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[Del Boy]

Evening people,

A good friend of my youngest sons was parked in McDonald's for 124 minutes, there is a limit of 90 minutes in the car park. However he has received a parking ticket for a price of £100! Now I'm not being funny the boy is a hard working so and so, and I don't like the way they're trying to take £100 off of him. Is there anyway I could get this thrown out, or at the very least reduced? I also would like to add, he genuinely did not know about the time limit in the car park, there are boards up, tied to the lamp posts, however as it was dark these aren't very visible at all. Now fair enough he was in there 34 minutes longer than the allocated time, but all of the spaces around him were empty. Any ideas?

[paul.lovejoy]

how do they know he was in there all that time he may have been there went away and then came back sure the idiot that issued the ticket was not there the whole time

or could you argue that he may have broken down but thought as the car park was empty it would not be a problem leaving a not on the window that must have been removed or blew away

[hotel21]

Plenty of info available on the net for such things, without resorting to bar room gossip or 'if it was me' type misinformation that you are likely to get on here, to be honest.

If he really feels aggrieved, consult a solicitor.   

[albitz]

Tell him to ignore all correspondence if its one of those private parking companies (which is what it sounds like) they are completely unenforceable.They try to pressurise people into paying and sometimes it works.

[Del Boy]

how do they know he was in there all that time he may have been there went away and then came back sure the idiot that issued the ticket was not there the whole time

or could you argue that he may have broken down but thought as the car park was empty it would not be a problem leaving a not on the window that must have been removed or blew away

He seems to remember the night in question, he said he was in the car with a woman talking, he's on Camera one coming in and one coming out apparently  .

[the alarming man]

how do they know he was in there all that time he may have been there went away and then came back sure the idiot that issued the ticket was not there the whole time

or could you argue that he may have broken down but thought as the car park was empty it would not be a problem leaving a not on the window that must have been removed or blew away
[





most of the mc dees are done on cctv with ANPR...

[Del Boy]

Tell him to ignore all correspondence if its one of those private parking companies (which is what it sounds like) they are completely unenforceable.They try to pressurise people into paying and sometimes it works.

That's excellent, thanks for that Albs 

[Nickbat]

Read this:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3430457 

Any idea what parking company is involved? If so, please post.

[Del Boy]

Fantastic - http://www.ticketfighter.co.uk/private.htm

 

[Del Boy]

MET Parking Services LTD.

Thanks for the link Nick 

[TheBoy]

Guessing he wasn't in McDonalds for 2hrs.  I'm a fat bastard, and even I couldn't do that.

So, from the owners point of view, who is probably on a pittence himself, its private land he/she provides purely for customers to use whilst in the place, and has every right, IMHO, to penalise those who use it to save paying parking elsewhere.  Nobody can say 90m isn't enough time.


Rumour is its probably unenforcible, but you need to seek proper legal advice to confirm, rather than listen to what member's mate's dog's brother's auntie's sister overhead in the pub.

[Del Boy]

Guessing he wasn't in McDonalds for 2hrs.  I'm a fat bastard, and even I couldn't do that.

So, from the owners point of view, who is probably on a pittence himself, its private land he/she provides purely for customers to use whilst in the place, and has every right, IMHO, to penalise those who use it to save paying parking elsewhere.  Nobody can say 90m isn't enough time.


Rumour is its probably unenforcible, but you need to seek proper legal advice to confirm, rather than listen to what member's mate's dog's brother's auntie's sister overhead in the pub.

He was sat in the car eating his food, also I'd like to point out he went through the Drive-thru four times for various bits. He could've parked outside McDonald's which is situated around various car dealerships and not had to pay to park on the road, however he simply just stayed in McDonalds, as he went through the Drive-thru a few times and was sitting there talking. No harm done to anyone, and certainly not worth £100 in my opinion.

[hotel21]

Guessing he wasn't in McDonalds for 2hrs.  I'm a fat bastard, and even I couldn't do that.

So, from the owners point of view, who is probably on a pittence himself, its private land he/she provides purely for customers to use whilst in the place, and has every right, IMHO, to penalise those who use it to save paying parking elsewhere.  Nobody can say 90m isn't enough time.


Rumour is its probably unenforcible, but you need to seek proper legal advice to confirm, rather than listen to what member's mate's dog's brother's auntie's sister overhead in the pub.

He was sat in the car eating his food, also I'd like to point out he went through the Drive-thru four times for various bits. He could've parked outside McDonald's which is situated around various car dealerships and not had to pay to park on the road, however he simply just stayed in McDonalds, as he went through the Drive-thru a few times and was sitting there talking. No harm done to anyone, and certainly not worth £100 in my opinion.

Thats what solicitors are for then....   

[I_want_an_Omega]

Plenty of info available on the net for such things, without resorting to bar room gossip or 'if it was me' type misinformation that you are likely to get on here, to be honest.

If he really feels aggrieved, consult a solicitor.   

Current rate is £220 per hour!

[Nickbat]

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3655153

Someone else got caught in a McDonalds car park by MET...
 

[paul.lovejoy]

i am not saying another word as my mates dog has just been on the phone asking me to go for a pint with his uncle and his sister good luck with it Del

[CaptainZok]

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?
I believe these people are very good at advising motorists in a similar situation

[hotel21]

Plenty of info available on the net for such things, without resorting to bar room gossip or 'if it was me' type misinformation that you are likely to get on here, to be honest.

If he really feels aggrieved, consult a solicitor.   

Current rate is £220 per hour!

so pay the fine then!   

Or, move to Scotland.  No wheelclamps up here.....   

[TheBoy]

Guessing he wasn't in McDonalds for 2hrs.  I'm a fat bastard, and even I couldn't do that.

So, from the owners point of view, who is probably on a pittence himself, its private land he/she provides purely for customers to use whilst in the place, and has every right, IMHO, to penalise those who use it to save paying parking elsewhere.  Nobody can say 90m isn't enough time.


Rumour is its probably unenforcible, but you need to seek proper legal advice to confirm, rather than listen to what member's mate's dog's brother's auntie's sister overhead in the pub.

He was sat in the car eating his food, also I'd like to point out he went through the Drive-thru four times for various bits. He could've parked outside McDonald's which is situated around various car dealerships and not had to pay to park on the road, however he simply just stayed in McDonalds, as he went through the Drive-thru a few times and was sitting there talking. No harm done to anyone, and certainly not worth £100 in my opinion.

I see where you are coming from, but the franchisee can rightly expect customers to be gone well within 90m in a fast food burger joint.  He is not there to facilitate meet-ups and burnouts.  Not that I use them much, but there is rarely any spare available parking spaces around the local ones near me, because it seems to be a meeting place for groups of kids.  In such a sceanrio, the owner should have the right to protect his business.  The parking enforcers have to recoup the money for there expensive equipment, and make a profit

[Nickbat]

Though I am not giving legal advice here, one comment I have read time and time again is along the following lines (copied from a moneysavingexpert.com board):

Your friends are dead right, they don't do court and you know why? Because it is an unenforceable invoice. You've told us the signs are up so it's contract law, so they can sue you for damages, which from your post I calculate to be absolutely nothing. Penalties are not allowed in contract law, so they do not have a leg to stand on.

These companies do not have the power to issue fines. Only parking wardens and the police have that power.

[Del Boy]

And the Company in question, Nick thanks very much for the help mate, and everyone else who commented with advice  :

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3638185

TB I totally understand what you're saying, and agree to an extent, however, when the picture shows other empty spaces, I find it a bit pathetic.

[TheBoy]

Guessing he wasn't in McDonalds for 2hrs.  I'm a fat bastard, and even I couldn't do that.

So, from the owners point of view, who is probably on a pittence himself, its private land he/she provides purely for customers to use whilst in the place, and has every right, IMHO, to penalise those who use it to save paying parking elsewhere.  Nobody can say 90m isn't enough time.


Rumour is its probably unenforcible, but you need to seek proper legal advice to confirm, rather than listen to what member's mate's dog's brother's auntie's sister overhead in the pub.

He was sat in the car eating his food, also I'd like to point out he went through the Drive-thru four times for various bits. He could've parked outside McDonald's which is situated around various car dealerships and not had to pay to park on the road, however he simply just stayed in McDonalds, as he went through the Drive-thru a few times and was sitting there talking. No harm done to anyone, and certainly not worth £100 in my opinion.

I see where you are coming from, but the franchisee can rightly expect customers to be gone well within 90m in a fast food burger joint.  He is not there to facilitate meet-ups and burnouts.  Not that I use them much, but there is rarely any spare available parking spaces around the local ones near me, because it seems to be a meeting place for groups of kids.  In such a sceanrio, the owner should have the right to protect his business.  The parking enforcers have to recoup the money for there expensive equipment, and make a profit

Sod it, that was incomplete - battery went flat, opps!

The jist of the 2nd half was try to understand why the owner has such a system to protect his business, and hopefully realise that because it may not necessarily be enforcible, be a lesson not to repeat

[Del Boy]

Guessing he wasn't in McDonalds for 2hrs.  I'm a fat bastard, and even I couldn't do that.

So, from the owners point of view, who is probably on a pittence himself, its private land he/she provides purely for customers to use whilst in the place, and has every right, IMHO, to penalise those who use it to save paying parking elsewhere.  Nobody can say 90m isn't enough time.


Rumour is its probably unenforcible, but you need to seek proper legal advice to confirm, rather than listen to what member's mate's dog's brother's auntie's sister overhead in the pub.

He was sat in the car eating his food, also I'd like to point out he went through the Drive-thru four times for various bits. He could've parked outside McDonald's which is situated around various car dealerships and not had to pay to park on the road, however he simply just stayed in McDonalds, as he went through the Drive-thru a few times and was sitting there talking. No harm done to anyone, and certainly not worth £100 in my opinion.

I see where you are coming from, but the franchisee can rightly expect customers to be gone well within 90m in a fast food burger joint.  He is not there to facilitate meet-ups and burnouts.  Not that I use them much, but there is rarely any spare available parking spaces around the local ones near me, because it seems to be a meeting place for groups of kids.  In such a sceanrio, the owner should have the right to protect his business.  The parking enforcers have to recoup the money for there expensive equipment, and make a profit

Sod it, that was incomplete - battery went flat, opps!

The jist of the 2nd half was try to understand why the owner has such a system to protect his business, and hopefully realise that because it may not necessarily be enforcible, be a lesson not to repeat

Oh he won't do it again that's for sure, his mum went mental apparently 

[Murph]

i got one of these a year or two ago.
I found the same advice on the net, so ignored it and have heard nothing since.

As has been said - they are unenforceable.

[Del Boy]

i got one of these a year or two ago.
I found the same advice on the net, so ignored it and have heard nothing since.

As has been said - they are unenforceable.

 

[YZ250]

Evening people,

A good friend of my youngest sons was parked in McDonald's for 124 minutes, there is a limit of 90 minutes in the car park. However he has received a parking ticket for a price of £100! Now I'm not being funny the boy is a hard working so and so, and I don't like the way they're trying to take £100 off of him. Is there anyway I could get this thrown out, or at the very least reduced? I also would like to add, he genuinely did not know about the time limit in the car park, there are boards up, tied to the lamp posts, however as it was dark these aren't very visible at all. Now fair enough he was in there 34 minutes longer than the allocated time, but all of the spaces around him were empty. Any ideas?

I believe this is Andy B's specialist subject.    Continually ignore all correspondence is, I believe, what he was advised to do.  Seems to have worked so far.

[r1]

"He was sat in the car eating his food, also I'd like to point out he went through the Drive-thru four times for various bits."

if he can afford to go through 4 times that he can afford the fine!!

but as others have said it cant be enforced
do not contact the company at all and just ignore.

[Andy B]

Evening people,

A good friend of my youngest sons was parked in McDonald's for 124 minutes, there is a limit of 90 minutes in the car park. However he has received a parking ticket for a price of £100! Now I'm not being funny the boy is a hard working so and so, and I don't like the way they're trying to take £100 off of him. Is there anyway I could get this thrown out, or at the very least reduced? I also would like to add, he genuinely did not know about the time limit in the car park, there are boards up, tied to the lamp posts, however as it was dark these aren't very visible at all. Now fair enough he was in there 34 minutes longer than the allocated time, but all of the spaces around him were empty. Any ideas?

I believe this is Andy B's specialist subject.    Continually ignore all correspondence is, I believe, what he was advised to do.  Seems to have worked so far.

It worked for me! 

A business man on telly a few months back discredited McD's CCTV coverage when one of his company vans got a 'ticket'. McD's said the van had gone on the car park at ? time & left so many hours later. His vehicles were all fitted with trackers so could prove where & when they were parked up. McD's refused to acknowledge the fact the vans had moved & then come back several hours later!! 

[Nickbat]

"He was sat in the car eating his food, also I'd like to point out he went through the Drive-thru four times for various bits."

if he can afford to go through 4 times that he can afford the fine!!

but as others have said it cant be enforced
do not contact the company at all and just ignore.

Four McDonalds cost £100? Sheesh! Think I'll carry on dining out at The Vine. 

[Del Boy]

"He was sat in the car eating his food, also I'd like to point out he went through the Drive-thru four times for various bits."

if he can afford to go through 4 times that he can afford the fine!!

but as others have said it cant be enforced
do not contact the company at all and just ignore.

£10.97 for two large meals the first time around, £1.99 for some cheesy bites the second time around, £1. Something for a McFlurry, and £1.98 for two drinks. That doesn't add up to £100. Still has the receipt along with many others in his car door pocket.

[Kevin Wood]

£10.97 for two large meals the first time around, £1.99 for some cheesy bites the second time around, £1. Something for a McFlurry, and £1.98 for two drinks. That doesn't add up to £100. Still has the receipt along with many others in his car door pocket.

Keep the receipts, then in the very unlikely event that he does get dragged into court he can produce them and ask what the problem is.

[Del Boy]

£10.97 for two large meals the first time around, £1.99 for some cheesy bites the second time around, £1. Something for a McFlurry, and £1.98 for two drinks. That doesn't add up to £100. Still has the receipt along with many others in his car door pocket.

Keep the receipts, then in the very unlikely event that he does get dragged into court he can produce them and ask what the problem is.

Will do

[lozzy]

MEt tried nabbing me for a ticket i ignored them 6 months later no more communication

[Omega32E]

Wound,nt worry about it I,ve had at least 30 of these types of ticket in the last few years, worst that happened and this was only once was a guy turned up on the doorstep even then he was only here a couple of min before he had a very firm grasp on my opinion. So far amount paid £0.00. Just to mention though don't try this with a council issued ticket cause you will end up losing in court.

[Del Boy]

Wound,nt worry about it I,ve had at least 30 of these types of ticket in the last few years, worst that happened and this was only once was a guy turned up on the doorstep even then he was only here a couple of min before he had a very firm grasp on my opinion. So far amount paid £0.00. Just to mention though don't try this with a council issued ticket cause you will end up losing in court.

Good to know, thanks mate, and also thanks to everyone else 

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

Wound,nt worry about it I,ve had at least 30 of these types of ticket in the last few years, worst that happened and this was only once was a guy turned up on the doorstep even then he was only here a couple of min before he had a very firm grasp on my opinion. So far amount paid £0.00. Just to mention though don't try this with a council issued ticket cause you will end up losing in court.

Good to know, thanks mate, and also thanks to everyone else 

The key is if it says "Penalty Charge Notice", that's the council, and must be paid. If it's "Parking Charge Notice", or similar bluff and bluster, then it's one for the big round file.