GMTV starts Traffic Warden hate campaign
This morning GMTV aired a story condemning the actions of some Traffic Wardens, and highlighted alleged unjust and unfair parking fines. They continue this theme on the GMTV web-site, under the following innocent headline:
GMTV – Find out how to appeal against a parking penalty
The opening paragraph of the article uses a slightly more reactionary tone, stating that:
It’s one issue guaranteed to get everyone’s back up – those nasty traffic wardens and clampers who sneak around the streets looking for innocent motorists to target before slapping them with huge fines.
The warden-bashing tone is continued as they highlight two cases of supposedly unjust issuing of parking fines:
There was the case of Liz Nelson, who parked her car on the curb whilst rushing to church and was given a parking ticket and then nearly towed. Liz jumped into the car as it sat on the back of the tow truck and refused to budge. Police were eventually called and she avoided a £200 two fine and instead got a £50 ticket.
I fail to see what the traffic warden did wrong here. Ms Nelson was illegally parked on the pavement. The fact that she was “rushing to church” is hardly mitigating circumstances, and would be cold comfort to any visually imparied, wheelchair bound or pram-pushing pedestrians who found their path obstructed by her car (a fact pointed out by a spokesman for Lambeth Council who defended the issuing of the fine).
Admittedly, the second case highlighted in the GMTV article make it harder to defend the actions of the traffic warden:
Another recent story involved a parking enforcer slapping a ticket on a car because its permit was obscured by snow on the windscreen. When the driver complained, she was told wardens are forbidden from moving snow to check for a valid ticket.
Elizabeth Sinclair, 20, has written to the council demanding the £60 fine be cancelled. She said: ‘It is a farce. There is no way I am paying the fine when I’ve already forked out for a permit.’
It isn’t made clear whether the snow obscuring the permit fell before or after Ms Sinclair arrived at the car park. If it was before, then she should share some of the responsibility; most authorities justifiably state that tickets and permits should be clearly displayed, and as a responsible driver, Ms Sinclair should have ensured that her windscreen was clear of snow before settings off on her journey. If the snow obscured the permit while the car was parked, then the traffic warden (along with the local council) deserves a good slap, and Ms Sinclair deserves a refund and an apology (but in that case, wouldn’t all the cars parked there at the same time have been similarly persecuted?).
I really dislike the attitude many car driver adopt; that they pay their road tax, and are therefore free to park wherever they please, regardless of how dangerous or inconvenient their actions may be. Owning a car does not mean you own the road. Along with many other acts of illegal parking, obstructing pavements and cycle lanes is selfish, ignorant and dangerous. Unless it is a matter of life and death, or you are a disabled driver, park legally and walk a little. It won’t kill you. If, like Ms Nelson, you have been caught out and fined, then I would to refer you to this web site.