Parking on pavements

[slippery777]

I visited my my Mum in Stratford, East London on Boxing day, and after a four hour journey and additional time trying to park, I parked on the pavement. I was aware before I parked that there was a good many cars parked on yellow lines with no parking tickets attached. I therefore thought that I would park illegally too.
A couple of hours later I went to the van and found a ticket on it for parking on the pavement, all the cars parked on yellow lines had no tickets even though the sign indicated that restrictions were in force.
Can I appeal against my ticket on the grounds I was treated unfairly? There is no sign to say that parking restrictions are suspended on public holidays.

So why me and not them? Can the warden pick and choose who he/her give tickets to?

[Old_Geezer]

I don't see how you can convince them you should be let off, even admitting you broke the rules, just because you have 'sour grapes' over others getting away with stuff. Not a leg to stand on.

[JackDanielsU]

You parked illegally - you have to take the resulting punishment. You knew you were parking where you shouldnt, and the excuse "everyone else was doing it - so I did too" is poor.

[rojash]

The pavement is there to provide a safe place for pedestrians, wheelchair users, prams, etc. Surely you can see that there is a difference between blocking the pavement, where your vehicle has no right to be under any circumstances, and parking in road (even if there are parking restrictions)?

[slippery777]

I can understand that I broke the rules, but can a warden pick and choose who they book. An offence is an offence.

My mother lives in Stratford, a stones throw from the Olympics and Westfield shopping complex, parking was never a problem but now its impossible. No thought has gone into the affect of these sites on the local residents, so the street was full of people who could not be bothered to park in Westfield. If I left the street, it would have taken another hour to drive round again. So I parked where I could.
Its not sour grapes, more anger. isiting my 76 year old mother at Christmas will be unlikely in the future, my two children under 2 cant put up with a 4-5 hr journey. Before the Olympic park it took 2hrs 15!

[old-wos-is-name]

my son had one wheel just on the kerb and got a ticket. He objected, saying it was not causing an obstruction, and they let him off. ( london, east dulwich)
Think up some real good excuses, time of year,bank holiday, not impeding ambulances fire engines etc, not causing pedestrians to walk in the road, other vehicles parked likewise etc. give it a go, don't just pay, it doesn't cost any extra to object as your time limit will stop until they write back.

[boxtops]

We got done parking at home half on the pavement, in any area without yellow lines - the warden said "we might be obstructing a blind man walking past". I've never seen a blind man walking up our road...

[knowabit]

But the other cars were not on the pavement... so that is why they did not get a ticket.

[bednobs]

and he's never seen you ... boom boom!
Anyway, a traffic warden can't just ticket everybody who is illegally parked, there wouldn't be enough time in the world. Perhaps she did yours just before she clocked off?
Anyway, having been a wheelchair user in the past, people who park on the pavement really Fosters me off!

[boxtops]

^ I missed that bit - yes, could you have been the only one obstructing the pavement?

[stokemaveric]

parking on the pavement is illegal..end of....

[seadogg]

Mrs S has cataracts and is on the waiting list. She won't go out without me as she is worried about cars on the pavements.

[joko]

the other cars are irrelevant.
your ticket will not be cancelled because you did actually do it.

just because other people were also doing wrong does not make you innocent.
two wrongs dont make a right.

its is none of your business what the warden does... whatever you may think the should have done, she did you fair and square...

did you check every single vehicle? maybe they had disabled badges, or were loading/delivering...?

[SpikeyBush]

Obstruction is not the only issue here. Pavements are not as hard as the road as they are not designed for the weight of a motor vehicle. Parking on the pavement after time makes them uneven and a very real hazard for some people. You'll be waiting a long time for any sympathy from me.

[Jules001]

Despite the legality of parking on pavements and the fact that other people had parked that way too, the big difference in your post which stands out to me is that you state many cars were parked on the pavement, but you seemed to have a van. This may be why the warden ticketed you and not the other cars as you were perceived to be more of an obstruction.

[Jemisa]

It probably wasn't a traffic warden who gave you the ticket, if it was they'd have had a field day with the others too. A resident probably reported you and a police car was sent to give you that ticket. Pay up and shut up.

jem

[ABerrant]

Jules001 - nowhere in the post does it say that other vehicles ware parked on the pavement.

[Skyline D]

I think you've misread it Jules.

Anyway, as someone who regularly pushes two children in a double buggy along the pavement, there can be few things more annoying than people who park cars on pavements, which are often not wide enough to begin with.

Not a specific comment on this case as for all I know it may have been a massive payment with loads of clearance round his van.

[cassa333]

I wish they would come down my road and ticket or the d*** heads who park on the pavement here.