parking wardens

[richard1951]

is it just me or do any of you find that parking wardens traget the blue badge holder .
I have driven for 45 years and never had a parking ticket till the last year when i got my blue badge
I got a ticket for having the wrong time on the clock, it was set at 9am the time i droped my g/son of at school and i got the ticket at 3 pm when i was collecting him, the warden who was there actualy ran accross the road to my car to inspect it he knew i have a blue card because the week before i saw him checking it , but as i knew i had the card on dash i went into school for my little man, when i got back he was putting ticket on dash so i said but my blue card is there and was told yes nbut the time has expired, i said to him that is silly you saw me pull up 5 min ago and i watched you walk over , but i got the ticket,
it was cancled by the council and she said i must be mistaken as the trafic wardens never run anyware .lol
Last week i was parked outside my daughters house and again with blue badge and this time with the clock set right, saw a ticket on the screen when i looked at it it was for parking partialy on a dropped pathway , lol i did not even realise the path was dropped let alone i was partialy blocking it , for the last 8 years that my daughter has lived there she and everyone else has parked there and never before has anyone got a ticket.
I am wondering if the benafits of having this blue badge is not outweighed by the fact that i seem to be a target for the wardens. there has been other attempts to ticket me but got away with them . is it me or do others find they are targets with the badge?
Richard

[andypandy]

Having been driving for 45 years and having 2 tickets I dont think you are "a target for the wardens"

[Lighttouch]

Having been driving for 45 years and having 2 tickets I dont think you are "a target for the wardens"

You're right AP. I got a parking ticket last Sunday because my Blue Badge was on the dashboard at the wrong angle.

My favourite parking offence was when I'd gone to my local library to photocopy my blue badge to send with mitigating circumstances for a parking offence. While I was in the library, a parking warden turned up on a scooter and was writing a ticket out as I wasn't displaying a blue bade - I was in the library for 4 minutes. I caught him - showed him my blue badge. He even took a photo of me holding the blue badge at the side of my car. I appealed but still had to pay up!

I've had dozens of tickets but I've only paid the fine about 6 times - they can let you off if you're lucky - very lucky!

[Stepheninleeds]

They do not target those who do not have Blue Badges & park where they should not. So, it does seem like they target BB holders. I have seen many park at dropped curbs & stop me getting off or on the kerb, yet nothing is done, even when I tell them about a specific car.

In most of Leeds City Centre, private hire taxis are not allowed, only back & white. However, if you have a BB they can access to drop us off & pick us up, but they tend to get tickets if they do this, & most will not take us now or pick us up. I think often wardens do not care or do not know the rules & law.

[richard1951]

No AP you miss the piont the first 44 years of driving without a blue badge i got no tickets it is only the last year after i got the badge i have had problems 2 tickets and several discusions about weather i should get one or not .

[tinker]

I agree that the wardens seem to police the Blue Badge bays rather enthusiastically, I've had 2 tickets for minor slip-ups, but there again I'm the first to moan about the bays being abused

[andypandy]

Well I must be in the minority then. I have had a blue badge for about 7 years and NEVER had a problem - touch wood !

[ankylosingspondylitispete]

I`ve never had a problem in 13 years of having an orange or blue badge.
Several times i`ve pulled up on a single yellow when a traffic warden is nearby and enjoyed the look of disappointment on his face when I put the badge up!

[Stepheninleeds]

He should have done you then, if you say you put it up. You are suppose to have it up first, lol!

[sea queen]

In the later years there has been an increase and toughening up of checks on B.B holders in so much as they must be displayed in the right position so wardens can see them clearly and they must have the correct time, I always double check before locking the doors.
It does seem a bit 'picky' though doesn't it!

[Stepheninleeds]

It is not as thought the windscreen is that big. So long as it is on the dashboard the right way up that should be enough. Time is important though.

[Paul]

He should have done you then, if you say you put it up. You are suppose to have it up first, lol!

Not strictly true, You should only use the Blue Badge when parked, therefore it is illegal to drive with it on display - as told to me by several wardens and the police!

[Stepheninleeds]

I have to disagree to that because of the cameras. If you want to go on many streets in Leeds you need to display the badge so as not to get a ticket for going onto restricted streets. Almost all cars are banned from going up the Headrow, down the Headrow, Lower Brigate, Brigate, parts of Vicar Lane, to name but a few. Private hire taxis are even more restricted. So you need the badge to prove you can access these areas to be dropped off or picked up. Also to show the cameras that take those lovely photos can then see there is a badge.

[Paul]

Hi Stephen,

I'm not disagreeing with you, but you're talking about restricted access streets when I'm talking about driving everywhere.

Of course you need to have it on display if a signpost says you need to, but when it doesn't don't be driving around with it on your dash.

For one it can cause a distraction if it suddenly slides off the dash, and you look away from the road only for a second - that's all it takes.

[Stepheninleeds]

Yes, I know what you mean, & I mean that too, in part. We are talking about two different things, cars & taxis. My point being that cars & taxis cannot use some streets, unless they are dropping off or picking people up. Because of cameras that can catch you, the badge needs to be displayed when using these streets, even if you are not suppose to use them, you have to so the camera picks it up when you appeal.

[warkman]

The law is an ass sometimes. Have recieved m,y first parking ticket ever today, none before blue badge.
I was in our local town and my only choice was either to park on double yellow lines, or move a couple of yards forward onto the edge of a shops loading only, which late afternoon wasn't happening, so i diod what I thought was the safer option. Got back 20 mins later to find a £75 fine on the car for parking in a loading bay.
Obvisously i am guilty, but how stupid that a more dangerous parking place would not have given me a ticket!

[Stepheninleeds]

Are you guilty? "n England, Blue Badge holders may generally park: on single or double yellow lines for up to three hours, unless there is a ban on loading or unloading."

[Paul]

You can't park in a loading bay though.

Even with my Blue Badge I've never parked on double yellows, as they're usually there for a safety reason.

I'd just swear and drive off lol.

[Stepheninleeds]

No you cannot, but Walkman said he was on yellow lines, on the edge of a loading bay. Sometimes we need to stop there, if there is no where else nearby. That is why we are allowed to. When I had my badge I had such trouble with this too, even though I use to carry the book which said we could park there. We never did park there as it was a taxi, so it was just picking up & dropping off of course, but.....

[Lighttouch]

My Blue Badge expires on 16 January so I think I'll be visited by traffic wardens if parked on the highway. I don't think they'll believe me if I say it's in the post.

Out of interest in all the 35 years that I've held a BB I've only once been asked to show the reverse of the card to clarify I'm the legal user. I was surprised but glad that they carry out occassional checks.

[tinker]

therefore it is illegal to drive with it on display
I don't think it's actually illegal to keep it on the dashboard as long as the B/B holder is in the vehicle. looking at the average 'white transit mans' dashboard, usually full of papers drink-cartons etc the police would have a field-day if we had to keep our motors tidy & as for distracting reflections my Renault Scenic has its own distracting reflectiond built in thanks to poorly designed trim:rolleyes: