Why do people not like traffic wardens?
Discussion
Every time I look at the inconsiderate, selfish b
ds on the 'Bad Parking Thread' or in my own locality it makes me wonder why we don't think traffic wardens are great. They help stop people parking in dangerous places, on yellow lines which block traffic movements, etc. People moan about them but tbh they are the ones that are parking where they know they shouldn't. Its not as if the traffic wardens go around randomly ticketing cars. Every time I see some tt parking over 2 spaces, on yellows, etc I think 'Where are the traffic wardens??'. Some parts on my local town seem to have a special type of yellow line that means if one vehicle parks on I then everyone else can!
Is is just the same mentality as speeding, i.e. people think that as everyone does it its sort of ok even though they know they are in the wrong?
Traffic wardens stop unsafe and illegal parking, add to the coffers of the govt by getting in fine money and improve traffic flow. Surely its win-win?
Just to add, I've had tickets before. Its annoying but I knew I was in the wrong. If you know you are you can't complain.
ds on the 'Bad Parking Thread' or in my own locality it makes me wonder why we don't think traffic wardens are great. They help stop people parking in dangerous places, on yellow lines which block traffic movements, etc. People moan about them but tbh they are the ones that are parking where they know they shouldn't. Its not as if the traffic wardens go around randomly ticketing cars. Every time I see some tt parking over 2 spaces, on yellows, etc I think 'Where are the traffic wardens??'. Some parts on my local town seem to have a special type of yellow line that means if one vehicle parks on I then everyone else can!Is is just the same mentality as speeding, i.e. people think that as everyone does it its sort of ok even though they know they are in the wrong?
Traffic wardens stop unsafe and illegal parking, add to the coffers of the govt by getting in fine money and improve traffic flow. Surely its win-win?
Just to add, I've had tickets before. Its annoying but I knew I was in the wrong. If you know you are you can't complain.
I always say "Hi" to the traffic wardens around my local area, particularly when they're ticketing people for parking like tools.
Be friendly to them, get to know them, and they're less likely to give you trouble if you need to wait on double yellows for 5 minutes to pick someone up after work to save them a walk home in the pissing rain.
Be friendly to them, get to know them, and they're less likely to give you trouble if you need to wait on double yellows for 5 minutes to pick someone up after work to save them a walk home in the pissing rain.
It must be a fairly soul destroying job. Last weekend I saw someone shouting and swearing at a traffic warden who had issued him completely fairly with a ticket for parking on double yellows; I definitely felt sorry for the traffic warden...the rage wasn't at all warranted!
So, I completely agree with you in principle. What I have less empathy with is underhand tactics sometimes seen (e.g. hiding round the corner to write the ticket, no flexibility if someone just happens to be a few minutes late). However, these behaviours are probably largely due to payment/salary structures that incentive based on number of tickets issued.
So, I completely agree with you in principle. What I have less empathy with is underhand tactics sometimes seen (e.g. hiding round the corner to write the ticket, no flexibility if someone just happens to be a few minutes late). However, these behaviours are probably largely due to payment/salary structures that incentive based on number of tickets issued.
I've seen illegally parked/waiting cars get approached by the traffic warden (or whatever they call them these days), and, rather than driving away and circling, the driver gets out to argue the toss. They get a ticket. Completely pointless.
Even funnier when they are trying to abuse a blue badge.
Even funnier when they are trying to abuse a blue badge.
I don't know about all traffic wardens, but I wasn't a fan of the guy in Manchester who told me it was fine to park in a particular spot, and promptly ticketed my car. I appealed and won, but only because I'd had the foresight to take his badge number before walking away from the car.
The ones in London also seem to be fixated on issuing as many tickets as possible without applying any common sense to the situation.
The ones in London also seem to be fixated on issuing as many tickets as possible without applying any common sense to the situation.
For me its not so much the wardens I hate but the town planners that will happily remove perfectly useable parking spaces by sticking in extra wide kerbs and loads of white paint. This is happening all over, places that simply used to have a "1/2 hour and no return sign" are now double yellows and no parking.
The game is to force the motorist into the council owned and run car parks. This makes popping to a shop to buy milk or pick up a prescription a bit tricky.
The high street is dying because its easier to park at supermarkets.
The game is to force the motorist into the council owned and run car parks. This makes popping to a shop to buy milk or pick up a prescription a bit tricky.
The high street is dying because its easier to park at supermarkets.
Getragdogleg said:
For me its not so much the wardens I hate but the town planners that will happily remove perfectly useable parking spaces by sticking in extra wide kerbs and loads of white paint. This is happening all over, places that simply used to have a "1/2 hour and no return sign" are now double yellows and no parking.
The game is to force the motorist into the council owned and run car parks. This makes popping to a shop to buy milk or pick up a prescription a bit tricky.
The high street is dying because its easier to park at supermarkets.
This is exactly what I came here to say. I drive further to go shop at an out-of-town retail park as it is easier and less hassle.The game is to force the motorist into the council owned and run car parks. This makes popping to a shop to buy milk or pick up a prescription a bit tricky.
The high street is dying because its easier to park at supermarkets.
The NCP car parks are frankly extortionately expensive, perhaps the two are related?
I have a healthy contempt for traffic wardens in Aberdeen, because they're all thick and achieve nothing useful.
I've had 2 tickets myself and appealed (and won) both. One was for parking on a single yellow line a couple of miles from the local football stadium during some wildcard match day. There was a little sign saying "Except during events at [stadium]" but I didn't know anything about a football match and most councils put yellow cones out when these events were on. The other was for parking a large venhicle in a pay and display space designated for large vehicles. Some womb warrior ticketed the car on a "just in case" basis.
There is no visible effort to target genuinely dangerous or problematic parking. They just like to haunt Aberdeen's industrial areas with woefully inadequate parking provision and ticket people for parking which is technically illegal but is as considerate as practical and does not block pavements or impede access for large vehicles etc.
If they were ever seen to do anything remotely constructive I would have less contempt for them, but for now, they are one peg above the benefits underclass.
I've had 2 tickets myself and appealed (and won) both. One was for parking on a single yellow line a couple of miles from the local football stadium during some wildcard match day. There was a little sign saying "Except during events at [stadium]" but I didn't know anything about a football match and most councils put yellow cones out when these events were on. The other was for parking a large venhicle in a pay and display space designated for large vehicles. Some womb warrior ticketed the car on a "just in case" basis.
There is no visible effort to target genuinely dangerous or problematic parking. They just like to haunt Aberdeen's industrial areas with woefully inadequate parking provision and ticket people for parking which is technically illegal but is as considerate as practical and does not block pavements or impede access for large vehicles etc.
If they were ever seen to do anything remotely constructive I would have less contempt for them, but for now, they are one peg above the benefits underclass.
I don't think it's the job they do that causes so much hate, more the glee that some of them take in issuing tickets.
This has not been helped by docu-soaps showing several knobhead wardens taking great pleasure in fvcking with people's day.
Let's face it - we've all been there. 5 mins late back to your car or parked on a double yellow for a few mins to run and get something.
Technically, you've done wrong but a bit of human-ness and compassion wouldn't go amiss from a few.
This has not been helped by docu-soaps showing several knobhead wardens taking great pleasure in fvcking with people's day.
Let's face it - we've all been there. 5 mins late back to your car or parked on a double yellow for a few mins to run and get something.
Technically, you've done wrong but a bit of human-ness and compassion wouldn't go amiss from a few.
jamieduff1981 said:
They just like to haunt Aberdeen's industrial areas with woefully inadequate parking provision and ticket people for parking which is technically illegal
Why is your anger directed at the traffic wardens though? Surely you can see it's not their fault - they're just doing what their employer expects of them.I had a great one a few years ago; I was running 15 minutes over my ticket and as I got to the car the warden had his pad out and pen ready, I clicked the remote locking, he looked at me and said "you're lucky" and walked off.
Earlier on today there was a warden hovering round a delivery lorry that was parked on double yellows, he popped his head in the door of the shop and told them they had 5 minutes to move.
However outside work they can be over zealous with our customers cars parked on the bus stop, instead of coming in to warn us they just ticket them, a few weeks ago one asked to use our toilet; the congregate outside work waiting to be collected, we said he couldn't.
Earlier on today there was a warden hovering round a delivery lorry that was parked on double yellows, he popped his head in the door of the shop and told them they had 5 minutes to move.
However outside work they can be over zealous with our customers cars parked on the bus stop, instead of coming in to warn us they just ticket them, a few weeks ago one asked to use our toilet; the congregate outside work waiting to be collected, we said he couldn't.
bugmenot said:
jamieduff1981 said:
They just like to haunt Aberdeen's industrial areas with woefully inadequate parking provision and ticket people for parking which is technically illegal
Why is your anger directed at the traffic wardens though? Surely you can see it's not their fault - they're just doing what their employer expects of them.king things off my windscreen I know I'm in the right. I've yet to have an apology or even an apologetic tone in any of the correspondence acknowledging that I was right and they were wrong.I'd rather my kids were drug dealers/prostitutes actually.
Pathetic minor rules-enforcers who take far too much glee in 'catching' you (with honourable mention for the few I've come across who have been decent people).
And they aren't always in the right. I've recently managed to overturn a ticket that was issued incorrectly. Due to their zeal, they ignored the fact that I was parked legally and went for in anyway. Cue a massive waste of my time contesting it (though my sarcastic accompanying letter was a thing of beauty).
Pathetic minor rules-enforcers who take far too much glee in 'catching' you (with honourable mention for the few I've come across who have been decent people).
And they aren't always in the right. I've recently managed to overturn a ticket that was issued incorrectly. Due to their zeal, they ignored the fact that I was parked legally and went for in anyway. Cue a massive waste of my time contesting it (though my sarcastic accompanying letter was a thing of beauty).
I can empathize with the points being made, but at the end of the day they're all bellends.
Imagine doing that for a job, selling out your fellow human beings to enforce some crappy draconian BS which infringes our civil liabilities. Our taxes have paid for the roads many times over.
That being so, people still need to wake up, the fact is under the Magna Carta living breathing flesh and blood aren't even supposed to pay tax, let alone fines for some nonsense.
I read the other day some burglar was fined £50 for his crime of ruining a young families life, yet someone who returns to their car late, or parks cms outside of a line is asked to pay £70. The fact is people in this country are weak and spineless, so wrapped up with the latest 'gadget' or getting one over on the Jones, general things that don't matter. You mugs deserve to be fined £500 for letting it get to this state.
Imagine doing that for a job, selling out your fellow human beings to enforce some crappy draconian BS which infringes our civil liabilities. Our taxes have paid for the roads many times over.
That being so, people still need to wake up, the fact is under the Magna Carta living breathing flesh and blood aren't even supposed to pay tax, let alone fines for some nonsense.
I read the other day some burglar was fined £50 for his crime of ruining a young families life, yet someone who returns to their car late, or parks cms outside of a line is asked to pay £70. The fact is people in this country are weak and spineless, so wrapped up with the latest 'gadget' or getting one over on the Jones, general things that don't matter. You mugs deserve to be fined £500 for letting it get to this state.
I didn't like one warden that gave me a ticket. When I pulled up he was stood beside the ticket machine, I read the sign and incorrectly thought I didn't have to pay unless I was staying for longer than 30minutes (granted this is being being a tard) I then said "Good morning" to him and received a response...
I thought that I must have read the sign correctly as he would've told me, why wouldn't he? Traffic wardens are nice people and he had seen me pull up and read the sign and then walk past the machine.
When I got back to my car exactly 5mins later he was writing a ticket, I asked him why he didn't point out that I hadn't bought a ticket when he watched me pull up. He claimed he hadn't seen me despite him stood watching me and saying good morning back -_- asshat.
I thought that I must have read the sign correctly as he would've told me, why wouldn't he? Traffic wardens are nice people and he had seen me pull up and read the sign and then walk past the machine.
When I got back to my car exactly 5mins later he was writing a ticket, I asked him why he didn't point out that I hadn't bought a ticket when he watched me pull up. He claimed he hadn't seen me despite him stood watching me and saying good morning back -_- asshat.
HTP99 said:
a few weeks ago one asked to use our toilet; the congregate outside work waiting to be collected, we said he couldn't.
Oddly, in my old town the local police station refused the parking warden access to the toilet....I don't like them because they seem to ignore cars parked dangerously (whenever I come across them) but instead wait outside shops etc where people need to drop off goods and whatnot, easy pickings..
As above it is the fault of the council but still, if you do such a job expect not to be liked.
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