Parking Mad on BBC
Discussion
I've just had the unfortunate experience of watching this BBC programme (I live in Sweden and was looking for the snooker).
In one of the 'stories' there were bailiffs using number plate recognition to identify vehicles with outstanding parking fines, pull the vehicle over, then request immediate payment of the fine by credit or debit card. The bailiffs also said to the driver that they were not allowed to leave until the fine is paid. They also threatened to seize their cars and even looked in the boot of a car for property to seize.
I assume this practice is legal or it wouldn't be televised, but what authority does a bailiff have to prevent a person from just driving away? Surely one must be under arrest (by the police) to be prevented from leaving?
Anyway, best of luck to UK motorists facing the parking authorities, looks like you need it!
In one of the 'stories' there were bailiffs using number plate recognition to identify vehicles with outstanding parking fines, pull the vehicle over, then request immediate payment of the fine by credit or debit card. The bailiffs also said to the driver that they were not allowed to leave until the fine is paid. They also threatened to seize their cars and even looked in the boot of a car for property to seize.
I assume this practice is legal or it wouldn't be televised, but what authority does a bailiff have to prevent a person from just driving away? Surely one must be under arrest (by the police) to be prevented from leaving?
Anyway, best of luck to UK motorists facing the parking authorities, looks like you need it!
h.Wasn't the point that the people they were pulling over weren't just owing a parking ticket, but had ignored it, ignored the court action and then ignored demands for payment from the court up until that point? Hence why it had escalated into the fine, plus charges on top of several hundred pounds?
I, personally don't have much sympathy for someone who ignores something like this. If you get a ticket and it's a fair one - pay it (I have
)! If it's not - Challenge it (I also have )! But to just ignore it is pathetic and, quite frankly, I have no problems with them being pulled up as a result.
Also I believe it was the Police Officers with the Bailiffs who have the power to stop the car - as has been discussed here before. While I don't like the Police being used in this way per se - if it catches serial fine dodgers as above then I can live with it!
I, personally don't have much sympathy for someone who ignores something like this. If you get a ticket and it's a fair one - pay it (I have
)! If it's not - Challenge it (I also have )! But to just ignore it is pathetic and, quite frankly, I have no problems with them being pulled up as a result.Also I believe it was the Police Officers with the Bailiffs who have the power to stop the car - as has been discussed here before. While I don't like the Police being used in this way per se - if it catches serial fine dodgers as above then I can live with it!
Just to add a twist to this, what would happen for example, I buy a car from someone with out standing parking tickets and I get stopped, can they take the car, working on the assumption I purchased the car a few days before, so will not show me as the new owner at the DVLA and I am not carrying a receipt of purchase.
eatcustard said:
Just to add a twist to this, what would happen for example, I buy a car from someone with out standing parking tickets and I get stopped, can they take the car, working on the assumption I purchased the car a few days before, so will not show me as the new owner at the DVLA and I am not carrying a receipt of purchase.
What would most likely happen is an uncomfortable and confusing 10-20 minutes where a few facts are checked, at which point you could leave.A call to an insurance company could show a change of owner.
On the bright side, there are a few cops ten yards away who you could call on for help.
The big problem with the anpr balifs is when they operate alone and pick up parked cars. That's when a new owner wouldn't even have chance to argue.
Duke147 said:
I was a little confused by the taxi driver situation - were they not threatening to remove his "tools of the trade?" I didn't think that this was allowed?
I don't think they can take a licensed taxi.But, if it's not licensed or the licence is not in order then there might be some additional legislation to consider.
The fact that this has reached ccj level means several letters have been sent to the address and possibly someone has tried to visit.
For a licensed taxi driver to ignore all of that it's more than likely there's something odd going on.
Snowboy said:
The fact that this has reached ccj level means several letters have been sent to the address and possibly someone has tried to visit.
although mine wasn't for parking tickets, the first i knew i had a ccj against my name was the day i read the letter from the court saying i'd been found against as i hadn't turned up. not surprising as i never got anything from anyone saying it was happening.lucky for me i got it sorted and the ccj is no more, but it can happen.
jesta1865 said:
although mine wasn't for parking tickets, the first i knew i had a ccj against my name was the day i read the letter from the court saying i'd been found against as i hadn't turned up. not surprising as i never got anything from anyone saying it was happening.
lucky for me i got it sorted and the ccj is no more, but it can happen.
What was the CCJ for? Was that really the first you had heard of the matter (not just the CCJ?) I would be really surprised if you didn't know someone wanted money off you (however justified or not) at all until you got a CCJ.lucky for me i got it sorted and the ccj is no more, but it can happen.
eatcustard said:
Just to add a twist to this, what would happen for example, I buy a car from someone with out standing parking tickets and I get stopped, can they take the car, working on the assumption I purchased the car a few days before, so will not show me as the new owner at the DVLA and I am not carrying a receipt of purchase.
As already said this has been covered in the other thread.The warrant of execution will specify the vehicle's VRM, so they can and they will.
It can be unlawful distress - http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthr...
However, how the Part 6 legislation now on the statute book sits with that has yet to be resolved.
Don't take any notice of Snowboy, he lives in a Utopian world where bailiffs will always work within the rules.
He also has this naïve belief that the police will intervene on an innocent motorists behalf.
V8forweekends said:
What was the CCJ for? Was that really the first you had heard of the matter (not just the CCJ?) I would be really surprised if you didn't know someone wanted money off you (however justified or not) at all until you got a CCJ.
Had you changed address at some point?That's what happened to me.
Red Devil said:
As already said this has been covered in the other thread.
The warrant of execution will specify the vehicle's VRM, so they can and they will.
It can be unlawful distress - http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthr...
However, how the Part 6 legislation now on the statute book sits with that has yet to be resolved.
Don't take any notice of Snowboy, he lives in a Utopian world where bailiffs will always work within the rules.
He also has this naïve belief that the police will intervene on an innocent motorists behalf.
If you can find any evidence of a new owner getting into trouble like this at a police based stop and the cops not offering assistance when balif attempted an illegal seizure please share it.The warrant of execution will specify the vehicle's VRM, so they can and they will.
It can be unlawful distress - http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthr...
However, how the Part 6 legislation now on the statute book sits with that has yet to be resolved.
Don't take any notice of Snowboy, he lives in a Utopian world where bailiffs will always work within the rules.
He also has this naïve belief that the police will intervene on an innocent motorists behalf.
Otherwise I'm just ignoring your comments as typical anti-police sentiment and bluster.
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