Ludicrous PCN in Brighton

27cows · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Nov 2009 Karma :

Evening.

Got a PCN notice thing from Brighton council today. They claim that on 2 August, I parked in a suspended bay and they issued a ticket. As 28 days had passed since then, they were sending me this piece of paper requesting that I cough up 70 quid.

I parked in a dedicated M/C bay, one that I use regularly when I'm down there. There were other bikes in the bay. There were no signs or notices up to suggest the parking bay was or soon would be suspended.

When I got back to the bike about five hours later, the other bikes were all still there. None had tickets on (that were obviously placed). And there was still no notice about the suspension of the bay.

But the pictures (seven of them) on the Brighton council website showed me, when I logged in using my PCN number and reg no, that there was my old bike parked with the others and this massive and impossible-not-to-notice bay suspension yellow sign on the lamp post two feet away.

So, no sign when I parked (at 8.20am). No sign when I returned at 2pm or thereabouts. No ticket on bike. Ticket apparently issued at 9.05am.

Had there been a ticket on the bike, I would have appealed and if that was rejected, paid up within 14 days to get the 50% discount.

Am guessing I'll have to pay £70, despite my appeal and explaining what happened. I've never had a parking ticket in 29 years online and always am very alert to any possible restrictions.

Is this some new scam to get money out of us? Putting up a suspension notice once vehicles are already parked and then giving them tickets...which they don't actually attach meaning you lose your chance of the 50% discount Evil or Very Mad

Guess I'll have to take pictures of my bike before and after I return wherever I go now, to prove no signs were up Confused

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P.addy · *Formerly known as* P. Joined: 14 Feb 2008 Karma :

Brighton? You were in Norfolk that day, couldn't have been you. Send photo of another bike with your collared reg, say wasn't me.

Boom.

nelmo · Scooby Slapper Joined: 05 Dec 2013 Karma :

Can you ask them to explain why the bay was suspended? There must have been some recorded reason (road works, an event etc).

If they can't justify it, maybe you have an argument for a rogue ticket warden?

Also, any CCTV cameras nearby that you might be able to check?
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Rogerborg · nimbA Joined: 26 Oct 2010 Karma :

PePiPoo or Parking Prankster would be more helpful.

Me, I'd have a laugh with it. It's a game for these ghouls; you rage, you ruse.
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Dave70 · World Chat Champion Joined: 20 Jan 2012 Karma :

dydey90 · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Oct 2013 Karma :

This is what I'm thinking:
-Parked up all fine and dandy
-For some reason they suspended the bay
-Some jobsworth ticketed everybody
-First person to come back to their bike raged and tore off all the tickets and the suspension notice
-The rest of you aren't any the wiser

I doubt you'll get CCTV a month later from a business, even if they were prepared to let you have it in the first place. Seems like they have enough evidence to enforce the fine, if they can be arsed chasing you.

Or, if it is photoshopped then somebody might be able to prove it. Link to picture?
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Yamahardon · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 30 Jan 2014 Karma :

send it back with a note "I politely decline your request to contract, no contract, no consent"

Yamahardon · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 30 Jan 2014 Karma :

send it back with a note "I politely decline your request to contract, no contract, no consent"

sickpup · Old Timer Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Karma :

Copy of picture please.

Raffles · World Chat Champion Joined: 14 Apr 2009 Karma :

27cows · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Nov 2009 Karma :

These are the snaps that the dobbin took of my old fossil:

https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/Funkdooby_album/of1_zps94c9c5c9.jpg

https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/Funkdooby_album/of2_zpsb7ea8514.jpg

https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/Funkdooby_album/of3_zpsb8dff4cc.jpg

https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/Funkdooby_album/of4_zpsb5aa9f7a.jpg

https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/Funkdooby_album/of5_zps11b215cf.jpg

https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/Funkdooby_album/of6_zpsf9305d01.jpg

https://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/Funkdooby_album/of7_zpse38b920b.jpg

Various things are immediately obvious. First being that the traffic bod didn't take a picture of the ticket on the bike, which I believe they're supposed to. NtO letter stated that the ticket had been 'fixed to the windscreen of the vehicle.' Some feat.

The pertinent bit of the sign (the no stopping symbols and the words 'Parking suspension' are hidden behind the leaves of that tree. The other bit that says parking suspension is facing off to the right where it wouldn't be seen by anyone pulling into that parking area (it's one way traffic, no one would approach from the direction where the smaller notice was facing).

I think the 'village party' might have been something to do with Pride, which was on that day. But nothing at all appeared to be happening there when I parked or returned. The Pride after party thing in town doesn't start till late afternoon or early evening. At the time I got back to the bike, there were a total of six motorcycles in the bay.

There's a two minute gap between the first shots being taken, and the two close ups of the smaller bit of the sign - not sure why the delay.

I'm now starting to wonder if the sign was so far up the pole when I arrived that it was completely invisible. Bear in mind I was actually looking out for signage.

There are two other bikes in the bay shown in these pictures. So either all three of us failed to see or ignored the sign, or all three of us thought it was OK to park there on account of there not being a sign up (or at least in a reasonably visible position) when we parked there. As did a minimum of four other riders who parked in that bay between me leaving and returning.

I am 95% sure that sign either wasn't there or was in a position where it couldn't be seen when I returned. There were no tickets obviously noticeable on any of the other bikes parked there either.
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sickpup · Old Timer Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Karma :

What time was the ticket issued?

Supermoto_Fan · World Chat Champion Joined: 10 Jun 2012 Karma :

Many fair points supporting your claim.

The fact throughout the day another 5 or 6 bikes have parked up with you, surely they couldn't of all missed/blatantly ignored the signs ..

You don't reckon they got the parking officers to place the signs up that morning do you? And then conveniently it makes 4 bikes parked illegally.
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27cows · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Nov 2009 Karma :

27cows · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Nov 2009 Karma :

map · Mr Calendar Joined: 14 Jun 2004 Karma :

Doovy · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Jul 2008 Karma :

Noooo not the RXS Crying or Very sad

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LustyLew · World Chat Champion Joined: 19 Apr 2004 Karma :

You left your bike in town during Brighton Pride?! I'm amazed it was still there!

But I wholly expect the signs went up while your bike was in situ... In London I think they have to be up for something like 7 days prior to the suspension. Remember, Brighton & Hove City Council is run by the Green party. You own a 2t bike. To them, you are a child raping Nazi. Expect nothing from them. They are useless cunts.

Also, as you mention, there's no proof of the ticket on the bike anywhere visible on the pictures...
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27cows · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Nov 2009 Karma :

Tamsin · World Chat Champion Joined: 07 Mar 2014 Karma :

DrSnoosnoo · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Mar 2012 Karma :

OT but, when is it Straight pride?
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27cows · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Nov 2009 Karma :

Tamsin · World Chat Champion Joined: 07 Mar 2014 Karma :

The difference being that this year you either had to have paid for a wristband or be a resident to get into the kemptown area of town over the pride weekend. Quite why they felt the need to suspend the bays though fuck knows.

Dick Move during the day, really pissed off everyone who works in the area Rolling Eyes

Wonko The Sane · World Chat Champion Joined: 20 Jan 2013 Karma :

So the photos they've sent support your claim that no ticket was placed on your bike…?
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Mark_F · Crazy Courier Joined: 22 Jul 2013 Karma :

Doubt it will matter to any real extent, but is a sign made out of 2 pieces of paper stuck to a plastic back substantial enough to be outside for (apparently) 10 days, whilst still looking like new? The plastic back I can understand, but the 2 bits of paper (with the main text) stuck on it?

Looks like it was put there that day to me.