Student fined on her first day of driving
A COLLEGE student is the latest motorist to consider court action over an "unjust" parking ticket she received – on her first day of driving.
Carliste Trayler-Clarke, 17, was attending classes at Exeter College when, in a rush, she said she slammed the car door and said her ticket must have turned upside down.
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Despite returning to the Isca Place car park an hour before her ticket expired, she discovered a penalty charge notice from Premier Parking Solutions had been slapped on the windscreen.
She said: "I couldn't believe it. It was the day after I had passed my test and the first time I had ever parked. I was in a rush and slammed the door and the ticket must have blown over.
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"There was still an hour to go until the ticket expired.
"I could understand if I was trying to pull a sly one and not bought a ticket. That would be fair enough, but I wasn't. I had paid for a valid ticket."
Carliste wrote a letter to the company, which has registered offices in Newton Abbot, but her appeal was rejected.
She has now received a letter threatening court action if she does not pay the increased price of £120.
"I was going to college – I was not committing a crime. I am only a college student so I can not afford to pay it.
"I am considering taking the matter to court. It just does not seem right that they can get away with doing this."
Carliste, who lives in Exmouth, is the latest motorist to feel they have been treated unfairly by private parking firms operating in the city.
Hundreds of drivers have contacted the paper in the past few months complaining about their treatment, which led to the creation of The Echo's Fair Fines campaign.
With the support of the British Parking Association and Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw our plea for an independent appeals procedure was proposed as an amendment to the Protection of Freedoms Bill in the House of Commons.
But despite backing from the Labour Party, Conservatives including Central Devon MP Mel Stride and East Devon MP Hugo Swire voted against it and the amendment was defeated.
PPS said they answer to a government-approved body and they only issue fines if people have "contravened our terms and conditions when they have parked".
Comments
by nevmetson
Wednesday, June 20 2012, 8:12PM
“The internet forums are littered with examples of where law-abiding motorists have purchased P&D tickets only to find they have been issued with a Parking Charge Notice on their return - why - because for any number of reasons the P&D ticket didn't stay where it was placed in the car.
Now both the BPA and these PPCs know that many Local authority P&D tickets have an adhesive sticker on the rear - why - because it holds the P&D ticket firmly in place.
Surely it would make sense for the BPA and the PPCs to insist that their P&D tickets should have a similar adhesive quality and that way they could see that the nominal P&D ticket has been correctly purchased and displayed saving them the time and effort of having to issue a £100 parking charge notice.
I just simply cannot understand why they continue with the small flimsy thin paper P&D tickets that can so easily blow away, or slide off the dashboard (particularly if the car is gently rocked)
Tis indeed a puzzle”
by wossup
Tuesday, March 13 2012, 8:40PM
“how many times in these stories about "private" companies, are you going to print that people are "fined". These companies are not allowed to fine anyone it is nothing but an invoice, which they believe to be a fair figure for the persons fault at parking. Non enforcable invoices.”
by Monkey Nuts
Tuesday, March 13 2012, 3:50PM
“Premier Parking Solutions should be boycotted.
If you go on their website, they have a news feed on the side, where they mock failed appeals.
What miserable people they must be, I feel sorry for anyone who works for them.”
by jtc91
Sunday, March 11 2012, 4:05PM
“the point here is that there should be more leniency towards dis-applying the fines in exceptional or unfair circumstances. Fining is sometimes unnecessary and unjust and she is arguing (in my opinion justifiably) that this is one of those occasions. Fines are there to prevent people abusing the system not penalising people for genuine mistakes. If the parking company refuses to waiver the fine in such circumstances, then local government should have the discretionary power to step in and waiver the fine to uphold equity and fairness in our community.”
by calistatc
Sunday, March 11 2012, 2:28PM
“Just so that you are clear, they spelt my name wrong.. It is infact Calista. In response to Paul about the fact that I shouldn't have run to the papers, the very fact that this article is 2nd on the list when you click on most commented shows that people have taken the time to read the article, yourself included. Not only that, you have bothered to take further time to comment. Having read the comments above it is evident that this is a controversial subject which surely proves that it has a place in the paper. I appreciate the fact that you have all taken the time and effort to read my article and offer your advice, so thank you. All of you, after all, have a right to express your own opinion.”
by izzy_1991
Friday, March 09 2012, 5:36PM
“In response to WestBriton ...
I have a car, taxed, MOT'd and insured and yet would not be able to afford a £120 fine out the blue.”
by izzy_1991
Friday, March 09 2012, 5:34PM
“Omgnomore ... It is the website that have her name wrong ... I can assure you her name is 'Calista'. Not 'Caliste'”
by WestBriton
Friday, March 09 2012, 5:10PM
“sorry but how many times have we heard, " i didnt know, it was only a minute , my ticket blew away, blah blah. If you park with these desperados then on your own head be it. The E&E has mentioned it enough times. If you park, you buy a ticket, you ensure its visible and you come back before times up. Simple. Sorry no sympathy whatsoever. She has a car, its no doubt taxed and ensured and full of fuel. She can afford it .”
by omgnomore
Friday, March 09 2012, 5:01PM
“Oh and Izzy, apparently you don't know her that well as you don't even appear to have her name right.”
by omgnomore
Friday, March 09 2012, 4:55PM
“Izzy : all I hear is blah, blah, blah.
The fact she got a fine is no concern of mine either, but SHE chose to broadcast it.”