The UK parking enforcement gurus are simply off the mark. Read this article.
It seems that they are giving tickets to folks who are loading and unloading cars and merchants going about their daily business. This is patently absurd.
Of course the most hated folks in the UK are parking enforcement, and for good reason. They use no common sense whatsoever. The answer "The law says you can’t park there, so you get a citation."
Horsefeathers. The enforcement folks need some leeway. This ranks right up there with giving tickets to priests administering last rights and ambulances picking up the sick.
If the parking community wants to build a consensus with the parking public, we need to be consistent, but fair. We need to be able to know when to cite, when to warn, and when to smile and walk away.
If not, we will truly earn the moniker, "Parking Nazis"
JVH
3 Responses
Time to throw my hat into the ring. While I agree with your premise, I have to give the parking enforcement authority a break. If people are rational and understanding then your idea works. Unfortunately more people now feel truly entitled about everything. Since your idea allows the parking enforcement officer to make judgement calls (“when to walk away”) then what happens when one officer walks away one week and a different officer doesn’t the next. I would hope that the person receiving the ticket would realize “Hey I am breaking the law and I got off the last time. I have to pay this time and I can nicely discuss it with the enforcement officer.” Highly unlikely.
As parking people I am sure that we have seen people do crazy things to save a couple of dollars. What will people do to get the officer to look the other wat. Will they bribe the officer, claim an emergency, or create an emergency to get out of a ticket? Anything is possible.
So allowing judgement calls by the parking enforcement means that it will be unequal but more fair. Not a bad idea but I may change my mind when I get my parking ticket and the next person doesn’t.
Just my thoughts.
Ahhhh, that’s the beauty of it. Encourage the enforcement folks to give “warnings,” particularly when its a judgment call or if the parker is present. If a person receives more that one warning, then the warning becomes a citation…This approach is a win win for everyone.
JVH
Commentary on gedye.org.uk
I came across a blog today devoted solely to the trial and tribulations of parking (with a car that is).
Now I have nothing against fellow humans behaving like moths around a solitary lightbulb, indeed it is their right.
I would, however, like to point out something…