Fined for practising in a car park

Fined for practising in a car park

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vladcjelli

Original Poster:

2,970 posts

158 months

Sunday 20th March 2011
quotequote all
Can you be?

Just been told the story of a friend of my mum who has recently received a £60 fine letter for taking their child for a practice driving session in a car park local to them.

Some sort of camera system in place I assume, but not sure of the technicalities.

Anyone else heard of something similar?

dowahdiddyman

965 posts

211 months

Sunday 20th March 2011
quotequote all
If it is a privately run car park then just ignore it.

Acheron

643 posts

164 months

Sunday 20th March 2011
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What kind of fine? It would be more thwn £60 if its no licence/insurance.

MrLou

879 posts

221 months

Sunday 20th March 2011
quotequote all
If it's not council then it's not a fine. It's basically a begging letter trying to intimidate people into paying an arbitrary sum by using words such as 'bailiff, CCJ, court, lawyer' etc.


vladcjelli

Original Poster:

2,970 posts

158 months

Sunday 20th March 2011
quotequote all
It is council run (just googled it). The fine appears to be for parking, not driving without.

But if they weren't parked in a bay, they weren't using the facilities in the fashion prescribed by the charging system?

A long shot, but if the car park had been ridiculously busy, and someone had done 75 laps of it to look for a space, then left being unsuccessful, would they still be charged? How long do you have between entry and exit before you get fined?

Can only assume it's a registration recognition system. Tags you on entry, if your reg isn't entered into the pay and display then you leave, you get fined.

Bit unlucky I guess. Do you reckon it's worth trying to reason with the authorities? The letter threatens doubling the fine if they appeal.

dowahdiddyman

965 posts

211 months

Sunday 20th March 2011
quotequote all
I would ask the council what the fine is for because as you have said how could they fine someone if the carpark is full and somebody drives out cause there is nowhere to park.

PetrolHeadSeb

368 posts

169 months

Sunday 20th March 2011
quotequote all
I often take my 13 year old brother to a local car park to let him drive.

Once we had a police man come over and talk to us, but it wasn't a problem, he was very understanding and just asked us to be careful.

Although it's a bit of a questionable thing to do, I can't see how you can really be fined for it?

JohnnyRims

900 posts

159 months

Sunday 20th March 2011
quotequote all
PetrolHeadSeb said:
I often take my 13 year old brother to a local car park to let him drive.

Once we had a police man come over and talk to us, but it wasn't a problem, he was very understanding and just asked us to be careful.

Although it's a bit of a questionable thing to do, I can't see how you can really be fined for it?
If the car park isn't private land (and that doesn't mean just not owned by the council) then I'd imagine you could find yourself in a fair bit of trouble doing this.

Janesy B

2,625 posts

186 months

Sunday 20th March 2011
quotequote all
Even if the car park is privately owned, if it's not locked and gated and accessible to the public then the road traffic act still applies IIRC.

Rubin215

2,084 posts

196 months

Sunday 20th March 2011
quotequote all
PetrolHeadSeb said:
I often take my 13 year old brother to a local car park to let him drive.

Once we had a police man come over and talk to us, but it wasn't a problem, he was very understanding and just asked us to be careful.

Although it's a bit of a questionable thing to do, I can't see how you can really be fined for it?
I used to work with a guy who was doing the same with his 15 year old son.

Police panda comes into the car park and stops them, asking what they are doing.

I can't remember everything he was done with, but the ones that I do rememebr were letting someone without a licence drive his car and letting someone without insurance drive his car; end result was 9 points and a big fine. The only reason he was allowed to keep it was that he worked as a bike instructor and would have lost his job if he lost his licence.
His son was done with the same things, so when he was old enough to get a licence, he was already banned.

Slade Alive

784 posts

159 months

Sunday 20th March 2011
quotequote all
Rubin215 said:
I used to work with a guy who was doing the same with his 15 year old son.

Police panda comes into the car park and stops them, asking what they are doing.

I can't remember everything he was done with, but the ones that I do rememebr were letting someone without a licence drive his car and letting someone without insurance drive his car; end result was 9 points and a big fine. The only reason he was allowed to keep it was that he worked as a bike instructor and would have lost his job if he lost his licence.
His son was done with the same things, so when he was old enough to get a licence, he was already banned.
The sort of policing which really endears them to people then.

rob.kellock

2,213 posts

192 months

Sunday 20th March 2011
quotequote all
That can't be right? Causing/permitting no insurance carries 6 to 8 points. Causing/ permitting driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence at the same time would end up with licence endorsed but no extra points. The 15 year old would be highly unlikely to be banned by age 17 ie for 2 years??

williamp

19,262 posts

273 months

Sunday 20th March 2011
quotequote all
Slade Alive said:
Rubin215 said:
I used to work with a guy who was doing the same with his 15 year old son.

Police panda comes into the car park and stops them, asking what they are doing.

I can't remember everything he was done with, but the ones that I do rememebr were letting someone without a licence drive his car and letting someone without insurance drive his car; end result was 9 points and a big fine. The only reason he was allowed to keep it was that he worked as a bike instructor and would have lost his job if he lost his licence.
His son was done with the same things, so when he was old enough to get a licence, he was already banned.
The sort of policing which really endears them to people then.
I know we all had to start somewhere, but if your car his by a young, uninsured driver how would you feel? Or worse still, you or a member of our family was run over by someone too young to drive. You would not be "yeah, whatever, dont worry about it". You'd want answers and the yoof's head on a stick.

JohnnyRims

900 posts

159 months

Sunday 20th March 2011
quotequote all
Slade Alive said:
Rubin215 said:
I used to work with a guy who was doing the same with his 15 year old son.

Police panda comes into the car park and stops them, asking what they are doing.

I can't remember everything he was done with, but the ones that I do rememebr were letting someone without a licence drive his car and letting someone without insurance drive his car; end result was 9 points and a big fine. The only reason he was allowed to keep it was that he worked as a bike instructor and would have lost his job if he lost his licence.
His son was done with the same things, so when he was old enough to get a licence, he was already banned.
The sort of policing which really endears them to people then.
I don't see what's wrong with the police action in this instance, just wait until you're 17 and insured to drive?

PetrolHeadSeb

368 posts

169 months

Sunday 20th March 2011
quotequote all
The car park I use is private land.

I am very careful to ensure that there are no other cars in the car park before I let him drive, I suppose the police took this into consideration when talking to us.

If I remember correctly (which I probably don't as at the time I was just relieved I wasn't in serious trouble!) I think he said he couldn't really do anything, but if people complained about it or we caused damage then we could be prosecuted by the owners of the land.

At the end of the day, I realise people will frown upon it, but I was fortunate enough to learn to drive when I was 10 and I'd like to think I can give my brother a head start too.

Bricol

140 posts

167 months

Sunday 20th March 2011
quotequote all
Yep - all to do with public access and Road Traffic Act as amended in 1992 - caused lots of local motor clubs a bit of grief (that, and sunday trading) as all the owners of car-parks, including local councils, that used to lend them car parks for autotests etc, suddenly felt a little uneasy about doing so.

Bri

TooLateForAName

4,751 posts

184 months

Sunday 20th March 2011
quotequote all
When I was learning (OK 20 years ago) this happened to a lad I know.

He had been telling everyone that he didn't need lessons and was going to take his test as soon as he was 17.

Then it was in the local paper that him and his father had been done. They were driving round an industrial estate after hours, someone must have thought they looked suspicious and they were stopped.

gareth.e

2,071 posts

189 months

Sunday 20th March 2011
quotequote all
Rubin215 said:
I used to work with a guy who was doing the same with his 15 year old son.

Police panda comes into the car park and stops them, asking what they are doing.

I can't remember everything he was done with, but the ones that I do rememebr were letting someone without a licence drive his car and letting someone without insurance drive his car; end result was 9 points and a big fine. The only reason he was allowed to keep it was that he worked as a bike instructor and would have lost his job if he lost his licence.
His son was done with the same things, so when he was old enough to get a licence, he was already banned.
It cant have been a private car park then

vladcjelli

Original Poster:

2,970 posts

158 months

Sunday 20th March 2011
quotequote all
It's taken a few posts which seemed a bit heavy, but I realise I wasn't clear.

When I said child, I meant offspring with a provisional, not a 9 year old with an F1 fixation.

Sorry, this simple oversight seems to have taken my thread in a direction unintended. Only really bothered about the whys and wherefores about being stung for a parking fine when no parking took place.

getmecoat