Surprise Parking Fine!

ripcord

Hi All,

So I was away from my house for a few weeks. When I got home, I found a letter containing a parking fine from Kildare county council. It was for parking in a bus stop. The letter actually included the thing that they stick to your window!

Now this is the first I had heard of this! And I have no recollection of parking in a bus stop! So I emailed them trying to appeal it - and told them that I wasn't aware of any fine issued.

They replied saying the fine was issued, the driver was made aware of the fine, and then drove off before it could be stuck to the car. Now I was never made aware of ANY fine! So either the ticket inspector or the county council are lying about this.

So I replied telling them this, asking for proof that it was actually my car. Sure enough, they sent me a photo with my car in a bus stop. Fair enough, my fault, I'll pay the fine. But now, because the initial 28 days deadline is up, the fine has gone from €40 up to €60!! :eek:

So I ask them - Considering
1. I was away from my house
2. I was never made aware of the fine when it happened
3. I lost a few days during the appeal process

could I just pay the €40? They replied back: "Unfortunately the amount of the Fixed Charge Offence cannot be reduced".

Now I'm p!ssed off about it, and I know i'm going to have to pay something, and I know its just a 20 quid difference. I'm just curious to know if they "can't" reduce it (because of restrictions with their system) or if they "won't" reduce it (because they're inconsiderate feckers).

Anyone with knowledge about this sort of thing??

stop

ripcord wrote: »

Hi All,

So I was away from my house for a few weeks. When I got home, I found a letter containing a parking fine from Kildare county council. It was for parking in a bus stop. The letter actually included the thing that they stick to your window!

Now this is the first I had heard of this! And I have no recollection of parking in a bus stop! So I emailed them trying to appeal it - and told them that I wasn't aware of any fine issued.

They replied saying the fine was issued, the driver was made aware of the fine, and then drove off before it could be stuck to the car. Now I was never made aware of ANY fine! So either the ticket inspector or the county council are lying about this.

So I replied telling them this, asking for proof that it was actually my car. Sure enough, they sent me a photo with my car in a bus stop. Fair enough, my fault, I'll pay the fine. But now, because the initial 28 days deadline is up, the fine has gone from €40 up to €60!! :eek:

So I ask them - Considering
1. I was away from my house
2. I was never made aware of the fine when it happened
3. I lost a few days during the appeal process

could I just pay the €40? They replied back: "Unfortunately the amount of the Fixed Charge Offence cannot be reduced".

Now I'm p!ssed off about it, and I know i'm going to have to pay something, and I know its just a 20 quid difference. I'm just curious to know if they "can't" reduce it (because of restrictions with their system) or if they "won't" reduce it (because they're inconsiderate feckers).

Anyone with knowledge about this sort of thing??

Who was driving your car at the time the photo was taken?
That person should pay the full fine.

foggy_lad

stop wrote: »

Who was driving your car at the time the photo was taken?
That person should pay the full fine.

Did the traffic warden walk along the length of the street taking pictures of illegally parked vehicles then pop off to a cafe or his own car to review the pictures and write out the fine notices which were then posted out?

Lapin

foggy_lad wrote: »

Did the traffic warden walk along the length of the street taking pictures of illegally parked vehicles then pop off to a cafe or his own car to review the pictures and write out the fine notices which were then posted out?

Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if he did.

Peppa Pig

ripcord wrote: »

So I was away from my house for a few weeks........

They replied saying the fine was issued, the driver was made aware of the fine, and then drove off before it could be stuck to the car. Now I was never made aware of ANY fine! So either the ticket inspector or the county council are lying about this.

I'm confused here - are you saying that YOU parked in the bus stop or that you were away when this happened?

ripcord

Peppa Pig wrote: »

I'm confused here - are you saying that YOU parked in the bus stop or that you were away when this happened?

Yes I parked in the bus stop (even though I can't remember it!). I will pay the fine. I'm just curious as to
1. Why the warden/council would lie about making me aware of the fine.
2. Where the hell could the warden go after he took the photo. Can they just take photos and enter the fine when they feel like it?
3. Are the council not able (due to their system) to reduce the fine - or do they just not give a sh!t about the circumstances.

I would have paid the 40 there and then if I had got the fine. It's just annoying to have to pay more because I missed the deadline due to events beyond my control.

Thanks.

Losty Dublin

ripcord wrote: »

Yes I parked in the bus stop (even though I can't remember it!). I will pay the fine. I'm just curious as to
1. Why the warden/council would lie about making me aware of the fine.
2. Where the hell could the warden go after he took the photo. Can they just take photos and enter the fine when they feel like it?
3. Are the council not able (due to their system) to reduce the fine - or do they just not give a sh!t about the circumstances.

I would have paid the 40 there and then if I had got the fine. It's just annoying to have to pay more because I missed the deadline due to events beyond my control.

Thanks.

I got a parking fine in DLRCoCo a few years back and like yourself the first I knew about it was a follow up letter looking for money. I got onto the agency dealing with the fines and specifically about the lack of ticket and I was told that there isn't any legal obligation to issue the ticket and that it's more of a courtesy note. They did say that people are known to take off the notes from cars as pranks but equally people are known to swipe them off and feign ignorance, both of which are fair points. I've seen them print off the tickets and they are done one at a time so lashing them after the event is pretty pointless and time consuming for them.

In my case the fine had gone up to €60 in between all of this and an appeal (I lost it as well) but they knocked it down to €40 due to the delays on both sides. A registered letter to the relevant Director of Services listing off your correspondence and points would probably be your last gasp effort to reduce it as it's a bit unfair to jack it up while you are sorting it out with them.

coffee_cake

ripcord wrote: »

Yes I parked in the bus stop (even though I can't remember it!). I will pay the fine.

Are you sure it's your car and not someone else cloning plates?

ripcord

bluewolf wrote: »

Are you sure it's your car and not someone else cloning plates?

Yep - it's my car! I have another couple of weeks to pay the fine so I might just send them a letter and see if anything comes of it.

SaveMarinaPark

Our locality suffers terribly from illegal parking during GAA matches. This includes parking on footpaths, pedestrian plazas and green areas.

During the last match I had a discussion with a traffic corps member. He informed me that those who were illegally parked had been ticketed.

I suggested that they should receive a visual indication of the ticket and he told me that there was a significant number of people who claimed that the ticket had been removed from their car etc etc and that on balance the new way was better.

AlekSmart

ripcord wrote: »

Hi All,



Now this is the first I had heard of this! And I have no recollection of parking in a bus stop! So I emailed them trying to appeal it - and told them that I wasn't aware of any fine issued.

So I replied telling them this, asking for proof that it was actually my car. Sure enough, they sent me a photo with my car in a bus stop. Fair enough, my fault, I'll pay the fine. But now, because the initial 28 days deadline is up, the fine has gone from €40 up to €60!! :eek:

Now I'm p!ssed off about it, and I know i'm going to have to pay something, and I know its just a 20 quid difference. I'm just curious to know if they "can't" reduce it (because of restrictions with their system) or if they "won't" reduce it (because they're inconsiderate feckers).

Anyone with knowledge about this sort of thing??

There are positives to this story too....?

1.A renewed appreciation of Road Markings,including Bus Stops ?

2.A demonstration that our certain recollection is not as certain as we might wish it to be,in many diferent areas ?

3.That parking at Bus Stops may well fall within the definition of "Inconsiderate" also ?

So not all bad then ?

schemingbohemia

foggy_lad wrote: »

Did the traffic warden walk along the length of the street taking pictures of illegally parked vehicles then pop off to a cafe or his own car to review the pictures and write out the fine notices which were then posted out?

Does your hatred of public servants know no bounds? This is getting beyond a joke.

ripcord

bluewolf wrote: »

Are you sure it's your car and not someone else cloning plates?

Yep - defintiley my car! Just an honest mistake!

PS. Just realised I aswered this question twice!!

ripcord

AlekSmart wrote: »

There are positives to this story too....?

1.A renewed appreciation of Road Markings,including Bus Stops ?

2.A demonstration that our certain recollection is not as certain as we might wish it to be,in many diferent areas ?

3.That parking at Bus Stops may well fall within the definition of "Inconsiderate" also ?

So not all bad then ?

I'm just curious if people has knowledge/experience of the workings of the wardens/councils - I'm not interested in peoples opinions on how the event may have affected me.

But if it helps clear things up, I'll answer your questions:

1. No. I have an excellent appreciation for road markings. After I got the photo I drove back past the place where it happened. The bus stop "area" is really long (over two bus lengths) and the road markings very faded. So my car was actually a good distance (the oppposite end) to the actual bus stop "pole". Honest mistake and I don't blame myself for missing it at all.

2. No. I don't recall exactly every place I have parked my car within the last two months. If you can, fair play. I am "certain" I don't recall parking in a bus stop on that day. Is that clearer?

3. No. I already know parking in bus stops is inconsiderate. I made a mistake as mentioned in 1. above. I admit the mistake and will pay the fine.

I was hoping the thread wouldn't descend into "high-horse" judgements of other drivers. Again, I'm just looking for advice on how to procede with maybe getting the fine reduced to the original amount. Also wondering if anyone had experience with the whole missing/lieing warden aspect.

Thanks to all for the useful posts! I have a few weeks left to pay the 60 fine. As suggested in a previous post I'll send a letter to the "Director of Services" and see if anything comes of it.

Peppa Pig

OP - what part of Kildare was it in? I've seen the wardens in Celbridge, they are very vigilant but I've frequently seen them writing tickets beside an illegally parked car.

james142

Surprise!