Last week, my 80 year old Dad volunteered to stand in our little town centre and collect for the RBL Poppy Appeal. He doesn't walk well and has a disabled parking badge. Anyway, there are only two disabled places in the carpark and he parked in one of them. He keeps his badge tied to the sun visor and just flips it over when he gets out of the car. Well, you can guess the rest - he forgot to flip it over and came back to a £50 parking fine. He's written to explain that he has a badge, gave the number etc and apologised for causing a problem but today received a 'hard luck' letter. He was so worried about getting into trouble that he's paid it. What really bugs me is that this car park allows disabled holders to park free anyway. I'm so annoyed - poor chap, like many other oap's £50 is a fortune when you only receive a state pension.
I appreciate that he was wrong not to display the badge but surely, once they realised that he does hold one and that it was a genuine mistake they could have been more understanding.
Val

That is absolutely appalling! I'm not sure what else you can do but i would definately write a letter to your mp, or to the local papers or something. Its about time these money grabbers were named and shamed!

That does seem very harsh, particularly as they would be able to check that he is a genuine card holder.  Perhaps you could write on his behalf and ask them to reconsider or maybe write to the local paper but I would check with him first because he may find making a fuss upsetting.

I suppose its a bit late now that his paid up, but could he not have appealed? Dont make sense, that he has one and just because it wasnt "in view" he got fined! It seems, people who do good, get all the bad!

I've been sitting here getting more and more angry. I've just phoned him and told him I'll see what I can do. He paid cash this moring at our local council office because otherwise, if the fine wasn't paid within 10 days it was going to be £80.

Val

Try appealing anyway.  I bought a pay and display ticket and promptly shoved it in my pocket, doh!  Got the fine but appealed straight away, they acknowledged receipt of the appeal and froze the fine so it didn't go up to the full amount.  I won the appeal. I suppose it depends what sort of person you get and how they feel on a Monday morning. I would appeal for him, stating what his business was etc and copy it to your local MP.  Has he any proof of what he was doing, i.e. wouldn't he have to have some sort of ID to collect money that would have paperwork to back it up?  Copy what you have, badge etc and send it with appeal.

I heard of a similar thing to this happening to someone - they complained and were refunded. So maybe worth a try. If its any consolation - I was clamped once, in an area where I had parked before, where other cars were parked and where there were no clamping signs to be seen clearly. I had to pay £130 cash before they would let me go! With clampers you have NO comeback, believe me. Write and complain!!

If you get no joy, get on to The Mirror!! Name and shame them, bet you will get an apoligy and refund then! Hope he gets his money back! And his not too upset and stressed about the whole thing, not exactly something an 80 yr old man should have on his shoulders!

Thanks all. It's just so annoying. My Dad is such an honest man. Very old fasioned, would do anything to help anybody. Just typical................as he pointed out to me, the narrow roads in our town are so hard to drive along because of others park on double yellow lines all the time. Something he wouldn't dream of doing even though to walk from there would have been easier than the walk from the carpark !.

I'll let you know what happens.

Val

I have just read this on P&O LOL.  You are a secret cruiser then Val.

Hope you get the fine reimbursed, try contacting your local paper, that should do it.

Sandra

Hey........are you a P&O too then !!!!!

Just to add.......I make no secret about it !!!!

Yep, I am a P&O CC'er too!!

I know it's not a secret, I was just surprised to find the same post on here.  I had to think for a while where I had seen it, my brain wouldn't put cruise ships and dogs together!

I'm a long time cc'er !!. I knew that somebody on my two fav sites would be able to sympathise and advise !.

At least this site is a bit more user friendly ;)

Tooooooo Right !