Fined by my employer for parking my bike in the car park!!
 

:mad: Yesterday I took the bike to work as I often do from spring to autumn. When I got there I couldn't get to the space where I usually park because it was blocked by contractor's vehicles who were digging a hole to lay pipes. So, I parked outside the carpark on paved area out of everyone's way. Come lunch time, the contractors started to dig up the paved area so I had to move the bike. I still couldn't get into the my usual parking spot so I parked in a car space. What do I find at 5.00pm - a fixed penalty notuce for parking without a permit! £25 or £15 if I pay within 14 days!
Yet I have paid £110 for a permit to park my car (that doesn't guarantee a space though). They will not issue permits for bikes but want to fine me for parking without displaying a permit. This stinks and is blatant discrimination.
I doesn't occur to them that every time I come to work on the bike I'm making a space available for someone else!
I'm absolutely mad about this and will fight it all the way. I am apparently liable to disciplinary action if I don't stump up.
I just had to vent off about this :mad::mad::mad:

Who do you work for the gestapo !!!!!!!!!!!

You fight 'em matey, good luck:)

yeah, what type of ar$eholes do you work for??:puzzled:

University of Dundee - might as well be the gestapo!

Seems wholly unfair to me Derek - name and shame I say !!!!

Does your permit have to be displayed in some way and this is the crux of the fine???

Perhaps the BMF or someone might be able to help as well?

Good luck - Frank

[Edited on 20-4-2005 by Iconic944ss]

On two of our sites where I work, bikes cannot park anywhere except in the bike sheds. One morning I was late in, and the bike shed was full (normally parks around 10 motorbikes and 50 pushbikes). So I was forced to park elsewhere. I parked in a vacant space in the main carpark. Told security where I had parked, I was told I cannot park there. Asked why not, space is for cars only, displaying a pass. I asked where should I park, and was greeted with a grunt. So I left it there. Contacted facilities, told them where I had parked and why. They were cool about, told security it was ok. Now, there are 3 spaces now for bike only parking. Like you Derek, I explained green issues, space saving etc, and how many bikes they could get in just 3 spaces. Spaces now covered, and near the gatehouse so security can see them. Guess it help, the person i spoke to in facilites rides an SV tho! Maybe you should talk to whom ever is responsible for parking. When the there was work done near the bike sheds, they put up temp space for parking.

Oh, and I work for the SS as well! Secure parking, passes etc. Hail President Blair!

I guess, it's good to talk!

[Edited on 20-4-2005 by Flanks]

Why don't you send them a photocopy of your parking permit and a nicely worded letter explaining that you were perfectly entitled to park in that space ("see enclosed copy of valid parking permit") and that you think this has just been a simple misunderstanding.

Might be worth taking the "nice" approach first as sometimes you can get further...

...then if that doesn't work give them hell :devil:

After that, speak to the local press and make a stink......

Derek...that's outrageous. I'm with antonye on this one. A 'nice' letter first explaining the rather obvious facts that you can only drive/ride/park one vehicle at a time & the bike takes up less space.

If that doesn't work, I'd write to your local MP or get a job somewhere else :burn:

tell them that motorcycles are a key part of your religion and that by fining you they are discriminating against you on those days that you ride to work, undertaking religious persecution etc etc etc

Do they still use the cane in Scotland?:lol:

Feeling for you though Derek.

I wouldn't be that specific. Don't mention it was a motorbike at all but describe it as a "vehicle".

Don't write it along the lines of "I parked my bike in a car space" but more "in reference to the penalty notice, dated xxx, I was surprised to receive this as I am the holder of a valid parking permit (copy attached). I'm sure this is a simple misunderstanding, etc."

I have now spoken to the "Parking Police":pig: and they have agreed to waive the fine on this occasion.
That's all very well but the real problem is they have no policy at all regarding motorcycle parking. They will fine me for "Parking a vehicle and failing to display a valid permit" but they won't issue a permit for motorcycles, only for cars!
I am not stopping at this. There are no parking facilities for motorcycles at all. When I pointed this out I was refered to a bicycle shed about half a mile away. I ask you would you park your pride and joy in shed full of student bikes with scratchy pedals and handlebars which would destroy the fairing panels in a matter of days. And as others have pointed out when I use the bike I leave a space in the car park for someone else.
The Uni is very pushed for parking spaces these days because they keep building on them and they are trying to persuade staff to use alternative forms of transport. I think it's time I introduced them to the benefits of motorcyles:devil:

Take the head of Faculty's out for a pint & a spin at lunchtime:devil:

C - good luck

Fight the *******s to the end. I used to work for Oxford Brookes University and they decided to implement a £30 annual parking fee which would also apply to bikes. We had to fight tooth and nail to get bikes exempt, pointing out to the VC that because the charge was based on a 'green' commuter plan and because bikes are just about the greenest form of transport, it made a nonsense of charging us.

Have you tried talking to Unison or whoever your trade union is?

At least bikes are exempt from the fee ( at the moment ) but they don't give us anywhere to park either. The union have been made aware of the situation but they seem to be pretty ineffectual about the whole charge to park business.

Do they still use the super sticky window stickers to let you know you have parked in the wrong place? I used to collect them when i went to uni there!! They were nigh on impossible to remove and they liked to stick them right in the field of vision on the drivers door window...

No I think these things are getting pretty near to criminal damage. I think they used to use spray mount and white spirit is about the only thing that would shift it. They put them in a small plastic envelope with "Fixed Penalty" on it with black and yellow chevrons around the edge. It is stuck on with a less fierce glue but it still left traces on my screen which took a bit of cleaning to get off. I'm a bit wary of having solvents in contact with plexiglass or more particularly ABS. I suppose I could try to sue them for a new screen if it is damaged by their glue or maybe can I claim costs for time involved in cleaning it off?