talkmagic.co.uk

I'm curious as to the thought process that goes through someone's head when they decide what career they'd like to pursue... "I know, I'll become a traffic warden where I spend my days harassing motorists and being hated by just about everyone!". I know it's a job and someone has to do it, but of all the jobs out there, why traffic warden?

About a mile from where I live is a small thriving shopping area - there's a small supermarket, a newsagents, a bakers, a gift shop etc. But as usual parking is a nightmare, particulalry on a Saturday morning. So people often resort to parking on yellow lines.

One Saturday morning a car literally screeched to a halt in the centre of the shopping area, three traffic wardens jumped out and ran around the area slapping tickets on to all offending cars. Then the traffic wardens jumped back into the car and sped away...laughing!

It's that kind of person that becomes a traffic warden through choice. Somewhat macho but with a deep undercurrent of inferiority.

themagicwand wrote:...One Saturday morning a car literally screeched to a halt in the centre of the shopping area, three traffic wardens jumped out and ran around the area slapping tickets on to all offending cars. Then the traffic wardens jumped back into the car and sped away...laughing!...

Oh, dear. That is quite possibly the very saddest thing I have read in a long, long time. I don't even know what to say.

Replicant wrote:

themagicwand wrote:...One Saturday morning a car literally screeched to a halt in the centre of the shopping area, three traffic wardens jumped out and ran around the area slapping tickets on to all offending cars. Then the traffic wardens jumped back into the car and sped away...laughing!...

Oh, dear. That is quite possibly the very saddest thing I have read in a long, long time. I don't even know what to say.

well they're on commision aren't they

Covering your number plate is illegal if your vehicle is on the road and it can land you with a heftier fine but also three penalty points.

The annoying thing about parking tickets though is how they double in cost if you don't pay within a fortnight. It's like the penalty is designed to stop you from challenging the ticket

MagicBell wrote:Wow cool.

Such a book, however, would quickly become out-of-date and land you in some deep schtum, as ignorance is not a valid excuse. If the law changes then you are expected to know, and if you don't then tough.
With such loopholes and systems, when they become over-exploited, laws are brought in to deal with it and the methods soon become redundant.


If the book is new though, then it'll still have some life in it for a while and might be worth a purchase.

This book was first printed in 1996.
I would imagine, however, that it is regularly updated, as the copy I've got is the 6th edition, printed in 2006.

It's full of useful tips such as:

By law, at the start of every speed restriction on any given road, there must be two signs present to alert the driver - one on each side of the road. If one is missing, the speed limit shown on the remaining sign is illegal and void ..... page 143.

.... then there's the case of:
Celebrity couple Neil and Christine Hamilton escaped a £40 fine for speeding after disputing the fine and attending a magistrates' court in Manchester.
The couple were caught travelling at 63mph in a 50mph zone on the M62. However, they managed to dodge the fine by claiming that neither of them could recall who was driving the silver Rover at the time. .... page 149.


...... and lots of other stuff too - well worth every penny in my opinion .

Replicant wrote:I'm curious as to the thought process that goes through someone's head when they decide what career they'd like to pursue... "I know, I'll become a traffic warden where I spend my days harassing motorists and being hated by just about everyone!". I know it's a job and someone has to do it, but of all the jobs out there, why traffic warden?

It's hardly career prospect stuff though. It's more like, a job is available and a job is what I need. Also my skills base is awfully low and I have no friends anyway...

dat8962 wrote:Covering your number plate is illegal if your vehicle is on the road and it can land you with a heftier fine but also three penalty points.

The annoying thing about parking tickets though is how they double in cost if you don't pay within a fortnight. It's like the penalty is designed to stop you from challenging the ticket

Technically, the price is halved if you pay within a fortnight As if they're doing you a favour.
But if you challenge the ticket, they extend the 'half price' period when they reject your claim.

dat8962 wrote:The annoying thing about parking tickets though is how they double in cost if you don't pay within a fortnight. It's like the penalty is designed to stop you from challenging the ticket

Reminds me of an incident of when my missus got a parking ticket on the end of our street. We wrote and said that we wanted to challenge the ticket and we were told that we should pay the fine first and then contest it.
The best thing is - she was booked by a police officer for allegedly parking on a yellow line - I say allegedly as the yellow line in question had been burnt off months earlier. I took photos and even got written confirmation from the council's "Highway's Dept" to confirm all of this. They held firm and wouldn't budge - I even went to the local newspaper and eventually they paid us the fine back.

Did we get an apology ??? Well, I'll let you guess the answer to that one .....

Can you get done just from your numberplate? was sat in car parked somewhere I shouldn't have been and warden just came up to the car & gave me a dirty look and walked off-just wondered if they actually have to stick a ticket on your screen or can they send you something through the post just from your plates?

I am pretty sure they have to sticker the car.

At that time it is usually some either bored cop who aspires to traffic, or a probationer who has been tasked to go out and ticket every one. Personally I hated traffic and once was asked to be part of a seat belt campaign. Then when I looked at the tickets I had they were out of date.

If you need to park anywhere on double yellows for a short time, put a note in the windscreen saying loadins as you can stop on double yellows to load/ unload or drop someone off.

The thing to make sure you stay away from are zig zag lines and cheverons surrounded by a solid white line as these will get you points on your licence and a large fine.

There are remedies. A parking ticket is issued by a corporation acting on behalf of the Council, itself a corporate entity. As such, they are offers to contract which can be lawfully refused within 72 hours.

Friends of mine have had success by sending the ticket back with "Refused for Cause - Without Prejudice - Without Dishonour - Without Recourse" in red ink at a 45 degree angle on both sides. If you do this within 72 hours you have refused their offer to contract with them.

Another remedy for FPN's sent through the post is to wait for 14 days after receipt and then just return to sender. They need to effect service within 14 days. If they are unable to do so they are unable to proceed.