£300 Parking Ticket (1 Viewer)

[Jon]

I've been going to my local Costa coffee shop for many years now, but switched to another one slightly less local because its a bit nicer in there. But today, I went in and while chatting with the barista, they said that the parking has been limited to 1 hour and it is all checked by camera using a company called Parking Eye. I asked when this change happened and they said last Wednesday. I was shocked! I've been there 3 times since last Wednesday and was there at least 1.5 hours each time. So I went outside to read the new signs (which I never noticed before). Fines are £100 for each offence. OMG!

I told them that if I get a fine I will never go there again. As a regular customer, you don't go in there every day or every other day to re-read the parking signs. It is unreasonable. Any change should always have a bedding in period. They said they are not sure if they can do anything, but took my number plate and said they will try, but Parking Eye are a third-party company who's profits rely on fleecing innocent victims like myself.

Talk about a way to alienate your customers. I just park my car, take my distance glasses off and walk straight to the door. I do not look around the car park every day to see if any new signs have been erected. Not happy!

 

[Minty]

95% of these type of parking charges are actually unenforceable in a court of law, especially if they haven't highlighted very clearly that things have changed.
Have a look here:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/private-parking-tickets/

 

[moke123]

How to appeal your Parking Charge Notice - Parkingeye Motorist

Nobody likes to get a parking ticket. Being issued with a Parking Charge Notice can be frustrating, and you might feel like it was issued by mistake or

www.parkingeye.co.uk

Don't know about UK law, but in some US jurisdictions there is a time limit for when a ticket is issued. By me I believe they only have a few days to issue a ticket if it is not issued at the time of the infraction.

fleecing innocent victims like myself.

Innocent? You just confessed on the internet.

 

[Jon]

It is interesting that the UK government is looking at capping fines at £50. £100 for a parking fine is excessive. I understand there has to be a deterrant for persistent ignoring of parking rules, but for regular customers who did not see a sudden change to the parking regulations...its beyond the pale.

How often do you look at the parking signs for a place you go to every day? It is unreasonable to expect customers to check the parking regulations every day they go there.

 

[CJ_London]

I got caught maybe 15 years ago - left my car in a parking area outside some shops and close to a tube station. Got the tube, had the meeting and returned about 3 hours later. Had done this several times and then returned to find my car had been wheel clamped with a request to ring a number to get it removed. This I did - cost me £240 then. When I complained there were no warnings they pointed out the sign to me - it was about 20 feet up on a wall between two windows.

 

[Galaxiom]

These parking companies are just predators and the problem is growing. They create an app to collect the money, then canvas entities who have parking areas, paying a small regular amount to use them for their activities.

It was done recently in the underground carpark of the building where my workplace is located along with several other businesses. Now a lot of employees park on the street instead and that has upset the local residents who believe the provision of parking was integral with the development consent of the building. They have made a complaint to the council but nothing has changed.

 

[ColinEssex]

In the UK, motorcycle parking is usually free. Also in most cities motorbikes can use bus lanes.
Col

 

[moke123]

Way back when I did a lot of work all over New York City, A friend gave me a NYFD parking permit. I could park any where and not get a ticket or towed. Probably could have parked on the sidewalk if i wanted.

 

[conception_native_0123]

Probably could have parked on the sidewalk if i wanted.

given your so-called "status" nowadays, could you still do that if you wanted?

 

[Cotswold]

I fail to understand why anyone would buy a coffee from these places when it is
so quick and easy to do at home or work. I often see neighbours go out to the
local newsagent, buy a couple in plastic cups and take them home.
Just seems a pointless waste of money. Some must be spending nearly two grand
a year, crazy,

 

[ColinEssex]

Way back when I did a lot of work all over New York City, A friend gave me a NYFD parking permit. I could park any where and not get a ticket or towed. Probably could have parked on the sidewalk if i wanted.

There doesn't seem to be much parking restrictions in America anyway. In films or TV programmes you can drive up and park right outside the building or shop for free. There is always acres of space even on main busy roads in big cities.
BTW, in the UK, a latte coffee from Costa or Starbucks costs around £3.50, so it soon mounts up especially if you have a muffin as well at £3.
Col

 

[Isaac]

I've been going to my local Costa coffee shop for many years now, but switched to another one slightly less local because its a bit nicer in there. But today, I went in and while chatting with the barista, they said that the parking has been limited to 1 hour and it is all checked by camera using a company called Parking Eye. I asked when this change happened and they said last Wednesday. I was shocked! I've been there 3 times since last Wednesday and was there at least 1.5 hours each time. So I went outside to read the new signs (which I never noticed before). Fines are £100 for each offence. OMG!

I told them that if I get a fine I will never go there again. As a regular customer, you don't go in there every day or every other day to re-read the parking signs. It is unreasonable. Any change should always have a bedding in period. They said they are not sure if they can do anything, but took my number plate and said they will try, but Parking Eye are a third-party company who's profits rely on fleecing innocent victims like myself.

Talk about a way to alienate your customers. I just park my car, take my distance glasses off and walk straight to the door. I do not look around the car park every day to see if any new signs have been erected. Not happy!

We used to live in a neighborhood that had some strange rules. No parking in your own driveway, as the driveway was so short you'd end up blocking a small portion of the sidewalk at minimum. The HOA (governing board) used to hire and contract with some 14-16 yr old boys to walk up and down the street. You'd see them sometimes send a text message to someone, then the tow truck (grua) would come and take the car away. Bam - $500, allowed by state law. Very lucrative business, ruining people's nights!

 

[Pat Hartman]

Way back when I did a lot of work all over New York City, A friend gave me a NYFD parking permit. I could park any where and not get a ticket or towed. Probably could have parked on the sidewalk if i wanted.

I'm sure that was illegal. are you proud of stealing parking from honest citizens?

 

[jpl458]

I've been going to my local Costa coffee shop for many years now, but switched to another one slightly less local because its a bit nicer in there. But today, I went in and while chatting with the barista, they said that the parking has been limited to 1 hour and it is all checked by camera using a company called Parking Eye. I asked when this change happened and they said last Wednesday. I was shocked! I've been there 3 times since last Wednesday and was there at least 1.5 hours each time. So I went outside to read the new signs (which I never noticed before). Fines are £100 for each offence. OMG!

I told them that if I get a fine I will never go there again. As a regular customer, you don't go in there every day or every other day to re-read the parking signs. It is unreasonable. Any change should always have a bedding in period. They said they are not sure if they can do anything, but took my number plate and said they will try, but Parking Eye are a third-party company who's profits rely on fleecing innocent victims like myself.

Talk about a way to alienate your customers. I just park my car, take my distance glasses off and walk straight to the door. I do not look around the car park every day to see if any new signs have been erected. Not happy!

Sounds loke profiteerring to me.

 

[Jon]

Sounds loke profiteerring to me.

It is. The government said they would do something about it but are dragging their heels in red tape, as usual. I have the lovely parking ticket on my desk, right next to me. I've not been to the coffee shop since, and so have saved about £45 so far, plus travel costs and time spent to get there. I have a Sage Dual Boiler coffee machine at home and a Rancillio grinder. That grinder must be about 25 years old now!

 

[jpl458]

It is. The government said they would do something about it but are dragging their heels in red tape, as usual. I have the lovely parking ticket on my desk, right next to me. I've not been to the coffee shop since, and so have saved about £45 so far, plus travel costs and time spent to get there. I have a Sage Dual Boiler coffee machine at home and a Rancillio grinder. That grinder must be about 25 years old now!

I'm a Keurig man, but I don't use the cups. I got some wire cups and fill with my favorite coffee. In fact I'm getting another cup right now.

 

[Jon]

Coffee seems to be one of those things embedded in our everyday life. The day is incomplete without it.

 

[jpl458]

Coffee seems to be one of those things embedded in our everyday life. The day is incomplete without it.

I agree

 

[moke123]

 

[Jon]

I managed to get the parking ticket cancelled. My local branch said there is nothing they can do, so I emailed the customer support using the main Costa website for all their branches. They got it cancelled. So, they are no longer on my banned outlets list. Actually, I don't have one but they would have been the first! However, this absence from going there 3 times per week (previously 7 days per week) has changed my habits and my new protocol will be much more along the lines of an occasional visit. Instead, I will try out some other places, including going to a local Wetherspoons pub that does a full English breakfast with toast for the incredibly cheap £4.99. My cappuccino and caramel square used to cost me £6.70 in Costa.