| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Loading on single yellow line gets a ticket from a parking camera | |
| Posted by: | Steve Jupe | |
| Date/Time: | 19/06/09 17:31:00 |
| Thank you all for your replies. Very helpful. Passed the Horn Lane Coop last Thursday at 4pm to see eleven cars on the yellow line!! Two had a driver or passengers in them, but nine were apparently unattended. Four with minicab stickers, and five without. No camera van about! And no signs of traffic flow problems. Unless they all know (unlikely) that a traffic warden is not due, it seems that many of the locals rely on the 3 minutes discretion that wardens are happy to give. While "ignorance of the law is no defence", it seems to me (as a non-lawyer!) that there are 3 versions of the law: 1.The Highway Code (not clear on "what is loading? or "What are goods?") 2.Case law (see http://www.parkingandtrafficappeals.gov.uk/user_documents/LOADADJ.pdf for example, much debate on loading and goods, but generally unsympathetic to stops seen as "convenient" rather than "necessary") 3.Then there's the law in practice, as applied by traffic warden (this says fine, if you're reasonable and quick enough!) And in this case we have a fourth version: 4. The unnannounced hidden camera instant fine. (Gotcha!) I'm not convinced by the "narrow road due to right turning lane" argument. The lane markings for cars turning right into Lynton Road do not reach the Coop. And as the lane is 50m long, you'd need about 10 cars waiting to turn right to back up as far as the Coop, something I've never seen. And, in fact though I did not stop next to the lane, from the photos it is clear that the camera van definitely did. In summary, this looks very much like a honeypot for the council. Find what people want to do, let them do it with official blessing, then, suddenly, without warning, start fining them for doing it. This experience has very much moved me into the "parking enforcement is for profit, not safety" camp. On which matter.. I think it's time to start a thread on "Creeping residents parking, what can we do about it?" Thanks, again to all Steve |