Parking ticket when Broken down.

[nicholab]

I got a parking ticket from Dudley mbc as I stayed longer than 3 hours in spot due to brakedown. Problem is as was towed by my father in law and I am going to scrap the car. I did put a note in the window. Is it worth appealing?

[elsiegee40]

If your car had broken down, I think it is worth trying an appeal. It's not like an appeal costs money.

 

 

EDIT

 

Actually, appealing may cost you. If the appeal fails you might have to pay the full fine.. double what you pay if you pay now. How much is the fine? Under £50 and I would swear, but pay

Edited January 18, 2014 by elsiegee40

[tech_guy]

I live in an area where they ticketed a hearse that had broken down - granted it wasn't being used for its intended purpose at the time - but they refused to cancel the ticket and the undertakers had to stump up £35. They said that as there was no proof it had actually broken down - such as an AA call-out, etc - they couldn't do anything about it and they would have to pay.

[nicholab]

Fine is £50. Great so I have to them for the privilege of breaking down. So when most people breakdown they make their car disappear. Why can't the guy handing out the ticket read I put a sign in the window

[tech_guy]

Were you using a breakdown service?

[nicholab]

No private tow.

[twin--turbo]

I live in an area where they ticketed a hearse that had broken down - granted it wasn't being used for its intended purpose at the time - but they refused to cancel the ticket and the undertakers had to stump up £35. They said that as there was no proof it had actually broken down - such as an AA call-out, etc - they couldn't do anything about it and they would have to pay.

 

I bet they were not happy coffin up for that.

[twin--turbo]

No private tow.

 

 

If you were a parking warden, would you belive a note saying the car had broken down?

 

Rob

[twin--turbo]

Only ever had 2 tickets in 22 years.

 

1) Was on a quiet road in the midle of nowhere ( well next to Buttermeer in the lakes ) off the verge. There was hardly any one arround!!

 

2) Parked on a quiet corner for 15 mins round the back of my brother in laws old flat. Ok fair enough, appart from round the front was the newsagents car that sat all day on yellows on a busy main road. ( Guess where the trafic warden got his paper and fags! )

 

Rob

[glennda]

If you appeal before 14 days then they put on hold the lower fee - then if they reject it you get another 14 days at the lower cost.

[twin--turbo]

I think for an appeal to have any chance you would have to have some proof of a breakdown.

 

1) a tow by a proffesional company

 

or

 

2) a recipt for a repair

 

or

 

3) an engineers report

 

1) you aint got.

2) you did not want it repaird

3) the report will cost you an hrs labour so about the same as the fine.

[nicholab]

That us almost blackmail by the council. I wonder if the parking wardon chose to give me a ticket cause of the sign it was worth coming back.

[michael2k6]

I would send in a letter with a proof of scrappage (assuming the date is close to the break down date), and request that they waive the charge, or otherwise reduce it to the cost of an admin fee for sending you the fine, and the request for the admin fee.

[TechMonkey]

Appeal and then contest the rejection. They reject something like 90% of appeals out of turn. When you then threaten to go to the arbiter is when they listen. Had 2 tickets cancelled this way and they will pile on the pressure to make you pay up and make it sound like if you appeal then all hell will break loose and devour you. They are just trying to get the money and rolling over on an appeal doesn't get them anything.

[Achandler]

The other problem is your car was left broken down, if you had stayed there and waited for the private tow this probably wouldn't of happened. How long past your alloted time were you? If we are talking 2 hours past your time, then I guess it is about how long is reasonable for a car to be left somewhere. If this was a double yellow lined main road, that caused a huge tailback then you wouldn't be arguing about it.

 

I would appeal (if you have a scrap certificate), send a copy of that off as part of your appeal letter. If you lose the appeal then just pay up.

[CAM]

If you stay by the car with your hazards on, the warden should have common sense to leave you alone. Especially when you turn the ignition key to no avail! But if you abandon the car it looks like any other parked vehicle so you are asking for a ticket I'm afraid.

 

The law does make exceptions for stopping on red routes, clearways, etc if you are broken down but you need the evidence to back it up. Especially in the days of automatic cameras.

[nicholab]

I was in a parking space that you can be in for 3 hours I could only get a tow 2 hour after that. There was a pool of oil round the car.

[CHR1S]

Council and Police tickets are the only ones enforceable.

 

Its definatly a council ticket and not a private firm?

[JJonas]

No private tow.

 

Any CCTV cameras in the area? You can request the footage and I believe they are required to provide it. If it shows your car being towed that adds weight to your case about being broken down.

[Gibbo]

Why can't the guy handing out the ticket read I put a sign in the window

 

Because he's probably seen every excuse going for people to get out of paying. So when it comes to a legitimate breakdown like yours you get no sympathy from the warden.

 

Certainly appeal, maybe throw in a receipt for parts or repair bills to prove it was broken down to try and help?