdown it says 'get the vehicle off the road as soon as possible'. I take it you did not drive onto the kerb as you had broken down and also you had got your vehicle off the road as soona s possible (hence it was on teh pavement). Get the highway code and look it up and then use it. It's saved me from a parking fine.

Dan

I've already sent them a letter. I'm hoping that some friendly copper will let me off, if they can. Not heard anything yet, but I have 28 days to pay.