Dear all,
I hope everyone is well and I'd like to share my experiences I've had with ParkingEye.
Background
Our car went into ASDA which used ParkingEye ANPR. It went in at around 14:00 and left at around 14:30 and then went in again at 22:00 and left at around 22:30. We received a parking charge (£70 if paid within 28 days, £40 if paid within 14 days etc.) stating that we came in at around 14:00 and left at 22:30. See what happened there?
We believe what had happened is the camera(s) had not picked up or initial exit and upon seeing our car again at 22:00, the software was not properly configured to emit the previous visit because how could we be entering if we haven't exited.
Why?
Our car is very compact, so there is a good chance our rear number plate could have been obscured on the initial exit.
How could this have happened?
1) Machine Vision
Parking Eye ANPR and most ANPR used commercially employ Machine Vision to automatically inspect and analyse plate numbers. The system works by recognising that the rear number plate is yellow and it uses polygons, polygons which match the profile of a rear number plate as seen from the set angle of descent is then mathematically modelled and weighted against a probability model to determine whether not it's scanning a number plate or something else (like a pedestrian, or a piece of paper on the road or something)
2) Descent Angle
If the camera is placed incorrectly and at a comprising descent angle, there is a chance that number plates are not picked up especially at times where there is a high concentration of cars
3) Operational procedure
ANPR system is of course not full proof and parking charges should ideally have a human eye verify each and every single one, unfortunately this is not always possible so please appeal any ticket you felt that was unfairly placed upon you!
Aftermath
These points were raised and now the parking charge has been "cancelled and there is no outstanding payment due."
The Point
Guys please fight back, don't only appeal these tickets if you've done no wrong, write/call/email to the store (ASDA, Tesco, whoever it is) to ask them to review the matter and if you feel the same has happened as it did with me, raise the point, if enough of us pick at ParkingEye and their practises we can bring light onto the matter.
Parking charges bring a huge amount of stress on people, many who don't have the funds to pay are stuck in a cycle of debt, CCJs and it is something we cannot accept as consumers.
I'd be interested in experiences other have had with ParkingEye and other ANPR systems they feel have wronged them!
(I've attached the letter with dates, times and references blanked out for security)