More Unecessary Changes To Help Idiots??

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-31759767
Now I'm no fan of the parking bandits but the rules are simple enough, pay, park in a marked bay and come back before your ticket runs out. How long before we hear some eejit bleating, "I was only 11 minutes late"?

[Old_Geezer]

Of such a fuss. So one is being humane rather than sticking to the book, as it were. Not a bad move even if some don't get the idea that it isn't a licence to stay another 10 minutes.

[TWR]

Easy money TTT

[EDDIE51]

Our council does this anyway, you are allowed ten minutes leeway.

[ichkeria]

What a pity we need yet another law: to stop enforcement of a law!
Why not instead issue guidelines on flexibility to traffic wardens ?
While I agree that parking regulations can sometimes be overzealously enforced
this seems like a bizarre idea. Until you realise there's an election in the offing :-)

[ludwig]

// Not a bad move even if some don't get the idea that it isn't a licence to stay another 10 minutes. //

That's exactly what it is though. The traffic warden will be sticking the ticket on at 5 seconds after 70 minutes instead of 5 seconds after 60 minutes, at which time the same arguments will ensue.

It amounts to 10 minutes free parking, which is nice, but seems a bit pointless.

[ToraToraTora]

some people will always push the envelope, you have to draw the line somewhere, all they've done is move the line a little, there will still be people on dispatches moaning that they were only 35 seconds over. Don't get me wrong I hate the clampers (yes now gone I know pedants) and the over zealous wardens etc but they would not exist if it were not for those trying to beat the system.

[Peter Pedant]

3T obviously a non driver

Charmouth Dorset had a parking - Nazi - I came back to the car ten minutes EARLY and found him standing over the windscreen. - No Dogs on the beach, April to September - so week end March 25 there he was, filling in time by leaning over the railings, shouting at dog walkers 'You wont be able to do that next week!'

Another crazy was at St Ives - he was the one who put a ticket on an overstayer - because he was dead. St Ives council officially said' "he as only doing his job" - what putting tickets on the cars of the deceased ?

[Peter Pedant]

It depends if you want it to be an industry

San Francisco which in 1995 made $75m from parking fines ( I asked ) have fleets of tricycles ticketing car in main zones come 6 am
And anyone can tow a car
So one tow truck was parked against my car at 5.57 when I got to move it and the tower came out and swore at me.

[mikey4444]

I agree TTT. Parking is really very simple and I am not able to understand why motorists should need another 10 mins. I parked in Monmouth yesterday, for 2 hours and it cost £1:00. I came back to the car at almost exactly 2 hours times and I couldn't see any Council workman standing around with his stop watch. But this is Wales, not England, so maybe we do it differently here !

It sounds like a pre-election sop to the car lobby to me. A gimmick and no more.

[BRIGHT SPARK]

So the council gives you an extra 10 minutes....so overall takings will be down by around 16%...so they put up prices to cover the shortfall and the good end up paying for the bad...again!

[ToraToraTora]

"3T obviously a non driver " - do you ever venture into motoring PP? I have 3 cars and 2 Motorbikes, WAP!

[ludwig]

It would only make sense if they didn't tell anyone about it - ie just instructed the wardens to behave like non-robots and allow 10 minutes, but didn't actually announce it as a policy. Once you say, 'you've got 10 minutes extra - that's official', it's pointless. As ttt says, they've just moved the line.

But actually, focusing on this 10 minute thing is a bit of a distraction - the complete package, aimed at cracking down on local council bullying and profiteering of motorists, is worthwhile. Some of the other things are ..

// guidance for councils reminding them they are banned from "using parking to generate profit"

a right for residents and businesses to demand - by a petition - that a council "reviews parking in their area"

new powers for parking adjudicators so they can "hold councils to account"

protection to stop drivers being fined after parking at out-of-order meters

a ban on the use of CCTV "spy cars" except in no-parking areas such as bus lanes and near schools

//

[ladyalex]

What do folks feel about transferring parking ...I mean when I've paid for an hour but only use fifteen minutes, if I can I give my ticket to someone else to use up.
I reckon I've paid for that space for an hour, so if I'm not using it, someone else should be able to have it for the remaining time.
Is this wrong/unreasonable?

[sunny-dave]

It's utterly reasonable - but the parking stasi don't approve, as it would affect their larcenous income.

[Canary42]

I agree with OP (now there's a change)

[jno]

so the government is ordering everyone to reduce their parking charges, by giving drivers more time for their money. Talk about micromanagement. Presumably councils will just raise charges by the appropriate amount and life will go on..

[ladyalex]

I've never actually been caught by the parking terrors whilst giving my ticket away...what would they do if they caught me at it.
I know the tickets usually say 'not transferrable' but I wonder if there is any way of enforcing this?

[jno]

don't see why, ladyalex, I always give unfinished tickets to someone else or stick them back in the machine.

[sunny-dave]

They can't touch you, ladyalex - but the person who re-uses your ticket can be given a penalty ticket for not displaying a legally purchased ticket.

[jno]

the ticket was legally purchased