Imagine pulling into a parking spot that promises to be free for two hours, only to return to your car and find a hefty fine waiting for you.
That’s exactly what happened to Andy Hall, who found himself infuriated after a simple mistake led to a £100 parking ticket outside a TK Maxx in Ayr, Scotland.
A Simple Mistake
Andy parked his car and entered his registration number into the machine, expecting to validate his free parking session.
However, a small error crept in: he accidentally hit the number “0” instead of the letter “O.”
Despite receiving a ticket for the free parking term, the situation turned sour when a parking warden informed him of the mix-up just 20 minutes later.
Despite Andy’s appeal to Ayrshire Roads Alliance (ARA), he may still be on the hook for the fine.
His initial plea fell on deaf ears, and he felt his mistake should have been met with a bit of understanding.
A Steep Price for a Common Error
The situation becomes even more perplexing when considering that Andy isn’t alone in facing unexpected fines in this car park.
Another motorist racked up an astounding £11,000 in fines due to a strange five-minute rule.
Andy shared his experience, recounting how he went to the ticket machine, entered his registration, and received the ticket.
He explained, “The machine spat out a ticket for the free term, which ended up blowing away.
I thought everything was fine until I returned to my car after shopping, only to find a bright yellow fine stuck to my windshield.”
Seeking Clarification
Confused and frustrated, Andy approached the traffic wardens nearby.
“I told them I had gotten a ticket just 20 minutes prior,” he said.
The warden examined the situation and confirmed that the error in his registration entry was the cause of the fine.
Despite the mix-up being easily explainable, Andy was still faced with a £100 penalty—or a reduced £50 if paid quickly.
He couldn’t help but express his disbelief, saying, “This was such a simple mistake.
A bit of common sense would go a long way.”
He even shared how the warden suggested that he could “put Mickey Mouse in” when entering the number plate, implying that it was ultimately his responsibility.
The Appeal Process
Andy took the warden’s advice and called the number on the ticket to appeal the fine.
Unfortunately, his appeal was promptly rejected. Living in Troon and being a first-time user of the parking machines, he felt the system was a bit cumbersome.
“Pressing ‘0’ instead of ‘O’ has now cost me £50,” he lamented, adding, “I made the effort to get a ticket, thinking I was doing the right thing, but now I wish I hadn’t bothered.”
Following the appeal, Andy received a Notice of Rejection from ARA, which stated that the PCN was correctly issued because no valid parking session was recorded.
The notice emphasized that it was up to the vehicle owner to comply with parking restrictions, leaving Andy feeling exasperated.
The Ongoing Situation
As for ARA, they remained tight-lipped about the case, noting that it was still ongoing and they could not comment further.
For Andy, this frustrating experience serves as a stark reminder of how easily things can go awry due to a simple oversight in the parking system.
He continues to ponder his next steps, hoping for some resolution to what feels like an unfair situation.
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