Disabled parking section - Offence at 0700hrs?!

[mark.dathorne]

(I am not disabled.)
During this summer holidays, I parked for around 10 mins at about <b>0705hrs</b> on a Tuesday morning in the Bedford town centre to see my family onto the Cambridge bus as they were off on holidays and had some luggage.
There is the bus garage, taxi area and disabled parking ... that's it.
At 0709hrs my car was ticketted by some nazi warden.

Now I suggest that there is no real offence here except on technicality ... the area was not nearly busy at that time! Maybe 2 cars total were present for about a 12-car area?
I would have left my car there all day in protest if I hadn't had to rush to work!

Surely there should be some reasoning as to when it is a proper offence.
I will have no sympathy when xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx

I know they're not all bad, just some of the apples I have met do not leave a good taste!

[meeru]

Are you disabled?

[mark.dathorne]

Obviously not ... hence the ticket.

[jimfishybob]

Case closed.

[Rob S]

I know this is not going to be much comfort for you but the bays are marked for the use of blue badge holders at any time. You shouldn't have parked there. Its no good criticising the warden in such derogatory terms for doing their job simply because you deliberately parked in an area where you shouldn't have. I would put this one down to experience and pay up.

[zoltron]

this one is difficult as I was ticketed under similar circumstances, I was parked in a disabled space with yellow beacons flashing on my white van with telewest broadband signwritten all over it, there were spaces for another 12 vans the same size as mine, yet there were only 3 spaces being used. Now what I find abusive is I was on a service call repairing the phone line of a disabled person, so not only did I park illegally is the eyes of the warden but also in the eyes of the disabled person I was fixing the fault for, now this is bang out of order, now I was on the understanding that telco services fall under the same category as other essential services like electricity, gas & water, I had a legal right to park there without the abuse I got form both parties, so I'm swayed both ways the warden should have been a little more flexible taking into account how long the car was parked there and was it causing a problem for other disabled users, and by the same merit disabled people should also have the same understanding as on numerous occasions I have been confronted by disabled people for parking a van with yellow beacons flashing in areas they deem are illegal.

[JonCris]

Originally Posted by mark.dathorne

Obviously not ... hence the ticket.

Then you shouldn't have parked there...........period.

I have to say as a disabled driver myself its motorists like you who make our lives more difficult than it already is.

I never thought I would ever say this but "well done" that traffic warden.

[JonCris]

Originally Posted by zoltron

this one is difficult as I was ticketed under similar circumstances, I was parked in a disabled space with yellow beacons flashing on my white van with telewest broadband signwritten all over it, there were spaces for another 12 vans the same size as mine, yet there were only 3 spaces being used. Now what I find abusive is I was on a service call repairing the phone line of a disabled person, so not only did I park illegally is the eyes of the warden but also in the eyes of the disabled person I was fixing the fault for, now this is bang out of order, now I was on the understanding that telco services fall under the same category as other essential services like electricity, gas & water, I had a legal right to park there without the abuse I got form both parties, so I'm swayed both ways the warden should have been a little more flexible taking into account how long the car was parked there and was it causing a problem for other disabled users, and by the same merit disabled people should also have the same understanding as on numerous occasions I have been confronted by disabled people for parking a van with yellow beacons flashing in areas they deem are illegal.

Your "flashing" yellow lights aren't "park anywhere" lights & your not attending a crime or accident scene nor are you attending on an accident victim. If your abled bodied park where's it legal for you to park.

It doesn't matter how long you park there. The number of times I have tried to find a disabled parking space only to find it occupied by an illegal parker are numerous. Do you think the disabled drivers hang about no we just move on so you don't know who how many times your "few minutes" have caused a disabled driver to give up & drive on

[zoltron]

Originally Posted by JonCris

Your "flashing" yellow lights aren't "park anywhere" lights & your not attending a crime or accident scene nor are you attending on an accident victim. If your abled bodied park where's it legal for you to park.

It doesn't matter how long you park there. The number of times I have tried to find a disabled parking space only to find it occupied by an illegal parker are numerous. Do you think the disabled drivers hang about no we just move on so you don't know who how many times your "few minutes" have caused a disabled driver to give up & drive on

I think you are so very wrong and ignorant like many others on this one my friend, essential services are immune as long there as a genuine fault/problem with an essential service and the flashing beacons are on and the company repairing the fault as an essential services permit, which Water, Gas, Electricity, and Telco do. An example is, what if on a busy high street a water main had burst on a pavement next to disabled parking, would you deem it fair that the enginners fixing the supply fault to carry tools, excavating equipment (pneumatic kango & compressor which is a large item AND HAS TO BE CLOSE BY), as well as materials for repairing the fault, just because they are abled bodied you and other disabled people would expect them to find a way for them to get on with their work without causing any disruption to yourself. It makes no difference if it be water, gas, electricity, or telco they are essential services, let me put it another way if you or someone else lay dying in a busy high street and had no way to to contact the emergency services by phone because someone resurfacing the pavement had cut through a major fibre optic trunk cable, what would be the greater violation the telecommunications enginner parked in a disabled space with his yellow beacons on causing disruption to one person disabled who can't park, or the telecommunications company because they were doing the decent thing by not fixing the fault becuase THEY put the health and safety of their personnel first.
I don't think there is a police officer in this land would would even think about asking a man at work on essential services to move his van out of a disabled parking space for fixing a fault as long as the correct signage and guarding rails were in place, but just because the engineer can't be seen it doesn't mean there is no fault and this is what annoys me, traffic wardens don't see this.
Also further to this a vehicle that prevents or obstructs essential services with a permit from carrying out their operations can be forcefully removed by the council or police.

[JonCris]

If that had been the case the ticket would not have been issued or at least recinded on appeal. Also had the local authority been contacted they would have granted permission to park. If they were then the PNC is invalid

Your working practices are of no concern to the warden nor any disabled driver who can't park because of you. Your argument about an essential service & their being no phone to call the emergency services might have held water 20+ years ago but not today. You are no longer considered an "essential" service Therefore whilst I can't do without water or electricity I can certainly do without a phone. I just use my mobile like everyone else in such circumstances.

There is plenty of time (a couple of hours perhaps) to obtain parking permission in the event of an "emergency" repair

I have all to often travelled many miles to a town centre on a particular quest only to find I couldn't park because of illegal use of disabled parking bays. I have then had to return the many miles home without fullfilling the often important purpose of my trip.

Also I would like to point out that I obviously DO know a little more about than you as your the one who got the ticket.

The fact that you admit having been confronted by irate disabled drivers on a number of occasions should tell you something about your parking practices.

[fenwoman]

but of course, us disabled people contribute nothing to society so we are not important are we <sarcasm>
I tried to park at a Dunelm mill stroe to buy some knitting wool last year and the disabled parking bay was full. 2 disabled cars and one young man in a sports car waiting for his girlfriend. I approached him and asked him to move out of the bay to a regular bay some yards away and he refused, saying his girlfriend would be tired after working there so he was entitled and if I was to wait 10 minutes I could have the space. My oh my, the poor young woman, tired after a days work and unable to walk to a proper bay some 10 yards away. I should have been more considerate, after all, I am only in chronic pain all day every day for which I take opiate painkillers which I cannot take if I need to drive anywhere so am in flipping agony until I get home for my missed dose. I wish she could have a day of my pain, then perhaps she wouldn't be so worried about being tired. Oh for the chance of being able to do a day's work instead of feeling like the dregs of society because I am on a disbility benefit.
People who park in disabled bays when they aren't disabled will always be able to come up with some excuse as to why they should be allowed to do so. Perhaps an on the spot fine, or clamping, or having to live for a week with their legs hobbled together or given a drug wich causes them to suffer terrible pain for a week, would let them see how lucky they are.
As for leaving the car there in protest. Just who would the protest harm the most? Not the traffic warden, not the police, but the disabled person.

[JonCris]

You should have reported him to the store manager & the reason for his use. I bet it wouldn't have happened again.

I know a traffic warden who has a disabled wife & who seeks out those who park illegaly in disabled bays & though I hate most of them to this one I say go get em!

Before I was disabled I would never ever park in a disabled bay not to just "pick someone up" nor to just pop into the butchers for that famous couple of minutes nor "read a map" nor to "use my phone"

[zoltron]

Originally Posted by JonCris

If that had been the case the ticket would not have been issued or at least recinded on appeal. Also had the local authority been contacted they would have granted permission to park. If they were then the PNC is invalid

I never said the ticket was never revoked, it was passed to my manager and he took it up with the local council concerned.

Originally Posted by JonCris

Your working practices are of no concern to the warden nor any disabled driver who can't park because of you. Your argument about an essential service & their being no phone to call the emergency services might have held water 20+ years ago but not today. You are no longer considered an "essential" service Therefore whilst I can't do without water or electricity I can certainly do without a phone. I just use my mobile like everyone else in such circumstances.
There is plenty of time (a couple of hours perhaps) to obtain parking permission in the event of an "emergency" repair.

My working practices should be a major concern especially when there are signs and telephone numbers on the windscreen directing any warden or member of the public to contact when problems arise. Your point about not needing the telephone service is a selfish one as their ARE other disabled people out there that have lifelines installed in their homes and rely on them in cases of emergency, what may not be seen as important to you may be seen as a matter of life and death to someone else, I wonder how quickly you would contact your telephone or ISP provider in an outage, in simple terms you don't miss something until it is gone.

Originally Posted by JonCris

I have all to often travelled many miles to a town centre on a particular quest only to find I couldn't park because of illegal use of disabled parking bays. I have then had to return the many miles home without fullfilling the often important purpose of my trip.

I think you are missing the point here, we are talking about someone who has parked in a disabled spot for 10 minutes during off peak hours & repair crews who need to act quickly to resolve service issues. I don't agree with Mr Joe Bloggs parking in disabled bays during peak hours, they deserve what they get. My father-in-law has a heart condition and a disabled blue badge, my wife suffers terrible backpain and has to take tramadol so you don't have to explain to me the hardships that disabled people suffer, I already know.

Originally Posted by JonCris

Also I would like to point out that I obviously DO know a little more about than you as your the one who got the ticket.

The fact that you admit having been confronted by irate disabled drivers on a number of occasions should tell you something about your parking practices.

As above the ticket was dealt with as it should not have been issued in the first place, it appears that it is the disabled who need educating on the New Roads & Street Works Act 1991, I should not have to deal with irate disabled drivers but I choose to act in a compassionate way that goes beyond my duties require, so next time I need get a disabled driver moved from a parking position i'll do it in a manner without care and attention, like in a manner I was treated when repairing a telephone line of a disabled customer. Also I refer to the point that telecommunication networks are not classed as essential services, I think you will find they very much are.

Street works

Above is the link to the street works act 1991.

[JonCris]

And your accusing ME of being selfish.

Your attempts to make out that YOUR service is a life & death service is beyond the pale. It is not & I suggest it's clear from your comments that you would have parked there even if you where repairing/servicing for an able bodied customer

I'm also fully aware of the Act which is now being constantly abused by the utility companies who can now dig up the roads almost without scrutiny. In London since the introduction of the act the roads particularly around Camden I understand have been made a nighmare for the travelling public

As for not having to explian about the problems of being disabled it would appear that despite your parents disabilities I do

[saabuser]

what a load of twadle...... whilst i sympathise with anyone in pain i manage to work with the use of strong pain relief whilst awaiting a new knee..... as a courier driving all round the uk the problem is the same everywhere... we have all become selfish and think we are right and nobody else is.
how many times have i driven hundreds of miles with a time sensative package and found the loading bays full of disabled badge displaying vehicles and had to pay and display out of my own pocket........ pot and kettle spring to mind. I recently saw a loading bay full (4 cars) all with disabled badges on show, and behind that outside the loading bay a large parcel force van, driver who was in the back looking for his delivery having aticket written out, i told the driver and he protested with the warden to no avail. whilst i dont advocate parking in disabled bays it does work both ways