OH paid to park by phone, account on her car, we weren't!

[popegregory]

We parked up my car, she rang, received confirmation text. She clean overlooked that she'd applied to park her own car, which was sat on our drive at home. Subsequently found penalty notice on windscreen when we came back.

Firing off appeal email tomorrow but, at risk of being flamed, this happened to anyone else?!?

[Monkeylegend]

I have forgotten where I have parked my car on the odd occasion, but never paid to park the wrong car.

[dtmpower]

Which parking zone and payment operator ?

[miniman]

Depends where you were parked. I've had council run car park go easy on me and cancel the ticket in same circumstance, but if its APCOA at a station or similar, then best of luck to you.

[popegregory]

Council car park in Worcester. We'll see.

[NoNeed]

Could be an administration error as you can clearly show a payment was made and not avoided.

[speedking31]

But you can't clearly show that that payment wasn't being used to park the other car with the associated registration. So if you both went out you could always get away with just paying to park one of the cars.

[popegregory]

Yes I can. It's car park specific isn't it, and whilst going round the warden wouldn't have seen the other one. He'd check each car with no ticket so if he's not checked our other car it can't have been there.

[Jonsv8]

popegregory said:

Yes I can. It's car park specific isn't it, and whilst going round the warden wouldn't have seen the other one. He'd check each car with no ticket so if he's not checked our other car it can't have been there.

He hasn't checked every ticket purchased was actually for a car parked to be satisfied the ticket was or wasn't used.

[Salesy]

I had the same thing happen in London with the congestion charge, changed my van and paid for the old one. Got a penalty notice, appealed and said it was a clerical error and that i had not tried to avoid the charge.

Appeal successful and penalty notice cleared.

[herewego]

speedking31 said:

But you can't clearly show that that payment wasn't being used to park the other car with the associated registration. So if you both went out you could always get away with just paying to park one of the cars.

They could easily record the event so it only happens once.

[sim72]

I've done similar. A car park I use regularly used to have one of those machines where you type in the three letters of your registration. I forgot I was in a courtesy car (they were both black Golfs) and typed in my usual letters.

A quick chat with the council (and producing my V5 to prove I didn't just get the ticket second-hand off another driver) and I got let off.

[MrJuice]

Appeal. Send them proof and it'll be fine

Similar happened to me except I paid for an old car. I had both cars on my account but hadn't taken off the car I'd sold

[Jodyone]

I managed to screw up phone parking in westminster, by inputting the parking zone code instead of my car's registration mark. I got a ticket, called the helpline, and was advised to challenge it. I did so - making clear that no attempt was made to dodge any payment, but recognising a clerical error (probably) on my part - and the ticket was cancelled. Presumably, only because there was a clear digital record of the wrong transaction. Still, the whole procedure seemed fair and way less bureaucratic than it might have been- just a couple of emails.

[Glassman]

Jonsv8 said:

popegregory said:

Yes I can. It's car park specific isn't it, and whilst going round the warden wouldn't have seen the other one. He'd check each car with no ticket so if he's not checked our other car it can't have been there.

He hasn't checked every ticket purchased was actually for a car parked to be satisfied the ticket was or wasn't used.

We all make mistakes, but not every one of us likes to concede we've screwed up.

Appeal? You can try, but remember that it is your mistake, not theirs.

[Ej74]

Had this happen to me - simply emailed the Council Parking team and the PCN was deleted

[Zod]

Salesy said:

I had the same thing happen in London with the congestion charge, changed my van and paid for the old one. Got a penalty notice, appealed and said it was a clerical error and that i had not tried to avoid the charge.

Appeal successful and penalty notice cleared.

They've tightened up on that kind of thing. I changed my plate and forgot to change my autopay for the Congestion Charge. Got a penalty, appealed. Rejected.

[Harji]

I once paid for parking for my car in Cornwall, the car was was in London and not only that but I also put the wrong location number in so I paid for a car that was in London for the wrong location in Cornwall. I deserved the fine that I got.

[shep1001]

st out of luck I suspect. I registered to park/pay by phone, forgot I had changed cars but my plate was the same as I had transferred it. Traffic warden must have had an IQ higher than a vegetable as they noticed whilst the reg was correct the car details were different. Cost me a few quid for my stupidity, learn from it and don't do it again. Still bang in an appeal though luck might be on your side.

[essayer]

I paid for parking in the wrong car park!
I used the mobile app but had walked off and didn't remember the code.. Of course I chose the wrong name..
Council car park, so appealed and was let off "gesture of goodwill this time only"