Parking Fine At Airport Mcdonalds

[naomi24]

Collecting people from the airport, we parked late at night at the nearby McDonald's.  It being very dark, husband got out of the car to read parking sign - 60 minutes free if using the facilities - then went into McDonalds to get coffee.  Fifteen minutes later we departed.  Today he has received a £100 parking fine.

 

Can someone please make sense of this - in particular the reference to getting out of the car and walking:

 

https://motorwayservices.uk/Stansted

[newmodarmy]

I don't know if it's the issue here but normally signs like this say that it's for use while on the premises. It's not somewhere to park and then go elsewhere. But we've probably all don eit- parked at X, bought something and then walked to a few other shops/the market or gone for a haircut, etc to use up our free hour or two

[douglas9401]

No better than email scammers or shady collection bag touts.

Action is needed to sort them out, not much chance though.

[naomi24]

No, NMA, that's not the issue here.  It was late at night.  We were only there long enough to drink coffee.  

[bednobs]

was there anyone else parked around you?  I wonder if you're expected to use the drive thru late at night

[naomi24]

Yes, several, bednobs, so I guess they've all been fined too. Starbucks was closed but McDonald's was open with customers in there so it wasn't just the drive-through available.  I've concluded we must have parked in Starbucks bit of the car park so we'll cough up and pay the fine - but I could be on a mission to encourage them to paint restaurant names in the bays to make it clear.  As it is it's hopeless.  

[New Judge]

"NJ 13.50. I asked a straightforward question at the very begining of this thread,"

I don't know what the removed answer said, nb. I was referring to the stuff after 12:33 up to 13:33.

[bednobs]

It's completely crap isn't it? I have just done a drop-off and pickup at Heathrow and as we got there a bit early we had to go to the shortstay parking rather than the just chucked out of the car bit. I was very alarmed to see the prices rose every 15 minutes!

[barry1010]

A sensible approach to a rotten event, Naomi.  

[naomi24]

Crap is a good word for it Bednobs.  I wouldn't mind so much but we couldn't have used Starbucks if we'd wanted to.  It was in complete darkness - closed.  
 

nicebloke, I didn't ignore your question intentionally but other questions arose and a dashcam wouldn't have helped.

 

Thanks Barry.

[Patsy33]

As if people haven't got  enough strees to deal with. It makes me mad, especially these private parking fines.

My daughter to a neighbour to Doctors surgery a couple of weeks ago and you have to register your number plate in Pharmacy in front of car park, which she did.  The Doctors & staff of pharmacy are primary users.A week later, she had a £100 fine. She has appealed and has evidence that she was in surgery and registered her car number. It really stressed her out. They've not long moved into another house and have lots to do, also her poor little cat had to have kidney removed. That's cost them loads! I felt so sorry fir her after doing a good deed. Anyway Naomi, I Hope you can get a sensible answer to all this and hopefully you won't have to pay £100.

[naomi24]

We'll pay the fine, patsy, but I will be writing letters.

 

Was your daughter's fine dropped on appeal?

[nicebloke1]

A dashcam footage can help a great deal, and can't be ignored.

Dashcams have a field of view from 120° up to 150° therefore can pinpoint your position on the carpark along with the aid of other objects within that carpark. It also records time entered, time you left, along with your reg. A dashcam has become a real problem for carpark cowboys. Anyhow it looks like its done and dusted for now.

[naomi24]

Yes thank you Nicebloke, it is.

[Patsy33]

It's still ongoing, Naomi. I'll let you know the outcome. 😀

[naomi24]

God!  What a pain, patsy.  I wish her well with it.

[naomi24]

Gulliver, you have no idea who removes posts unless they tell you - but I'm removing that^ one.  

[Ellipsis]

Seems a bit harsh that if Starbucks is open then you can park for free for an hour (by buying something), but if it's closed then you have to pay straight away!

[naomi24]

It doesn't make much sense, ellipses, but it's a good earner - so it makes sense to the company.  There were several cars there and none of the drivers were using Starbucks because it was closed.

[Pegasus16]

@13:13 Mon 11th Nov 2024

Lol, get a grip, how embarrassing.

 

Sorry OP for going off the topic!