h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

OK so I got booked this morning and fined £50/100 for being parked outside my friend's house in Lewisham "without displaying a valid permit".
My valid permit was in fact on my dashboard, in clear view through the windscreen. whoever put the penalty notice there couldn't have failed to see it. I admit I didn't hang it out of the passenger window like they ask, but as it is made of cardboard and it was pouring with rain when I got there, I didn't think it would last very long if i did that....
Are traffic wardens on commission or something?!?!
Anyway, what should I do as I can't afford to pay this fine (student with no fixed income) and from a moral pov really don't think I should have to either...

who runs the traffic wardens in that area?

I would take them a photocopy of your permit, and a reciept if you still have it.

it's lewisham borough council's "parking shop", whatever that means...
i phoned and have to appeal in writing so that's what i'll do, thing is, if this takes longer than 2 weeks to sort out i have to pay them £100. that i don't have. and i can see them delaying it on purpose to be honest, although this may be the paranoid delusions again...
i also don't live anywhere near there (or even in london) just to confuse things further!

You probably will end up having to pay to then have the appeal turned down cos the wardens were doing their job

Will you need to park in Lewisham in the near future?

Once they get you into a corner send them an unsigned cheque as payment. It can get through their system as received then get caught up in their accounting bureaucracy. The very least it will do is buy you time and make it harder for them if they do spot it.

I've got away with 2 out of 3 fines I've had - all that happens is that you get a letter from them which you don't bother replying to

Makes mental note

There was a system where if you got caught speeding if you sent a cheque for a penny more than the amount to the DVLA then the payment would be processed but the cheque wouldn't get cashed.

Yeah, but if you continue to ignore them you could end up with the bailffs at your door.

But you might not - it's a gamblers strategy. If they press you jsut pay.

If you make a formal written appeal and lose they reset the time limit on the lower fine from the date you are informed of the appeal result, so even if you appeal and it fails you will get to pay the fine at £50 if you send a cheque off promptly when you hear the result.

Some councils are really aggressive about pursuing parking fines and will send in the bailiffs. The bailiffs add on their fee - and if you can't pay they just keep adding on about £90 every time they come and see you about it. What starts out as a nasty parking fine can quickly become a seriously damaging financial liability - or the loss of your personal property.

It doesn't seem fair - but that's the way the system seems to work.

How about asking the Citizens' Advice where you stand legally on this one?

Good luck.