Traffic Wardens - What makes 'em tick?

Wifey got another ticket:spank: Big area used for parking near the hospital where she works has been closed, leading to a big rush for hospital on site parking permits. Not enough permits for all staff and a waiting list system is in place (prob won't be an issue once the cuts kick in!). Only place to park within about one mile of the hospital is four hour bays, meaning all the staff using these have to go out in lunch hour to move their car. Two weeks ago a patient took a bad turn and my wife was unable to get to her car until past the four hours and was ticketed. Appealed explaining the circumstances, verdict, "Tough, cough up or we will take further action".:evil:
 
real issue my way is the dodgy clampers rather than the wardens. A mate parked up outside his studio just to go in FOR 5 MINUTES and he came out to find 2 guys clamping the wheel and demanding £200 to release it. Apparently, all done legally, but still..
 
hold on - Not withstanding specific emergency cases such as weluv's below; we can't have everyone parking all over city centres FFS - it encourages people to drive in the first place and clogs everything up.

They need a way to implement it effectively and incentives for staff are that.

We don't pay stacks of tax.

If you would rather be on the dole than earning doing this then i say set george orsbourne on you in a big way.

Just park somewhere that you have to walk a bit, or get the bus - or shock and horror, get back to the car on time/allow a contingency.
 
I thought they had made 'private' clamping illegal. Of course they can still be employed by local authorities. Lambeth is particularly trigger happy in sending them out as soon as possible
 
there needs to be flexibilty - if someone can prove on appeal they were just popping in to pick something up from a shop and were gone 5mins then fines should be waived. If someone is blatantly ignoring the rules or taking the mick they should be classed totally differently

but councils see them as fundraisers to boost the coffers, and now need money more than ever - so you don't stand a chance
 
Olly said:
there needs to be flexibilty - if someone can prove on appeal they were just popping in to pick something up from a shop and were gone 5mins then fines should be waived.
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NO!

What if everyone does this - people just parking everywhere.

Chaos I tell thee.
 
Olly said:
there needs to be flexibilty - if someone can prove on appeal they were just popping in to pick something up from a shop and were gone 5mins then fines should be waived. If someone is blatantly ignoring the rules or taking the mick they should be classed totally differently

but councils see them as fundraisers to boost the coffers, and now need money more than ever - so you don't stand a chance
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Of course councils use it to raise funds and have set up parking controls where not needed, but that aside, your suggestion's completely hatstand ol' mucker. Justifiable parking controls are either for safety or to stop congestion. You can't have any idiot deciding that he'd rather dump his motor on a double yellow while he goes into Starbucks, or we'd all be sat in never ending traffic jams.
 
Buckley said:
Justifiable parking controls are either for safety or to stop congestion. You can't have any idiot deciding that he'd rather dump his motor on a double yellow while he goes into Starbucks, or we'd all be sat in never ending traffic jams.
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I live in a city where people basically park when and wherever they want. And the result is some the worst traffic this side of Beijing.

Trust me, Olly... Buckers is right on this one.
 
I'm not talking parking on red lines on a high street, I'm talking about when you're parked in a bay on a quiet street and not interfering with anyone

when I joined the gym one evening in Jan, I was in there for 10minutes in a longer-than-expected queue and really didn't think that there would be a warden fining me whilst I was inside. It transpired that they can fine you on match days (when arsenal are playing evening home games) - it's not clearly marked on the signs - you're somehow supposed to know whenever Arsenal are playing at home, which is just insane, so that's £40 down the toilet. And my car really didn't congest that street at all.

it's that kind of situation which induces sheer rage
 
The hospital is a mile outside the city centre in Leeds, in probably the dodgiest are for miles - Harehills. The parking bays which are now four hours only had no restrictions at all when parking was allowed in the large open space and has probably earned the council thousands in a few months. Once the open space was closed, the sign went up on a post re: four hours max. It wouldn't have been difficult for my wife to prove she was dealing with an emergency. When she wrote to appeal I intimated it was the hospital at fault for not providing enough parking but thought the appeal person might be human, I was wrong.

I am not suggesting a free for all, a bit of clemancy in certain cases would not go amiss.
 
WeLuvIbiza said:
The hospital is a mile outside the city centre in Leeds, in probably the dodgiest are for miles - Harehills. The parking bays which are now four hours only had no restrictions at all when parking was allowed in the large open space and has probably earned the council thousands in a few months. Once the open space was closed, the sign went up on a post re: four hours max. It wouldn't have been difficult for my wife to prove she was dealing with an emergency. When she wrote to appeal I intimated it was the hospital at fault for not providing enough parking but thought the appeal person might be human, I was wrong.

I am not suggesting a free for all, a bit of clemancy in certain cases would not go amiss.
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Yeah, entirely different situation there than Olly's shop stop example.
 
What makes em tick?

1. Being paid
2. Being paid

I should imagine that 99% of them dont buzz from dishing out a 30 quider but over time they will become completely immune to other peoples feelings or individual circumstance. This is not the type of job that most of us could do, especially when you are not actually ever helping anyone.

There are probably serial "offenders" out there who are constantly breaking the parking regs and they deserve it. I would say that a more sympathetic appeals process would increase public confidence.

Last year, one tried to stop me in my car whilst he allowed some van driver to unload in a one way street, partially blocking the road. I did not stop, moving on safely past the van, he was shouting and waving his fist as I wound down the window and said "Good day to you." They have no power to stop cars, if they want to do that then join the Police!
 
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