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Zig zag operation

In our local area, Walton upon Thames, drivers are now regularly prosecuted for parking on the zig zag lines either side of the crossing in the High Street. This is done by CCTV: you get a picture of your car on the crossing through the post and have no knowledge in advance that this can happen. A quick trip to McDonalds ends up as the most costly meal you have ever eaten. Of course it is against the law to park on the zig zag lines. It is also against the law to speed but speed cameras are painted yellow to draw driver's attention to them. My view is that there should be adequate signage warning drivers that if they park on these lines they can be prosecuted. Nothing is currently done to warn drivers about this and it seems to be a sneaky non-British way of doing things. The penalties are high because they don't seem to be done by fixed penalty so fines are not limited to £60. I have seen £170 plus costs and the victim support surcharge. It is almost worse than the private wheel clampers, with their notices so high that you cannot read them. At least they have notices.

Asked on 24 July 2010 by DC, Shepperton

Answered by Honest John
I live in the area too. I am aware of the disgusting laziness of some of the people who buy stuff at MacDonalds. Not only can they not be bothered to prepare healthy, nutritious food for themselves at far less cost, they are too bone idle to park their cars properly then walk to buy their Macs and fries. If that extends to parking on zebra crossing zigzags it amounts to sheer contempt for very sensible law against parking there because of the danger this causes to pedestrians attempting to cross the road. Just because the overweight slobs who park on zig zags have got away with it for years does not mean they should continue to do so, nor that they should be warned about it.
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