Matt H Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 My mate phoned me up last night to tell me, after he got back from work to the place we park at, his car had been stolen. Skip to later on that night, say 10.00. He phones me up, he car hasnt been stolen, its been towed away! The police were called and apparantly his car was parked in some way that it was obstructing an access / gate to the scout hut (not that the thing gets used during the day anyway). So my mate returns to his car, thinks its been stolen but its been towed by the pigs. Not a word was said to him, wasnt even phoned up and told to shift it or anything. He went to collect it this morning, but was again failed to be told by the yard owner where it was that he must have all kinds of proof with him before they release the car, stool samples etc :roll: Anyway, my mate is pretty positive he didnt park accross any access, so when asking for proof i/e photos of where he was parked, nothing could be produced. Surely you need some kind of proof, otherwise you could just go around collecting cars off drives and saying they were parked in unstuitable locations. They want £182 to release his car, anybody been in a similar situation? any suggestions, hes gona pay it but i think hes getting screwed, so maybe take it up with a solicitor afterwards? What do you reckon, i reckon photo evidence, much like traffic wardens have to do, would be a minimum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Walker Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Just break in and get, like gone in 60 seconds Regards, Gaz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainchaos Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 ask for proof that the police had actually asked for the car to be moved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garetheves Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Even parking wardens take photos of the cars with the tickets on so i would have thought at the very least the police should photo the car as evidence it was parked illegally. Id make sure your mate sees that evidence before paying anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt H Posted December 12, 2007 Author Share Posted December 12, 2007 Just break in and get, like gone in 60 seconds Regards, Gaz. Altough it wont be gone in 60 seconds ask for proof that the police had actually asked for the car to be moved I dont doubt that because my mate phoned up the piggy bank to state that the car was stolen to which they told him what had happened so they obviously organised otherwise they wouldnt know anything about it Even parking wardens take photos of the cars with the tickets on so i would have thought at the very least the police should photo the car as evidence it was parked illegally. Id make sure your mate sees that evidence before paying anything. Thats my take on it, but he has to pay up front because its £12 every day extra its in there, not point in clocking up a further bill if nothing comes of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supragal Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 I take it it's clamped or something? Else he still has the keys... I'd go get in it and drive off Sorry no help at all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt H Posted December 12, 2007 Author Share Posted December 12, 2007 I take it it's clamped or something? Else he still has the keys... I'd go get in it and drive off Sorry no help at all... no, its been picked up and moved via a lorry. There is a slight problem with that, like you cant get away with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supragal Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 But I mean it must BE somewhere now, I get that they towed it away but it can't still be on the lorry... but I guess it's in a secure compound or something, I was being silly really. My bad. I'll leave now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Tell him to look at the signs in future and cough up the fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daston Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 get your mate to write everything down, times dates conversations and with who. Then go to citizens advice with all that and talk them through it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt H Posted December 12, 2007 Author Share Posted December 12, 2007 Tell him to look at the signs in future and cough up the fine. Start reading the post from the start, maybe read it all, then do an edit To clarify, its a residential road, with no Traffic Regulation Orders in force, it was due to apparant obstuction to access, the issue is, as you would appriciate if you read the post, there is no photographic proof that he was parked where they say he was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colsoop Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Quick question Matt. Does your friend have photographic proof he wasn't parked in an obstructive way ? If not then im afraid he will have to get his wallet out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supragal Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Quick question Matt. Does your friend have photographic proof he wasn't parked in an obstructive way ? If not then im afraid he will have to get his wallet out Thing is, if that is correct then it's just wrong! Does that mean that every time we park a car we need to take a picture of it just in case something happend? Sounds like the kind of thing Ian C already does IMHO, the question is, was he parked in an obstructive way. Honestly. If he's just trying to get out of it then don't bother, but if there is a genuine injustice then fight it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Quick question Matt. Does your friend have photographic proof he wasn't parked in an obstructive way ? If not then im afraid he will have to get his wallet out Innocent until proven guilty much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colsoop Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Of course You can appeal. perhaps get the info from where it was collected, if you inted to fight it they should release that info to you. I suspect like most things in this country it would be cheaper to accept the fine and move on It isn't right, maybe get your mate to have a chat with the scout leader (it was a scout hut right ?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snooze Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 I doubt this is something which requires photographic evidence to prove guilt. As such, at best it will come down to your mate saying it wasn't obstructing, and the people who reported it, and the guys who towed it saying that it was. Who do you think the decision would go with? Edit: Personally, I don't believe that law enforcement should require photographic evidence to be honest - otherwise you end up that the police can't do anything without filming it to prove that they followed all the rules and regs to the letter. If they fail to do so, the b*stard lawyers will hang them out to dry in court and yet more criminals will be walking away free. That's if the police even bother to try enforcing the law in that situation. The country is already in the sh*t because we're halfway down this road already.... Unfortunately, the alternative is that the authorities have to be taken on trust, which means the odd injustice (like your mate claims) will get through... Can't have it both ways, I'm afraid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lukeyboy2k Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Thing is, if that is correct then it's just wrong! Does that mean that every time we park a car we need to take a picture of it just in case something happend? This situation sucks. I can't really see how a photograph could help either side of the argument really. How do you prove a photograph is genuine? i.e. Was it taken at the exact time/date of the alleged obstruction? (Unless it was taken from a trusted CCTV source.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt H Posted December 12, 2007 Author Share Posted December 12, 2007 Quick question Matt. Does your friend have photographic proof he wasn't parked in an obstructive way ? If not then im afraid he will have to get his wallet out what a dumb thing to say, he doesnt have to prove he wasnt parked illegally, they have to prove he was!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colsoop Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 what a dumb thing to say, he doesnt have to prove he wasnt parked illegally, they have to prove he was!! Dumb ok then Matt. The fact that your mates car is in a compound somewhere pretty much solves that one hence why i asked if he could prove they took it illegally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt H Posted December 12, 2007 Author Share Posted December 12, 2007 I doubt this is something which requires photographic evidence to prove guilt. As such, at best it will come down to your mate saying it wasn't obstructing, and the people who reported it, and the guys who towed it saying that it was. Who do you think the decision would go with? Thats the nail on the head isnt it. All traffic wardens now do, how is this any different? I would expect and hope that proof would have to be provided if challenged, which is why i think he might have a chance as they wont be able to proove anything. If they had a photo of him obstructing this gate, them it would be hands up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt H Posted December 12, 2007 Author Share Posted December 12, 2007 Dumb ok then Matt. The fact that your mates car is in a compound somewhere pretty much solves that one hence why i asked if he could prove they took it illegally Are you on the bottle today? how does a car being in a compound prove anything? if my car was towed from my drive and put in a compound does that mean it was parked illegally, because it was in a compound?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt H Posted December 12, 2007 Author Share Posted December 12, 2007 Personally, I don't believe that law enforcement should require photographic evidence to be honest - otherwise you end up that the police can't do anything without filming it to prove that they followed all the rules and regs to the letter. If they fail to do so, the b*stard lawyers will hang them out to dry in court and yet more criminals will be walking away free. That's if the police even bother to try enforcing the law in that situation. The country is already in the sh*t because we're halfway down this road already.... Unfortunately, the alternative is that the authorities have to be taken on trust, which means the odd injustice (like your mate claims) will get through... Can't have it both ways, I'm afraid Wow, what a joke the system would be if they didnt have to prove anything. What makes a traffic warden / cop, any better than anyone else? why should they be allowed to just do things and be trusted? that would be a scary world, judge dredd style Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt H Posted December 12, 2007 Author Share Posted December 12, 2007 P.s, im not saying my mate didnt park accross that gate, he says hes pretty sure he didnt, but i would have though that towing your car away, sticking it in a compound without notifying you, resulting in; My mates evening last night being wrecked, firstly by thinking his car was stolen, then having to get me to come and pick him up. Then having his mum be late for work this moring to take him to trafford, with him being late for work also when he has just started out in his career, then paying £182 for it to be released. I'd bloody well expect whoever was responsible to have some hard, concrete proof that he was causing an obstruction. this isnt a £30 fine here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snooze Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Wow, what a joke the system would be if they didnt have to prove anything. What makes a traffic warden / cop, any better than anyone else? why should they be allowed to just do things and be trusted? that would be a scary world, judge dredd style Errrr - isn't that what we have always had? The authorities never really had to "prove" anything as long as they all corroborate the same description of events. Surely the whole point is that we need to have an authority structure that IS trusted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Your mate's not sure if he did or not, but I'd say the fact that his car was towed is a pretty good indication that he did park illegally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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