Woman refuses to leave her car while it’s being towed – and WINS parking dispute
The frustrated motorist jumped in the driver's seat and refused to move after finding her car "floating in the air" as she went to leave for work
A BOLD motorist took a stand and refused to leave her car as it was being towed - with parking wardens then ordered to put it down.
Debbie Ricketts jumped in the driver's seat of her BMW as it was being hoisted on to a Camden Council truck for a parking violation outside her home in Highgate Newtown on Monday.
The motorist had allegedly parked in bays which had been closed off by construction workers, but she claimed it wasn't clear which spots were still available.
Ms Ricketts, who works as a public protection and safety officer for another London council, told the parking wardens had been treating the area like a "cash cow", with residents regularly chased for parking offences.
Monday's incident was the second time Debbie's car had been put on the back of a tow truck.
After initially having a "civilised conversation" with the council workers, Debbie was surprised to see them continue to lift her car on to the truck.
So in protest, she climbed into the driver's seat.
With the frustrated motorist refusing to leave her car, the tow truck was left blocking the residential street for more than an hour.
Police were eventually called to the scene and the order was given for the car to be put back down on the road so Ms Ricketts could go to work.
According to the council, the car was taken off the truck on "safety grounds".
But while her motor may not have been towed, the car owner was still slapped with a ticket for the original parking offence.
According to Camden Council website, parking offences in the area attract a fine of between £60-£120.
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However given her car wasn't taken away, it's unlikely she will have to pay the usual £200 council impound fee - or the additional £40 per day holding charges.
Debbie Ricketts told Camden New Journal: “I came out of my house to go to work and found my car floating in the air.
"I said can you please put it down, so I can go to work. We had a very civilised conversation, but I thought, I’ve had enough of this.
"I feel persecuted. I got in my car and said I’m not leaving.
“I was on my way to work and would have been out of there. Instead they created an obstruction for an over an hour."
While Ms Ricketts managed to prevent her car from being towed, experts don't recommend her actions as something other motorists should try.
The issue is a major legal grey area, and could result in a stream of legal proceedings to find out who really has right of way.
Tim Shallcross, Head of Technical Policy and Advice at IAM Roadsmart, said: “There is nothing preventing anyone from doing the same.
"In one case in London, the police turned up and asked the driver to leave the vehicle.
"He told them it was a civil matter (which it is). They then informed the driver that they had no authority to remove him from the vehicle and neither had the local authority.
“However, we wouldn’t suggest this as a remedy. The law certainly needs clarification.
"In some US states the tow operators are deemed to have seized the car as soon as they attach any equipment to it and it’s illegal to prevent them from continuing, or to enter the car.
"In New Zealand, the operators must stop the action if the owner of the car turns up while they are preparing to remove that car – the owner pays the parking penalty but no a towing charge.
"In the UK it seems a grey area, but it seems we would likely use the NZ approach.
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"If the driver returns, as this lady did, before the car is taken, there should be a fine to pay but the tow truck should leave the car where it was, provided it’s driven away immediately. Time for some clarity from the law.”
Earlier this year, we reported the simple "excuses" that could get you out of a parking ticket.
We also revealed how keeping your pay and display parking tickets could save you money.