Parking fine whilst on holiday in Jersey

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Thu 22 Jun 2017 22:56
Parking fine whilst on holiday in Jersey - 72 dudes

Car Parked in disabled bay in St Helier today, correctly displaying Mrs 72 dudes' blue badge (or so we thought!).

Came back within the time limit to find a parking penalty notice (proper one issued by town council not a private firm).

Reason given: "Failure to display".

Hot footed it round to the parking penalty office to appeal in person, to be told "there's your problem, the blue badge expired in 2015"

Astonished to find we were in fact displaying the old badge. After a minute of head scratching, I realised my stupid mistake: In order to park the car at Luton airport we were advised to take a photocopy of the current blue badge. Tick.

Guess where the 2018 badge is? Yep still on the b****y photocopier I'll bet.

This understandably fell on deaf ears at the penalty office (we could be telling a porky or scamming)

Thing is, the fine is £100.

Technically we were displaying an out of date badge so are 'guilty' to the letter of the law, but it was an innocent albeit foolish mistake.

I'm going to appeal in writing when we get home, including a photo of the 2018 badge.

What would other BR's do or suggest??

BTW, Jersey is gorgeous, but this spoiled St Helier for us!

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Thu 22 Jun 2017 23:12
Parking fine whilst on holiday in Jersey - RT

Appeal the ticket - accept that you haven't complied with regulations, as you seem to be - enclose copies of both sides of each badge and request rescindment - it's then up to the Jersey authorities..

The Blue Badge scheme applies across the EU - but Jersey amd the other Channel Isles aren't in the EU.

Destroy old badges once replaced!

Edited by RT on 22/06/2017 at 23:13

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Thu 22 Jun 2017 23:14
Parking fine whilst on holiday in Jersey - Vitesse6

Pay the fine promptly and write a very polite letter accepting that the fault is yours and explaining how you came to have the out of date badge.

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Sat 24 Jun 2017 10:13
Parking fine whilst on holiday in Jersey - Bromptonaut

The offence was committed, subsequent proof you had right badge is mitigation. Worth a try providing the fine won't escalate in the meantime.

Another factor that might affect your thinking; is parking in Jersey a Police matter or, like UK, have they moved to Civil Enforcement?

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Sat 24 Jun 2017 10:44
Parking fine whilst on holiday in Jersey - 72 dudes

Thanks for the feedback:

Parking is a civil matter in Jersey. The Blue badge scheme is run exactly the same as in the UK and EU, despite Jersey being independent.

Agree with RT and Bromptonaut, I will appeal in a very polite manner using photos of correct badge in mitigation, but expect to have to pay the £100 fine. You are allowed 21 days from the date of the ticket to appeal.

Vitesse6 - yes, my wife has one of those black wallets she keeps the time disc and the actual badge in. Over the years the wallet has stretched slightly so she kept the previous one behind the current one to prevent the badge from slipping out.

I appear to have removed the current one for photocopying and not replaced it.

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Sat 24 Jun 2017 11:14
Parking fine whilst on holiday in Jersey - skidpan

Some years ago my mother put hers on the dash the wrong side up despite it clearly saying it was the wrong way. Got a ticket which she appealed and won.

Worth a try.

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Tue 27 Jun 2017 17:11
Parking fine whilst on holiday in Jersey - 72 dudes

Update:

I wrote the polite email including photos of the current badge admitting it was a foolish but innocent mistake.

Had a response yesterday at midday saying my appeal had been referred to the Centenier at the Town Hall and I would hear the result in due course.

Expected that to mean maybe a week.

A further response at Midday today from the Centenier saying the 'parking infraction' has been cancelled and no further action will be taken.

Feeling lucky. 2015 badge destroyed!

Edited by 72 dudes on 27/06/2017 at 17:13

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Thu 20 Jul 2017 15:59
Parking fine whilst on holiday in Jersey - concrete

Seems like the people in Jersey have a heart. It is nice to know that a reasonable attitude prevails for sympathy when a mistake has clearly been made, but mitigation explains it all away. Just a good job it wasn't Edinburgh or Sheffield where the taliban train the parking wardens and the Gestapo finish off the process!!!!! Well done. Cheers Concrete

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Thu 20 Jul 2017 18:12
Parking fine whilst on holiday in Jersey - Theophilus

Seems like the people in Jersey have a heart. It is nice to know that a reasonable attitude prevails for sympathy when a mistake has clearly been made, but mitigation explains it all away. Just a good job it wasn't Edinburgh or Sheffield where the taliban train the parking wardens and the Gestapo finish off the process!!!!! Well done. Cheers Concrete

Remembering that the good folk of Jersey suffered badly under German occupation during WW2, perhaps the reference to the Gestapo is unfortunate!

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Sun 23 Jul 2017 14:52
Parking fine whilst on holiday in Jersey - concrete

Seems like the people in Jersey have a heart. It is nice to know that a reasonable attitude prevails for sympathy when a mistake has clearly been made, but mitigation explains it all away. Just a good job it wasn't Edinburgh or Sheffield where the taliban train the parking wardens and the Gestapo finish off the process!!!!! Well done. Cheers Concrete

Remembering that the good folk of Jersey suffered badly under German occupation during WW2, perhaps the reference to the Gestapo is unfortunate!

Given their suffering perhaps it's not either!!!!!!!

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