Asda Parking Fines

[TonyJones]

I have just received a parking fine of £60 reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days from Asda Weston super Mare for not parking my camper within the lines. So if you want hassle free shopping with your camper/motorhome and it does'nt fit within the lines DON'T shop at Asda. Morrisons and Sainsbury's have confirmed they have no such policy so you have been warned.

 

[TonyJones]

These are NOT "fines" in any legal sense Mike. They're a "charge" which you're presumed to have agreed to pay, by parking there and not keeping to the small print in the car park notice.
I've no personal experience of what happens next, but I've seen lots of advice elsewhere along the lines of "Don't pay - ignore whatever they send, all they can do is sue you in civil courts, and they won't bother."
Of course, I don't know if that approach works or not, but it's probably what I'd do in your shoes.
Anyway, I don't patronise Asda. I used to work for one of their suppliers in a previous life, and I know exactly how they achieve those low prices!!!

 

[JOHNLINSKEY]

What is sad about this is the individual who posted the ticket.Another reason i go abroad for hassle free motorhoming! When are us Brits going to stick together,and not worry about a stupid line.OR WAS THE CAR PARK TOTALLY RAMMED i doubt it.

 

[gjh]

As Tony says, notices from private companies are not fines but penalties for breaching the parking contract. Whether or not companies find it practical to chase non-payers is up to them but the likelihood is that as more do not pay they will take a harder line.
All supermarkets want our money as much as they do from other customers and only introduce parking restrictions when they find their car parks being abused by non-customers. That is why I have included a warning on the supermarkets page at my web site. If they find that abuse/non-payment by motorhome owners becomes commonplace then the likelihood of height barriers will increase.
It may be worth sending an e-mail to Asda CEO Andy Clarke (andy.clarke@asda.co.uk) pointing out that the company will lose out if it applies the "lines" restriction (as opposed to going over time &c) to motorhomes and asking for the rules to be changed.
Graham

 

[alanheath]

At supermarkets I see plenty of bad parking by people who could fit in the parking space but don't - I wonder will they have to pay this charge too? Obviously if Asda wish to introduce this parking charge, that is up to them. Up to us to go somewhere else too!

 

[Flicka]

Once again we see a total "cop-out" by the retailer. I had a similar problem in a B&Q carpark a few years ago.
I contacted B&Q only to be informed it was nothing to do with them as they had outsourced the car-park management to a private company. BUT they failed to say the private company PAID B&Q for the "franchise". So the private company had to get their money back, plus cost of equipment, signage, wages & profit, by any means fair or foul. Needless to say B&Q no longer get my business.

 

[CourtJester]

I've just spotted this. Perhaps too late for the original poster but you may want to put it in 'Favourites'.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/private-parking-tickets

 

[gjh]

I've just spotted this. Perhaps too late for the original poster but you may want to put it in 'Favourites'.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/private-parking-tickets

That article talks about "an unfair ticket". As the OP points out, the ticket wasn't unfair, it was properly issued. It always pays to check regulations when parking.

 

[christigen]

It depends in your area. Just a
piece of advice, always pays your parking ticket bill. I remember, a woman sued
the city of Chicago because of a $105,000-plus parking ticket bill accrued by
her $600 Junker vehicle. The citations, collected over three years, add up to
the biggest such bill ever served by the town. However, there are reasons why
she may have a very good case.

 

[sambukashot]

Should this post be moved to "Parking and overnighting" forum?

 

[TonyJones]

Well spotted Keith, thanks.

 

[StuartO]

I'm a bit confused about the nature of the parking restrictions at Asda - were there signs announcing what these were? I can;t remeber taking our MH to Asda except for fuel and I've never noticed any signs restricting MHs.

Am I missing something?

 

[gjh]

Asda (and other supermarkets) do not restrict motorhomes specifically but there are restrictions which apply to all vehicles in some stores. They tend to mainly be time restrictions to stop commuters clogging up the car park to the detriment of store and customers but some have restrictions on using multiple bays.
The question was raised on another forum in February last year and, as a result, I contacted all the major stores for their policies. Their statements are summarised Here.
We actually used multiple bays at Morrisons in Blackpool last year but before we parked I went to the customer services desk to check that it would be OK. The staff member said that it would be and she would inform the parking attendant if necessary - but it may have had something to do with my mentioning that I could always go to Tesco a couple of miles away if not

Graham

 

[StuartO]

Good work Mr MHP. So it looks like the two supermarkets where you need to be careful are Morrisons and Waitrose, where third party companies may try to fine you for using multiple parking bays. Always ask at Customer services if you are OK parking in a MH as you go in and if they say yes, you should be OK if you end upo with a ticket and have to argue the toss?

 

[gjh]

Yes. If customer services agree that you can park they have changed the terms of contract in your favour.
At the end of the day supermarkets are really interested in detering people who are taking the Mickey; they all want to encourage genuine customers.