It’s funny the things we pride ourselves on. For many years I was never bothered about learning to drive. Hopping on public transport to get to work or having Mr. Boo driving to places further afield. That was until Mr. Boo and I decided to have children. Not wanting me to struggle on public transport Mr. Boo insisted that I learned to drive.
Being impatient (me? can you imagine it? 😂) I booked double lessons after a month of learning as I felt it was taking too long. After six months of lessons I passed my driving test the first time, something I am especially proud of. Especially as many of my friends had either taken a few attempts to pass or were still not learning to drive.
It’s been almost 11 years since I passed my driving test. In those 11 years I pride myself on never receiving a speeding fine, never being pulled over by the police and never receiving a parking ticket – that was until the beginning of the month.
The one with the parking ticket
As I opened the post one morning I found a parking charge notification addressed to myself. The charge relating to a middle of the night visit to the out of hours doctors service for Piglet at the end of April. Having received a call back from the 111 service they requested that I took her to our local community hospital were the OOH service is located. As I pulled into the car park just after midnight I noted that there weren’t any barriers so wondered about the parking restrictions. As I parked I got out of the car and had a look around in the darkness but was until to see any signage relating to parking restrictions or fees. Having not found any details I assumed that like many hospitals there was no charge overnight…
WRONG
It wasn’t until I received the parking ticket through the post that I was made aware that I’d been caught via ANPR and that is should have purchased a ticket. I immediately fired off an email to appeal the PCN. explaining my reason for the visit, how I could not find any details of parking restrictions and that there was nobody to ask about the parking restrictions.
Denied
Today I have received a letter to say that my appeal has been denied. No reasoning behind the decision given. No contact details to enquire further into why I should have to pay the PCN. Instead, I have details of a higher body that I can contact to appeal again – however, by appealing higher up I lose the right to the reduced fee of £60 and should I lose that appeal too I would have to pay the full cost of £120.
Not wanting to risk losing a further appeal and paying the full cost I have just paid my £60 parking ticket/ I really quite annoyed and ashamed to think that I have received a parking ticket. I could kick myself if I had run over my time in a car park, parked in the wrong place etc but for visiting the out of hours doctors service with my daughter I just don’t think it is right.
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