HI Everyone!

I received a ticket today, when parked in a paid parking bay. The bay is marked as active from 8am onwards.

My ticket has an observation period of one minute. From 8.13am to 8.14am. The guy rushed to complete the ticket and stick it to my windscreen as he saw me walking back to the car.

Is there any way I could argue the case that I popped into the gym (outside where the parking bays are) to get some change? One minute is a very short amount of time, surely to short to ascertain what was going on?


Thanks in advance!

So what was going on?

Going to get change is not allowed and it would be a lie anyway.

Observation time is just guidance - CEOs will issue when they can't see any exempt activity.

let's see the PCN. Put pics on https://imgbb.com or such like as space on forum is limited.

So, you parked in a P&D bay but did not buy a ticket. You don't say how long you were parked, but time taken going to buy a ticket from the machine is allowed, and time taken to go and get change for the machine is not.

Adjudication decisions going back to the 90s have decided the above. Unless you can tell us more, and also post up the PCN for fuller advice, the discount option looks best at the moment.

Back to the 60s with old fashioned parking meters, when it was "criminalised" and traffic wardens were affiliated with the Metropolitan Police, it was decided that going to get change was not an excuse.

Of course back then parking meters tended to be only in real town centres not every suburban high street.

And "meter feeding" was forbidden too. If you look at the "The Ipcress File" film, in one scene you see one of the villains feeding the metre where his boss's Rolls is standing, near the Albert Hall. He looks round to see of there is a parking warden in sight.

Hi All, thanks for replies so far.

I get the ‘ going to get change’ excuse is a bit cheeky, will probably end up paying the discounted charge and just be done with it.

I was at the gym, and was a little delayed in getting back to the car. The parking is free till 8am, so I did over run, and therefore guess I should cough up! I did think 1 min observation time is a little harsh, but I know parking enforcers are not the most sympathetic people out there.

Lesson learnt and park somewhere else now, but someone else had a ticket when I left the gym this morning, it seems like that row of bays will be easy pickings!

Have added a link to the PCN below:

https://ibb.co/PMK4Xy5

If there is anything i can do please let me know, otherwise I will pay off the ticket next week!

If there is anything i can do please let me know


Yes.

1. Post the complete PCN, delete only personal info.
2. Post a GSV link or tell us exactly where you were.
3. Why were you held up? I attend *** gym regularly and have a class between **and *** which allows me to park at the location, get to the gym, complete my class and return before the charging hours come into effect. I have done this ** times a week for *** without issue until the ***. On this occasion, I was delayed because of *****.

Is plausible, but is it true.

If the authority seem to be conducting a purge of these bays then it suggests that gym users regularly abuse the system. Only you know whether you're one of these drivers.

Thanks for getting back to me, full PCN linked below:


1)
https://ibb.co/3zff1Zn


2) https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.3790973,-...8i8192?hl=en-gb

3)
? I attend myPT gym regularly (previously their old site round the corner - this site has only been open since 27th Jan) and have a class between 6.30 and 7.30 which allows me to park at the location, get to the gym, complete my class and return before the charging hours come into effect. I have done this 3 times a week for nearly 2 weeks without issue until the 05/02/20. On this occasion, I was delayed because of being an issue with the water, stopped working half way through my shower, had to wait till plumber fixed it.

The above is all true, the new gym site was under construction and only opened towards the end of Jan, so its not been an ongoing problem of parking. Google image is outdated, but the gym is now in the basement of the building to the right of the BT van.

The Gym is genuinely having water issues, the plumbers have been in and out since opening. Today was the first day i could have a hot shower without issue!


I can try the response outlined in point 3, would it be worth including any info from the gym?

Thanks in advance!

To be honest, without any independent corroboration you would stand no chance IMO.

And don't just add the water problems at the end almost as an afterthought. What you are saying is that as returning to the car half-naked mid-shower, buying a P&D and then completing your shower wasn't an option you finished my shower, dressed as quickly as possible but didn't make it back to the car in time. You've parked since the contravention without similar problems.

If true.

Well did the water problems happen pre-shower or mid-shower? If it was pre-shower, even if you were hot and sweaty you could have still popped out and bought a P&D ticket, if it was mid-shower I think this could amount to reasons outside of your control.

even if it was mid shower, the op could have given up and left which would have been before the ticket was required. waiting for a plumber to fix it! ??? really??

I think if adjudicators keep a file of cute excuses the lack of water for a shower would make it.

But no ask no wet, I mean get.

Hi all.

Issue was mid shower, and as stated was covered in soap and shampoo, so getting ready and heading out the car wasn’t an option. Have contacted Croydon council with a response created with help of the replies above, thanks everyone for the help!

best






Lol

They don't!

Show us what you sent. Is there some reason why you couldn't have asked someone else to pop out and buy a P&D ticket?

This case is not as clear-cut as Mr v Cheshire West and Chester Council (AW00018-1804, 04 June 2018) but there are some parallels.