Anyone else fined in Wickes Car Park on Fright Night?

[alchresearch]

I'm not defending the cowboy parking attendents, but people will have knowingley parked there, if they were paying attention to the signs and IIRC there are a few in that car park(inc. both sides of the entrance) they would not have recieved a fine, I feel it is justified, they displayed signs clearley, its not like they disguised the signs.

 

Exactly. What is it with people who cannot read or see signs? If you can't see a sign when parking, what else are you missing when you're on the road?

[bus man]

I was stood just down from wickes on sunday night waiting for the kids to arrive and i saw all these people parking in wickes and thought bet they get a ticket - there as been a lot of publicity about this car park and tickets in past.

 

I was however very amused at seeing the look of absolute panic on peoples faces when they got to john lewis's car park and found it was shut

[Ginger Daddy]

I was stood just down from wickes on sunday night waiting for the kids to arrive and i saw all these people parking in wickes and thought bet they get a ticket - there as been a lot of publicity about this car park and tickets in past.

 

I was however very amused at seeing the look of absolute panic on peoples faces when they got to john lewis's car park and found it was shut

 

Proves a point I made on another thread that for some people, its the only place they know to park in Sheffeld. With that closed, people would panic if they were unfamiliar with the new car parks.

[Paul2412]

As someone has already pointed out, there are 2 massive multi story car parks that are secure and inexpensive. What makes you think you can park on private land where there are clearly signs saying that its for Wickes customers only?

 

You say it was closed, but maybe some staff needed to be there? I'd be very cheesed off if I worked there, had to go in late but couldn't find a space because some cheap guy decided that paying £4 to park was too expensive for him.

[Ousetunes]

As someone has already pointed out, there are 2 massive multi story car parks that are secure and inexpensive. What makes you think you can park on private land where there are clearly signs saying that its for Wickes customers only?

 

You say it was closed, but maybe some staff needed to be there? I'd be very cheesed off if I worked there, had to go in late but couldn't find a space because some cheap guy decided that paying £4 to park was too expensive for him.

 

I can't disagree with you here but I do feel that Wickes could have been more helpful and seen this as an opportunity to give something back to the city. Fright Night is an enormous success and that success depends on the efforts of the authorities, the council and both public and private sectors.

 

If it is true that Wickes was closed, then what an opportunity to provide ample parking in the centre, to contribute to what is a great night's fun. They could have offered parking for a nominal sum, say £2, if they didn't wish to provide it for free. Better, they could have passed the parking charges onto a worthy charity and then anyone with the wish to moan about the charges would at least know that it wasn't Wickes who were raking it in.

 

True, those people who returned to their vehicles with a fine of (allegedly) £80 probably had their night ruined.

 

But I'd guess the damage could be deeper because it sends out a bit of signal saying 'don't bother coming next year'. I know it would make me think twice.

[Paul2412]

I can't disagree with you here but I do feel that Wickes could have been more helpful and seen this as an opportunity to give something back to the city. Fright Night is an enormous success and that success depends on the efforts of the authorities, the council and both public and private sectors.

 

If it is true that Wickes was closed, then what an opportunity to provide ample parking in the centre, to contribute to what is a great night's fun. They could have offered parking for a nominal sum, say £2, if they didn't wish to provide it for free. Better, they could have passed the parking charges onto a worthy charity and then anyone with the wish to moan about the charges would at least know that it wasn't Wickes who were raking it in.

 

True, those people who returned to their vehicles with a fine of (allegedly) £80 probably had their night ruined.

 

But I'd guess the damage could be deeper because it sends out a bit of signal saying 'don't bother coming next year'. I know it would make me think twice.

 

It's a valid point, but if they were to charge a couple of pound for parking then they'd need someone there to take the money. Starts getting expensive pretty quickly.

 

They are ultimately a business, and probably pay lots of money to the council for that car park and if they don't want people parking there after closing time then its completely up to them.

 

Yes they could have chosen to get involved, but I can't understand people having a moan and going as far as saying "I'll never shop there again" because they decided to ignore the warning signs.

[perplexed]

Apart from anything else, is there a public liability issue here? (And I'm not defending clampers etc...)

 

Some are saying that the store was closed, so Wicks should have possibly considered letting the public use it as a goodwill/public relations excercise. (Maybe yes, maybe no, either way I would imagine Wicks pay substantial business rates...)

 

But what happens when someone falls over in the car park, trips over the fence, whatever, and breaks their leg?

 

Are Wicks covered "out of hours"? And even more galling for the shop, when they get sued, the person breaking their leg wasn't even going in to buy a packet of screws!

[Ousetunes]

Apart from anything else, is there a public liability issue here? (And I'm not defending clampers etc...)

 

But what happens when someone falls over in the car park, trips over the fence, whatever, and breaks their leg?

 

Are Wicks covered "out of hours"? And even more galling for the shop, when they get sued, the person breaking their leg wasn't even going in to buy a packet of screws!

 

This thought crossed my mind too.

 

Businesses need public liability insurance and I'd guess if your business has its own parking facilities then this will be covered in the policy.

 

Especially in these days of ambulance-chasing-lawyers.

[Angilaruk]

My bold

 

Ignorance is not a defence. Presumption got you into the mess. You wanted to park for free, when there were obviously lots of spare parking spaces in the purpose built carparks ....... learn to use them or park futher out and use the tram ............. Simples!

 

 

Driving around for ages, as was worse than ever for parking because people thought they couldn't rely on the buses, eventually parked in Wickes Car Park, with loads of others. Presumed this had been made available for Fright Night as a gesture by Wickes, as it was full. Came back to find a ticket on the car along with lots of others - not your average parking fine though - BUT £80! Very expensive family night out for many. But a fantastic night for the clamping company. Why does our law allow companies to screw people over like this?

 

We had a fabulous time at Fright Night. Pity about returning to this.

 

I don't visit Meadowhall Retail Park or Centertainment on principle anymore because of how people are screwed over by the parking there. I now won't be giving Wickes my business, and more importantly, my Dad won't, who is a local builder and normally spends a great deal in there.

[Squiggs]

It amuses me when people post these threads "I parked where it said no parking and now I'm gobsmacked"

 

However, since nitpicking is what SF does best...

 

But they couldn't. Stop moaning!

 

Why shouldn't Wickes fine you? It's a car park for their customers only. I would bet there are signs saying this.

 

I would imagine there's CCTV of the car park.

 

There are 2 very large private multi story car parks in the city centre. Failing that there was Q Park at the train station.

 

Because they have no right in law to fine anyone.

 

They can send a request for payment but it must not be a fine

 

FINE:

1. A sum of money required to be paid as a penalty for an offense.

2. Law a. A forfeiture or penalty to be paid to the offended party in a civil action.

b. An amicable settlement of a suit over land ownership.

 

They are not allowed to inpose any punitive or penal charge