What if...

[KJD]

Hi to all. A quick question re a possible parking ticket.

Have just returned home from picking my son up from school. As I have done for the last 3 years, I pulled over into a laybay outside the school, which admittedly has double yellow lines, but then we all do it! Engine left running, I'm sat in car, waiting for him to come out (usually about 3-4 minute wait), when what do I see in the damp and misty distance? A traffic warden pegging it towards me (and the other two cars behind me), whilst tapping furiously on his little machine! Needless, to say I drove off straight away, leaving the two cars behind me to wonder what was going on! Poor son had to trudge a further 300 yards up the road to where I had found somewhere else to park - and in the rain too!!

My question is... if I get anything through the post re this, am I right in thinking that if he hasn't physically placed the ticket on my car, it's not valid? I don't think he actually had time to finish the ticket anyway, but it was quite comical! Plus my number plate's a bit muddy.

He had our local borough's badge on his coat btw

Any ideas?

Thank you muchly in advance

[Sidewinder]

Simple answer is that if it is a Police officer or Traffic Warden then a ticket may be issued on sight, but if it was a Parking Attendant or Parking Warden employed by the local council under a decriminalised parking enforcement system then the ticket has to be served on the driver or vehicle, so you may legally drive away before the ticket is stuck to the windsreen or handed to you. If the Warden had a yellow band around the hat this is normally an indication that they are a TW, but if it was blue or green for example then you would be safe in driving away.

[KJD]

Thanx, Sidewinder.

I have to admit I didn't notice his hat, but having just been back up to the school to pick up son no.2, there aren't in fact double lines in the layby, but one really thick one. This geezer definately had 'XXXX Borough Council' on his jacket as son no.1 noticed it as well after I rang him to give the good news about hiking up the road!

Will watch the post (mail) with bated breath!