On 4 Aug 2003 03:44:26 -0700, AOL's down again...
wrote: Hi folks.

On saturday last, I got a parking ticket in the delightful London
borough of Southwark. The ticket was issued by APCOA Parking for and
on behalf of the aforementioned London Borough. I was parked in a bay
marked "PERMIT HOLDERS ONLY MON-FRI 8am - 6pm". The ticket states that
the attendant believed I was "PARKED IN A PERMIT BAY WITHOUT
DISPLAYING A VALID PERMIT".

Clearly, as this happened on a saturday, I don't want to pay the £100
fine, nor do I want to pay the "reduced" £50 charge for paying within
14 days.

if you dispute the charge under no circumstances pay it now

Can anyone help me out with the correct (i.e. best) way to go about
this? Do I have to wait until after 28 days has elapsed and they send
me out the "NOTICE TO OWNER" and then put my case to "The Parking
Shop" in writing (including the photos I took with my mobile phone"?
Is there nothing I can or should do in the meantime?

write to either (a) chief exec of the council (b) parking manager
at the town hall. Do not write to the contractor that issued the
ticket; the parking appeals people can't help you, yet, either.
keep copies of your correspondence and their reply.

take a picture of the sign, and the position of the vehicle. this
might come in handy if you need to escalate the matter to an appeal.

feel free to claim costs for wasted time raising the appeal and taking
the pictures. keep the sum reasonable.

be very polite -- these people are used to receiving a torrent of
abuse from the public -- but firm, it works wonders.

--
u n d e r a c h i e v e r

And another thing - the sticky strip that I guess is supposed to be
used by the Parking Attendant to stick the thing to my windscreen
wasn't removed - it's semi transparent and I can read through it
"Officer please remove this tape".

I don't s'pose for a minute this makes any difference whatsoever but
I'd look a right plonker if it turned out to be some devastating legal
loophole!

Cheers folks,

John