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(Sorry if I've done this elsewhere on here, I honestly can't remember - I thought I had but I can't find it if so!)

I live in a resident's parking area and left the house the other day to find a "parking attendant", as the council now call them, about to issue a parking ticket on my car.

I went over to him and asked why, as my residents' parking permit was clearly displayed in the SIDE window. He said "I know it is, but the terms and conditions of the permit state that it must be displayed on the windscreen" - this is actually correct.

However I pointed out to him that printed on the back of the permit was the note "This permit must be displayed in the windscreen or the near side of the vehicle". I said that if this information is correct my permit is legally displayed, and if it is not then that's the council's fault, they surely can't "do" me for what is their error.

He asked me to re-site the permit to the front windscreen or he would issue a ticket. I refused so he did.

As far as I am concerned;

1. I followed the instructions on the back of the permit and as such the permit is legally placed on the rear nearside window.

2. The warden stated that the permit "could not be clearly seen". I said that I could see it from the window from the inside of my house across the road so please define "clearly" - these permits are quite large, at least 4ins x 3ins rectangle (a different shape from last year's which were round) and very distinctive.

3. The warden had already said "Yes I know", when I told him where my permit was sited so therefore he must have seen it. How "unclear" was it then?

I don't expect to lose this case simply because the wording on the back of the permit clearly entitles me to place it on the nearside window. I don't want the damn thing in the front windscreen because of it's size - I would rather keep the windscreen as clear as possible for the purpose of viewing the road and nearside kerb when I'm driving! But I proved my case to him before he issued the ticket, and it's the hassle I can do without.

What has annoyed me more than anything though is the fact that there were three others cars parked in the street that DIDN'T have parking permits displayed at all, but he ignored them. After issuing my ticket he got in his van and drove off - why? I wasn't arrogant or threatening to him, more baffled and bemused to be honest. Why can't these idiots just use a little common sense and save a lot of people a lot of time, money and hassle?

Any thoughts or pointers?
Nail him! Little Hitlers like this deserve everything that they get. He will look rather silly when the time comes icon_twisted.gif
They have to make their quotas!!!!!!
I am sure I have read something like this somewhere before, be careful that when they say 'nearside of the vehicle' they mean the side nearest the kerb, which could actually be the offside of your car if parked against the flow of traffic. A pedantic point I know, but hell, you know local government!
Fair point snowy, and there have been occasions where I have parked the car "the other way round", i.e. driver's side nearest the kerb, which means that the permit would be displayed on the side of the car opposite to the kerb, but hey, that's not my problem! To the best of my knowledge the "near side" of the car is generally universally accepted as the left-hand side of the car (UK); if this is not the case then again surely the council have a responsibility to clarify this.

We all know it's now become all about money (my main argument is that fact that many double yellow lines are painted in places where there is just no need for them) but this is a case I cannot lose, a total no-brainer, and the cost to the public will far outwiegh the possible fine that I would have paid if I did not choose to fight it - that's where the common-sense factor should come into play.
As an aside.

Can anyone point me to the relevant legislation that allows these parking wallahs to park their own vehicle illegally (such as right behind the car they are issuing a ticket to, on the same yellow lines etc.) while they carry out their duties.
I'm not sure about the exact wording, but there is a rule/law/whatever that allows them to park in a restricted zone or whatever whilst "in the execution of their duties".

But two main points really annoy me:

(1) Double Standards. I'm a self-employed electrician and often need to stop on double yellow lines to unload my equipment simply because there is nowhere else to park. E.G. If i am working at a town centre shop I have to park outside because of the equipment that I have to carry; I partly have to work from my vehicle. Additionally, there is no way that I am parking my van with £3,000+ of equipment in it in a public car park half a mile away. It's totally impractical and financially too much of a risk. This is NOT an excuse, I'm simply trying to do my job and earn a living!

HOWEVER, if a BT (British Telecom) van is parked in the same place because a BT engineer has to do HIS thing, he is overlooked. He is commiting the same offence as me but he seems to get special privileges, as do all big companies (BT, British Gas, Royal Mail etc).

Why are they allowed to carry out their business without "fear" of getting a parking ticket, but I am not allowed to do this? Where in law is there provision for this "double standard"?

(2) As mentioned above, many double yellow lines are painted in places where there is simply no need for them. E.G. On a wide main road close to where I live there is a lay-by, at least 50 yards long, adjacent to some shops. Ideal for parking. Not in the town centre. No schools. No chance of causing an obstruction or blocking the road. But the council have now painted d.y. lines there. WHY???? The only possible reason is to raise money because it is a popular parking spot in the area - there is simply nowhere else to park - except, of course, for the council-owned car park nearby. If it's not about money (that's what they want us to believe) then please please please tell us the real reason!:x
IIRC double yellow lines do not prohibit loading/unloading. You are allowed reasonable time to do this as long as you then move your vehicle immediately. There are separate markings which prohibit unloading, which are yellow lines painted on the kerb (approx 30cm long) perpendicular to the road. The unloading restriction should I think be recorded separately on the plaque which lists the parking restriction.

There was a case recently where someone was picking up a disabled passenger and it took 20 mins. They appealed against a parking fine and lost on the grounds that 20 mins was too long.

The issue of BT/water/gas/elec companies is a hangover from when they were publicly owned utilities rather than just another money-making scam. I would guess that their rights to park wherever they like comes from or is related to the legislation which gives them the right to dig up the road when and where they like.

I used to work for BT and the 'parking anywhere' comes from when it was part of the GPO or Royal Mail,hence the vans belonged to the Crown and were exempt from paying tax and a few other things could be got away with.Since they have been privatised though,they have no more rights than anyone else,although I used to use my van to protect me if I was working in the road,and traffic wardens weren't really a problem in rural Dorset!
As I understood it the loading/unloading "rule" applies to passengers only, not goods. Can anybody clarify this?

Since they have been privatised though,they have no more rights than anyone else

My point exactly.
QUOTE (seylectric)

It refers to Goods

Setting Down and Picking Up refers to Passengers.

Unless its a Hearse.

I've yet to work that one out so I always remove my hat and scratch my head out of respect. Which is something I dont give Parking Enforcement Officers with targets to reach.