Parking in Croydon
I don't have a car, but a mate has just had his car towed away because he was timed out on the meter. Apparently the contractor can tow away as soon as a ticket has been issued, which strikes me as less than just. There is no signage or text on the meters indicating that this is the case, beyond this line: "This is a towaway zone". Having checked the Croydon Council website, the rules have been followed, and while 'ignorantia non excusat lex' (ignorance of the law is no defence) , I do not feel they have done anything like enough to publicise the possible penalties.
Where he was parked was on a quiet residential side street, and I had always been led to believe that towing away was reserved for times when a parked car was interfering with traffic, which his car most certainly was not. As we agreed, this is more a case of legalised extortion / tax farming rather than traffic management, and he is going to be skinned several hundred pounds.
I don't have a car, but a mate has just had his car towed away because he was timed out on the meter. Apparently the contractor can tow away as soon as a ticket has been issued, which strikes me as less than just. There is no signage or text on the meters indicating that this is the case, beyond this line: "This is a towaway zone". Having checked the Croydon Council website, the rules have been followed, and while 'ignorantia non excusat lex' (ignorance of the law is no defence) , I do not feel they have done anything like enough to publicise the possible penalties.
Where he was parked was on a quiet residential side street, and I had always been led to believe that towing away was reserved for times when a parked car was interfering with traffic, which his car most certainly was not. As we agreed, this is more a case of legalised extortion / tax farming rather than traffic management, and he is going to be skinned several hundred pounds.
Labels: Croydon
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on Saturday, July 01, 2006 at 11:00 am.
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Didn't the Govt announce a short while ago that it was not going to be heavy handed with this kind of thing any more, parking tickets.
I was given a parking ticket recently, and I had not even run over my time. I called the council and they said the ticket inspector took a pic of my car showing it was not parked squarely in the centre of my parking bay, and that was an offence. Can you believe it? I have actually passed my advanced motorist test so I know how to park a car. They did let me off, to show their humanity, they said.
No wonder motorists are up in arms, frankly. My mate's reaction was that a fine was reasonable enough, but the towing away was over the top. To add insult to injury, it is a company car and he can't get proof of ownership etc until Monday. He did admit to fantasising about storming the car pound with a Kalashnikov, and I can't say I blame hime.
I got a ticket last year in Birmingham on a single yellow in the evening.when I rang up they told me that the warden was right.
They also told me not to oppose it as they could double it.didn't seem fair then and it seems even less so now.
we all know they're just raising revenue and the wardens,who do have a sh1t job have to hit targets.
don't even start me on speed cameras-a tax on people who wrok and register their cars.
While I can drive, for public safety reasons I don't. Also being within an easy walk of one of the few stations with a 24 hour service and a rather nifty tram system I really don't need to. If was anywhere rather less urban, (as I have been in the past) a car would be an absolute necessity.
I can't help thinking that if the Tories came up with more driver-friendly policies they would be on to a winner.
As to RM's point about the prospect of a doubling of a fine if his appeal failed, that violates all known jurisprudential principles and I find truly shocking.
Barbara,
Exactly. Outside of those parts of London with good trains etc, having a car is not a vanity project, it is a necessity.
The bus story is priceless, and would certainly apply where my children live.
Barbara, how do you find the time to post so many comments when you are behind the wheel for so long?
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