I've just been given a parking ticket in the delightful area of ilford. Now that may not be unusual but, I went to the machine to check the prices (with change in my pocket to pay) and it said "30mins free" result I thought, I went in to the shop and 5 mins later I had a ticket for £60! The kind traffic officer showed me in small print at the bottom of the meter it says 'press green button for free ticket' so basically their misleading information on prices has cost me £30 instantly. I even explained I had the money on me to pay and if he checked the camera he would have seen I checked! All this the week after getting a ticket for doing 80 in a 70 it just gets better!

Just a heads up for anyone who's not overly familiar to the area, it even says on their website that's not an excuse. Gotta love the UK

' so basically their misleading information on prices has cost me £30 instantly.

 

No, your failure to read the information properly, but instead to make an incorrect assumption, cost you £30.

I've just been given a parking ticket in the delightful area of ilford. Now that may not be unusual but, I went to the machine to check the prices (with change in my pocket to pay) and it said "30mins free" result I thought, I went in to the shop and 5 mins later I had a ticket for £60! The kind traffic officer showed me in small print at the bottom of the meter it says 'press green button for free ticket' so basically their misleading information on prices has cost me £30 instantly. I even explained I had the money on me to pay and if he checked the camera he would have seen I checked! All this the week after getting a ticket for doing 80 in a 70 it just gets better!

Just a heads up for anyone who's not overly familiar to the area, it even says on their website that's not an excuse. Gotta love the UK

 

Thanks for the heads up

 

I bet your right - it is a money making scandal!

Do you have a photo of this pay meter with the small print?

I really want to see how noticeable it is that it tells you to hit the green button.

Total booby trap

Some of our local car parks offer 'thirty minutes' or 'first hour' free, but in addition to the 'Free Ticket' button on the machine they clearly show on the charges boards that a 'valid ticket' must be obtained and displayed.  I wonder how prominent the warning is in Ilford. 

I fail to understand how being permitted 30 minutes free parking, just for the time taken to read the instructions properly, can be referred to as either a booby trap or a money making scandal.

 

Exactly how large, multi-coloured or otherwise designed to shout out to the customer is it expected to be?

 

There are plenty of similar schemes around, and every one of them that I know of require you to take a ticket first.

/\ i read instruction on nothing

Its a man / ape thing. Dont need instruction. Instructions are for the weak. I would probably have made the same error.

I would have read as far as.... First 30mins are free..... Then that would be it

Like most men I read what's relevent ergo 30mins= free.

1hour = £1.20

2hours = £2.00

To me that's all that needs reading, I made a mistake and paid for it. Live and learn I guess just don't fall foul to this small print ploy gents.

I was in Lancaster today, in the Market Sq. area, outside a bank, was a very hacked off looking armoured van driver. On the lower section of his windscreen, in front of him, was a Fixed penalty notice. I can see that one being contested.

I've just been given a parking ticket in the delightful area of ilford. Now that may not be unusual but, I went to the machine to check the prices (with change in my pocket to pay) and it said "30mins free" result I thought, I went in to the shop and 5 mins later I had a ticket for £60! The kind traffic officer showed me in small print at the bottom of the meter it says 'press green button for free ticket' so basically their misleading information on prices has cost me £30 instantly. I even explained I had the money on me to pay and if he checked the camera he would have seen I checked! All this the week after getting a ticket for doing 80 in a 70 it just gets better!

Just a heads up for anyone who's not overly familiar to the area, it even says on their website that's not an excuse. Gotta love the UK

 

Bad Luck!   Watch out - they say it happens in threes!

 

80 in a 70 eh?    You bad, bad man!   (well, I'm only going by what all those holier-than-thou lot are saying on my "Stealth Tax" thread!)

 

I'm afraid I don't know Ilford so I would probably have been caught out too in exactly the same way.   Remind me never, ever to go there!

 

Cheer Up!   Pepipoo might help you wriggle out of it.

Edited 21 January, 201511 yr by bealine

Ha^ Cheers for that made me chuckle, the title gave away that I knew I had messed up. Alas with the Internet the righteous posters of the world are all too fast to point out others failings.

They have the same in Potters Bar which i was nearly caught out on.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-30913291

 

If you think the signage is unreasonable, photograph it and talk with your local councillors and local business owners. You may find someone has been proactive about it.

I fail to understand how being permitted 30 minutes free parking, just for the time taken to read the instructions properly, can be referred to as either a booby trap or a money making scandal.

 

Exactly how large, multi-coloured or otherwise designed to shout out to the customer is it expected to be?

 

There are plenty of similar schemes around, and every one of them that I know of require you to take a ticket first.

 

Is your full time job a parking warden? :P

Is your full time job a parking warden? :p

No, part-time Courier driver in own car.

 

Hence I'm paranoid - some of my family would say obsessed - about Parking rules and regulations.

What a bunch of pedantic posts I've read here! I would have made the same assumption as would 90% of you. Stop being ridiculous.

What a bunch of pedantic posts I've read here! I would have made the same assumption as would 90% of you. Stop being ridiculous.

If you don't get a ticket, how would they know that you've had your 30 free minutes

If you don't get a ticket, how would they know that you've had your 30 free minutes

Exactly, people would just be abusing it and leaving their car for longer but they should at least put something like this on the sign:

Up to 30min - free (obtain free ticket from machine)

1 hour - £1.30

2 hour - £2.40 and so on

An alternative would be to add your own sign above theirs. Then mount a dashcam pointing at it from your car. If they nick the sign, call the Police.

I was in Lancaster today, in the Market Sq. area, outside a bank, was a very hacked off looking armoured van driver. On the lower section of his windscreen, in front of him, was a Fixed penalty notice. I can see that one being contested.

 

We spend in excess of £35-40k per annum on parking tickets in and around Central London - due to the nature of product which we deliver we have to park as close to the client as possible. Every single ticket we receive is challenged to the point were 1 or 2 of the boroughs have given us parking dispensations.

I once had a parking ticket in Kingston Upon Thames, Pay and Display car park. Different rates changed at 6:30pm. I parked up around 6pm, got back to the car at 9pm. I paid for what I thought was 3hrs, but I got it wrong.

 

Yes the sign probably explained it all. I remember seeing the sign and thinking wtf. Expensive mistake.

 

I'd rather just have a flat rate for parking, or say it free to park between certain times. Also this is why I prefer pay on exit car parks. Makes life so much easier, I have enough small change in the car just in case I can't pay with what is in my wallet. Only needed that once in Cardiff St. Davids. It wouldn't accept cards or notes for some reason that day.

Bet you didn't see the 70mph sign either.

Parking tickets and driving convictions are different topics, let's leave it as that.