I am so annoyed just now. Got a parking fine and they are wanting £60 or £30 if paid within 14 days, both of which are riduculous. Basically I went into my usual car park and found it was busy, and my usual space was taken (which is away from other cars). Now my old Fiesta was driven into in a car park and nobody owned up, and my Polo has been scratched by people so I'm very careful about where I park and avoid others if possible. There were a few spaces but they were rediculously tight and why would I risk damaging my car because of another careless waste of space?

So I find a spot against a wall where there would be no obstructions if I parked. Behind me is a roof mounted air vent that comes down, so I parked against that. Next to me was at least a 2 car width between me/the wall and the ticket machine, so no obstructions for cars getting past. The car in the space on the opposite side of the air vent would of had to drive around it anyway. Paid my parking and off I went as I had a lecture to get to. Did see a so-so space around the corner so was about to move the car until someone took it so gave up.

I've drawn a crappy little illustration below:

What angers me is that there is a space on the opposite side which is very similar and right next to the road. Only difference is that it has a line. The space I went in didn't, but then there were no yellow striped lines indicating no parking like in some other areas of the car park.

As some may know I had an accident earlier in the year which cost me pretty much £1500. I still owe my parents £800 at the moment for my car. Keep in mind I'm a 21 year old student who only works part time at B&Q 12 hours a week! Why can't they catch some real criminals instead of robbing innocent people who don't have the money and have already suffered because of other careless drivers.

Any advice would be great, I'm sick of throwing away my hard earned money for nothing :devil:

My offence is Road Traffic Act 1991, Contravention 91: Parked in an area not designated for that class of vehicle. Car park was a multi-storey in Aberdeen and the fine was given by Aberdeen City Council

I would advise paying, its not worth your time and hassle to complain. People dont give a monkies, and will not help you. I know its a pain, but its how life is sometimes mate. Thats just my advise, lets see what other fellow polo owners think...

so basically there were spaces but you didnt park in them?

if it wasn't a designated space then i suppose there isnt really a good appeal there.

what id suggest to avoid gettin your car damaged is just to take the bus into town?

bloody annoying mouse i know. i got a £125 parking ticket this morning... reduced to 75 if paid within 2 weeks lol I'm just gonna pay it and learn my lesson too much hassel disputing it

I was really disapointed with my local council, i had parked legal and payed and displayed and all the rest,i came back to find the bloke sticking a ticket on my car. i was 1 minute late.

i'm not even joking, i was 1 lousy minute late. fair enough, i paid for 60 and took 61, but what really got me was that it meant the bloke had been stood there waiting to place the ticket.

I went in to the council office to have a word, and just walked straight back out again. they had more security guards than they did staff, hell, they had more security that the town centre on a saturday nigh round all the bars. which told me they get so much hassle from irate citizens that they won't listen to you if you get more angry than pleasant.

Tbh, pay 30 and be glad it isn't 60, the only people that will care enough to be pissed will be your parents, and they'll know why parked where you did and won't get pissy about it

You could try writing a letter like the one above trying to explain and rationalize your actions, but they probably won't care and by the time they say you still have to pay the fee, your £30 'If you're quick' discount period will have ended

bloody annoying mouse i know. i got a £125 parking ticket this morning... reduced to 75 if paid within 2 weeks lol I'm just gonna pay it and learn my lesson too much hassel disputing it

Damn and I thought mine was bad. I hate them so much, no wonder they get beatings on the street. I pay my parking everyday so I ain't no criminal. Already had to pay NCP £10 the other day because I got my ticket stuck behind the drawer in my car under my stereo. Told them I could see it but just couldn't get it out. Arseholes!

I'll be writing a letter and taking pictures. There were no lines to say it was a space but then there weren't yellow stripes indicating no parking JUST LIKE IN OTHER AREAS OF THE CAR PARK

Write to your MP. There's a lot of this going around and the councils need to be reminded who they work for. Harrogate council wants to take on 3 more traffic wardens as they figure they've missed out on £38k's worth of tickets. Now 3 traffic wardens + civil service pensions comes to more than £38k so there's a lot of flack flying.

Don't bother your MP, he doesn't have time to worry about your parking ticket. If you did get a reply it will most likely not be from his desk.

What car park were you in? You might have a good reason if there were no lines or signage. Might have a sign at the front of the car park saying you are only allowed to park in designated spaces...should check it out.

I was giving pidge a hard time for double parking at the cinema and ASDA despite there being LOADS of spaces.

Either take the risk and park your car in the designated space or find somewhere else to park. There is no shortage of car parks in Aberdeen. College Street has loads of room as does the Denburn. Also plenty of free car parks if your willing to take a 10 minute walk.

Edited 4 October, 200718 yr by Tav

Technically if there was nothing to say you couldn't park there then you are well within your rights to park there. Unless it may have caused direct or indirect inconvinience to another person. Basically if your actions have caused a reaction by somebody else that could have been avoided had you not have parked there then you are screwed. But they would have to have evidence on the incovenience caused.

The people who made up the road traffic act are drunken non drivers I'm sure.

Edited 4 October, 200718 yr by Pink_Diamond

£30 is nothing, i got a £60 fine no option of a lesser amount if paid quicker! Absolutley ridiculous.

Bloody wardens working past 9pm they make me sick.

I was really disapointed with my local council, i had parked legal and payed and displayed and all the rest,i came back to find the bloke sticking a ticket on my car. i was 1 minute late.

i'm not even joking, i was 1 lousy minute late. fair enough, i paid for 60 and took 61, but what really got me was that it meant the bloke had been stood there waiting to place the ticket.

I went in to the council office to have a word, and just walked straight back out again. they had more security guards than they did staff, hell, they had more security that the town centre on a saturday nigh round all the bars. which told me they get so much hassle from irate citizens that they won't listen to you if you get more angry than pleasant.

Tbh, pay 30 and be glad it isn't 60, the only people that will care enough to be pissed will be your parents, and they'll know why parked where you did and won't get pissy about it

If you get in the car and drive off before they physically place the ticket on your car, then it's not a valid parking ticket

I got one of these from the TCP parking guys at my place for being slightly over the line to one side (£40!) but it was £20 if within two weeks, complained to the guy about ticketing a staff car, that they're not supposed to do BTW, and basically said you need to appeal its in the system now, at which point I nearly twatted him...

...basically, I parked the way I did because I started at 6am, was late for work and had to park over because of a car in the space next to me. Apparently people were complaining, but was there a staff announcement for me to move the car (like there should've been....was there smeg)

I appealed but all that got me was an extended period for the lesser amount, moral is just pay the lower amount, its not worth the hassle, red tape and crap you have to sort through

They don't ticket staff cars anymore after the stink I kicked up though, the guy that did knows if he goes near my car again, I'll kill him

I got an 80 quid ticket for no permit on a Saturday morning last year :(..there's not really anything you can do as by the book you were in the wrong.

Soon see how things go. After Uni will be going round the car park looking for yellow lines and dodgy parking. Then writing a very detailed letter. If it doesn't work then they are bastards who deserve to rot in hell, but then at least I tried. As one guy said on Detailing World, at least I know I ain't going to be a traffic warden when I'm older :)

bloody annoying mouse i know. i got a £125 parking ticket this morning... reduced to 75 if paid within 2 weeks lol I'm just gonna pay it and learn my lesson too much hassel disputing it

WTF?!

Where did you park, obstructing the Queens entrance to Buckingham Palace or something?

I got a £30 fine which I've paid and appealed against.

The attendant made a running dive to get the ticket on the car as I pulled out of the space, I had taken my brother to see a film, bought a ticket which was still in time and on display. Now he claims I got it off the person next to me, I mean what a cock.

I got fined £40 for being 5mins late to my car, i dont see how the hell they could of rememberd to check on my polo as the park was bloody massive! Arse.

I got a £50 fine, i argues it then the if your quick ran out so I know have £100!!!

Does my head in but I have learnt.. Still gonna argue though but will prob end up paying £100

Just don't pay it....?

Just don't pay it....?

Yeah what is there to make you pay it if it's a private carpark? Obviously if they clamp you then you don't really have much choice, but is it legally binding or anything?

Do what i did when i got fined for a "Defective Exhaust" pay the £30 fine but enclose a nasty letter with the postal order or whatever.

Don't know if it would do much but someone might read it and take your point onboard.