And now for something completely different!
And now for something completely different!
Parking tickets in Supermarket car parks.
A close friend of mine was surprised to find she had been awarded a parking ticket at a well known Supermarket for having parked where she should not have, that is in the bit that you’re supposed to use to load shopping if such be your need. Because the rest of the car park was full and she had need to shop she had done the obvious.
In due course a letter arrived at her home with demands and threats.
As luck would have it she’s a lawyer.
OK, I know, but someone has to befriend them, and we did attend school together long ago.
And so she replied that as the matter was a civil one the people seeking payment for what is in effect a breach of contract can only seek redress from the driver of the car who had committed the ‘tort’, and NOT the registered owner of the car.
Also since there is no legal requirement for the registered owner of the car to identify who the driver was or might have been they could go hang.
That was some weeks ago. In spite of having been given a ‘pay up in seven days or the boys are coming round’ she has (obviously) heard nothing since.
And my guess is that nor will she.
Another thing to be aware of relates to loading bays.
The ‘Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002’ requires that all loading bays are required to be 2.7m wide, so if the bay is not at least of that width it may not be a ‘loading bay’ under the definition of the act and so any ticket issued that implies contravention of the 2002 act is likely to be void.
As such a parking ticket based on it being a loading bay is probably invalid and so could be at least challenged with a photograph (with a ruler in sight). Seemingly this has been successfully achieved in a number of cases with no fuss being made.
But take care, the minimum width prior to 2002 was 1.8m, so if the road has not been resurfaced (or the limits to the bay repainted) since 2002 the bay could still be classed as a valid parking bay, and so you prob’ly go’nna hav’ta pay!
Rog
