Motorcycle parking fine- go to court or swallow the charge?

[mrtEE]

Recently I parked in a motorcycle parking bay in London and when I returned there was a parking fine on the bike.

I then realised there was a parking suspended sign (about a3 size) 15 foot up on a pole one end of the bay. I wrote a letter to them appealing the fine due to the poor signage and they rejected the appeal.

I now have the choice of going to court and potentially paying £120 (plus possible court costs) or paying £60 now.

See the letter below and the photos of the bay suspension.

[AngelGrinder]

It's in London, you won't get away with it, same for alot of the bigger cities. If it was a smaller town, then I'd say try it, but in London you havn't a hope in hell.

Also, if a parking bay, especially one as big as that is completely empty....I'd be looking hard to find out why....there is never any empty spaces in the centre of London.
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Currently Riding - 2002 Aprilia RSV1000 Mille

[mrtEE]

[headlamp]

If you can prove that the sign was put up after you had arrived then I'm afraid you haven't got a chance. The fact that the bay looks pretty empty suggests that other bikers saw the sign and chose not to park.
I think you should pay.
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Using a mobile phone while driving a car should be made a capital offence!

[mrtEE]

[sickpup]

That bay is generally full on week days.

Check the Traffic sign regs, it probably doesn't comply.

Why would it go to court?

[yen_powell]

The word motorcycle is split into two on the bay marking (motor cycle) and the bay also has a bay number marked (looks like MH1). neither of these are permitted variants for that particular bay marking (Diagram 1028.4).

The white plated 'P''marking is also incorrect with the additional text. There is no motorcycle plate with the blue P symbol (Diagram 804.4)

Unless both of these items are authorised by the Secretary of State, which the highway authority should have in writing along with drawings showing the markings or signs allowed, then the whole parking bay is non compliant.

If it's non compliant how can it be suspended. There's a good chance the suspension sign is non compliant too, but I don't know too much about them so I recommend a post on the Pepipoo website for advice.

If it was me I'd tick the offence didn't occur box and go to appeal, then when the highway authority reject it (they usually do) go on to the independent appeals panel.
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Blackmail is a nasty word........but not as nasty as phlegm!
XT1200Z and a DR350 in bits

[Paivi]

It won't cost you anything to take it to the adjudicator. Even if they reject your appeal, you'll still only pay the reduced charge.
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My other bike's a Monster...

[multijoy]

[mrtEE]

[multijoy]

Only if you don't appeal it. The clock gets reset if you appeal, so you'd have x days to pay the reduced amount once it was all over.
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'11 CBF1000A, '99 C90, '98 CB500
silky666: He rode amazingly well considering his bike is the weight of a small van and had slicks on.

[Poseidon]

I've appealed every fine I've ever had (both speeding and parking) and always got away with it. You've got nothing to lose, like some have already said, if you lose, you'll only face the same fine as if you paid up straightaway.

With parking fines I've always gone with the offense didn't happen approach. There's nearly always a get out on these things. Like someone else said non-compliant/poor signage works, along with broken lines, lines not T'd off etc. Never even had to go to court for a parking offense!
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1977 Honda CG125
2002 Ducati Monster S4 (currently restoring)

[yuri2085]

How does offense didn't happen work? I mean they take pictures? Or do you say what you did wasn't an offense?

[yen_powell]

[mrtEE]

where do I get a look at this book?

[yen_powell]