So who else got stung for a night at Exeter services?

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rubberdubber

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Just recieved a unpleasant letter in the post!

Plymouth volksfest/run to the sun weekend. On the way down friday night after getting stuck in copious amounts of traffic, was far too tired to drive and stopped at Exeter sewrvices at about 1am, camped up with about 8 other vans, dont recall seeing any signs stating overnight camping was not aloud, but was dark and was shattered. left the following morning at about 7.30am and according to this letter i owe Exeter services £50 and if i dont pay now, £80. Expensive night! :evil: :oops: Would like to fight it but dont think i have a leg to stand on. Maybe i should have just driven tired and had a hideous accident and cost the government £1000's. Not pleased! Anyone else get stung?
 
I would definitely question this, I would ask them to prove what time you arrived and what time you left. there are many signs stating 'pull over if tired'.

I had no idea they could charge such a ridiculous amount for that, there must be a maximum amount of time you can stay in the service station i guess? but surely a warden would have to issue a ticket there and then?
 
There are usually lots of signs about overnight/long stay parking :( Im guessing theyll have CCTV/photographic proof ....

It annoys me on one hand as the French are so laid back about overnighting on main roads, and encourage the safety of rested drivers, but on the other hand, it would be open season for piss-takers if they didnt restrict it, via charging.

Id hold back paying and see how seriously they chase it, I reckon ;)
 
Sadly exeter does have or atleast it did last july plenty of waiting notices, there usually 2 hour stop offs....I cant remember but I think its conventional CCTV scattered about the car parking and not plate readers else you could have argued a mechanical failure hence the time you stopped and argued that further, however if you want proof then voice your complaint and the 50 should stand until resolved sit back and your screwed as they will usually send the bailiffs around with you picking up costs too....
 
2 hrs max at exeter services im affraid and quite afew notices. I think its £25 to pay for overnight parking.
Id ask for some more info etc and contest it at the £50 stage and see how it goes. Bad luck fella.
 
Just out of interest for the future a little further along the road on both the 30 and 38 are some large lay bys that always have lorries and campers over nighting in so must be ignored or tolerated by the local police.
 
Im sure they wouldnt put up the signs and go the the trouble of sending out the letters if they couldnt enforce it. At the end of the day its private land and they have sign posted warnings. If you go into the services they will sell you a overnight or 24 hour permit for either £25 or £40 so basically its park at your own risk.
Every motorway services ive ever used in this country have the same signs displayed. If you break down its also worth mentioning it to the manager etc from the services for if your their more than 2 hours.
Harsh i know but youve got to admit if it wasnt inforced youd never get in the services for people camping and sleeping. Sad but true.
 
Not sure if they would get the bailifs involved for such a small amount (to them) as it would cost them much more than the debt is worth.

This is pathetic though, what are you supposed to do just drive tired until you crash??

This just stinks of the traceable law abiding middle-class getting screwed over again. I bet all the un-traceable forigen drivers got to sleep there for free just fine.

Looking at it from both sides, you have to create boundaries to stop people taking the p1ss as someone stated, but make it REASONABLE. Does it really cost them £50 for you to use one car parking slot up at 1am in the morning??? Doubt it. £10 quid and you probably would have been annoyed buy paid it, right?

Thinking back to fragments of the law, I know they have to have made a clear and reasonable effort to inform you of any penalty charges as you are enterinng their property - its then a 'contract' between the two parties. You could perhaps argue that the lighting was not adiquate enough for you to see the penalty signs at night which would 'realease' you from that contract. - But as I have been saying - this is 'law' but if you are untraceable all this doesnt really matter....... :roll:

You have more important debts to worry about I am sure, so they can wait. ;)
 
cunning plan said:
Not sure if they would get the bailifs involved for such a small amount (to them) as it would cost them much more than the debt is worth.
Click to expand...

You pay the bailiffs fees - it usually gets added as costs :cry:
 
The problem is that they wont actually progress it beyond a certain time or period of correspondence, they pass the debt on and its they that will persue it fervently and yes the bailiffs go in, sadly one of my cousins did this for a living and very good living at that.... Since they brought in the ruling on cameras logging infringements and ditching the need to actually ticket someone on the spot your pretty much screwed
 
The high £50 fine is actually for not paying the £25 fee up front. The same as every car park in the UK, if you dont pay up front and get caught you will pay alot more.

I always make sure i am rested enough to make the journey i am setting out to do so no i dont think the service providers expect us to drive till we crash. When ive been delayed or become overly tired i find a 2 hour knapp that the service stations allow for free is more than enough, if not just drive to the next one and have another 2 hours.

Im by no means defending the serivce stations, and if you can do it and get away with it im all for that, but then again if you do it and get caught.....................pay up
 
I know they clock your registration going in, then clock you leaving via CCTV, so they'll definatly have proof. It also stops people leaving the motorway through staff exits.
I possibly would write a nice letter to the manager of the services, explaining your circumstances, then offering the overnight parking costs. You never know, and i'm sure they have the powers to revoke the fine.
 
who sent the letter It would have to be Exeter city council or some governing body eg police or dvla the service station manager couldn't do it find out who sent it and phone the council and ask if they have any knowledge of this situation good luck Frankie.
 
Definitely challenge it - lots of companies try this on when they don't have a legal right to charge you, get in touch with your local trading standards too - they'll know the score!!

;)
 
leon said:
It also stops people leaving the motorway through staff exits.
Click to expand...

Really??? The one that I use does not - (well for the services I am thinking of) as I use them on a regular basis! It does not affect anyone in an adverse way and it cuts 15/20 mins from my journey home..... :|

I always figured that using those exits could not be seen as a traffic offence and I don't see how they could fine you for using them? Trespassing from their property onto a public road on the other side maby????? Hmm..
 
Thanks for the replies!

Its my fault, i slept there when i shouldnt have done without paying, i didnt see any signs but then it was dark and i was half asleep so would have missed them anyway. Its ashame that these companys feel the need to shaft law abiding normal people who are doing something sensible, sleeping rather than driving tired and being dangerous. Its a joke infact, but then its there land i suppose and they can do as they will. Im going to get my thinking cap on and try and get out of it with a letter! But not sure how far ile get! Ile let you know how i get on!

cheers all :)
 
cunning plan said:
leon said:
It also stops people leaving the motorway through staff exits.
Click to expand...

Really??? The one that I use does not - (well for the services I am thinking of) as I use them on a regular basis! It does not affect anyone in an adverse way and it cuts 15/20 mins from my journey home..... :|

I always figured that using those exits could not be seen as a traffic offence and I don't see how they could fine you for using them? Trespassing from their property onto a public road on the other side maby????? Hmm..
Click to expand...

Well maybe not at your services, but they have just been installed at ours. I think more services will catch on. Just be warned. MOTO services are catching on!
 

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