That's what I call shocking snooze! (From Swindon Advertiser)

On this particular occasion I do think the guy has a point.

Firstly how full would the car park have been at that time of the morning, and secondly he could easily have been ill.

Why is a traffic warden around at 7am ?

I thought that the traffic wardens in Swindon seemed to be more lenient than those in other towns because i had parked outside my own house once (double yellows) and the warden actually knocked on my door and asked me to move my car instead of just issuing a ticket, which i thought was rather decent and showed common sense, but it seems i am wrong at that traffic wardens when on patrol lack any ability to use common sense and initiative (which is sadly lacking in today's society). I don't care what the rules are a knock on the car to wake the man should of been all that was needed, and SBC can come out with all the excuses they want in response to this but it is just plain wrong to issue a parking fine to someone asleep in their car.

My life already, does no-one take responsibility for their actions any more? As soon as anyone gets a parking ticket in Swindon now are they going to have a story in the Adver.
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Only two days ago we have Grandpa Cummings and his highly dubious whinging about being clamped for obstructing Little London Court whilst he went off to the Church on the other side of the road, which has a car park.
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Now we have Rip Van Woodwards who doesn’t buy a parking ticket and quite rightly gets a ticket, then gets upset because the Warden doesn’t stop to make sure he is still alive.
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People. Pay for your **** parking like the rest of us do, and stop whining if you get a ticket or clamped when you don’t.

Robert Feal-Martinez wrote:
On this particular occasion I do think the guy has a point. Firstly how full would the car park have been at that time of the morning, and secondly he could easily have been ill.

So the laws of the land are dependant on what time of day it is? Since when?
If this poor chap was so tired what was he doing on the road anyway. My advice to him would be to get a little more sleep in a proper environment. I do believe he could have booked in to the Travel Lodge and THAT would have cost less than his fine.
Good job he didn't park up in the Kings Arms or he would have found himself clamped as well.

Amberflame wrote:
I thought that the traffic wardens in Swindon seemed to be more lenient than those in other towns because i had parked outside my own house once (double yellows) and the warden actually knocked on my door and asked me to move my car instead of just issuing a ticket, which i thought was rather decent and showed common sense, but it seems i am wrong at that traffic wardens when on patrol lack any ability to use common sense and initiative (which is sadly lacking in today's society). I don't care what the rules are a knock on the car to wake the man should of been all that was needed, and SBC can come out with all the excuses they want in response to this but it is just plain wrong to issue a parking fine to someone asleep in their car.

So what you are saying is, should the Police catch someone in the act of burgling your house, you would be quite happy for them to let him go, provided he put the stuff back he stole?
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Rubbish. You would say that he had broken the law and should be punished, even if he didn't get away with it.
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In this case the taxi-driver has the decency to admit he should have bought a parking ticket, which he didn't. Why should he get let off?

The Real Librarian wrote:

Amberflame wrote: I thought that the traffic wardens in Swindon seemed to be more lenient than those in other towns because i had parked outside my own house once (double yellows) and the warden actually knocked on my door and asked me to move my car instead of just issuing a ticket, which i thought was rather decent and showed common sense, but it seems i am wrong at that traffic wardens when on patrol lack any ability to use common sense and initiative (which is sadly lacking in today's society). I don't care what the rules are a knock on the car to wake the man should of been all that was needed, and SBC can come out with all the excuses they want in response to this but it is just plain wrong to issue a parking fine to someone asleep in their car.

So what you are saying is, should the Police catch someone in the act of burgling your house, you would be quite happy for them to let him go, provided he put the stuff back he stole? . Rubbish. You would say that he had broken the law and should be punished, even if he didn't get away with it. . In this case the taxi-driver has the decency to admit he should have bought a parking ticket, which he didn't. Why should he get let off?

Totally agree with your last point.
Steve Van Winkle clearly shows that he is man of high morals and decency in accepting his fate.
The law is still the law and just maybe the gestapo-esque traffic warden could have been a little more compassionate but where do you draw the line?

Billy Jo, Swindon says...
just maybe the gestapo-esque traffic warden could have been a little more compassionate but where do you draw the line?
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“gestapo-esque! ! !” What a phrase
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Ah yes, you are quite correct, traffic wardens are as bad as the Gestapo. Obviously putting a ticket on the windscreen of an illegally parked car is exactly the same as kicking down doors and dragging people from their beds in the middle of the night and taking them off to be shot! Can’t see a difference myself.
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Actually of course I can. You are being silly.
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I have a lot of respect for Traffic Wardens. They do a difficult job, for not much money and have to take a lot of abuse from selfish cretins who all think that they should be exempt from laws that apply to other people.
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Here it is, in simple language.
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If you park in the wrong place or don’t pay for your parking, you will get a ticket or get clamped. If you do it is your fault, and there is no-one to blame but yourself.
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There is no “I was only there for a minute,” there is no “there were plenty of spaces left,” there is no “It was an emergency.”
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Pay for your parking or take you punishment like a man, and stop squealing like a little girl.
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Billy Jo says, where do you draw the line. Easy. People who pay for parking don’t get tickets.

Again all rules of life are null and void for the taxi community, why should the rest of us be compliant with rules and there penalties, I don't agree with the perverse use of bus lanes by taxis as this a form of positive discrimination against those who can't afford to pay their queue jumping fares, the roads are paid for and maintained by the the tax payers, if they want exclusive use of said lanes they should pay for any maintenance. If the driver was feeling sleepy the law clearly states he should not be driving, he needs to find somewhere sensible to pull up and recover (not a public area), if anybody falls asleep at work, the health and safety taliban would probably have said person sent home without pay. Driving a vehicle under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or sleep deprivation is illegal, people who drive and the people who nag them for taking time out to get the required amount of sleep should be aware of their actions/inactions.

What a nothing story.The adver really does struggle to fill its ever dwindling pages.The taxi driver was wrong,and the checking to see if he was alive bit is laughable
what a pathetic story.Maybe the police should investigate the driver who is so tired he falls asleep in car parks.Isn't that a danger to his passengers?

"They must have been completely silent because when you are just dozing, the slightest noise can wake you up."
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Or, in fact, you were sound asleep and didn't hear them over the noise of your stentorian snoring.
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"I have a radio unit in the car which makes a bleeping noise to let me know I have a job to go to, and that always wakes me up."
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So it takes the shrill beeping of your alarm clock...sorry radio... to wake you up when you are 'just dozing'.
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“I’m going to pay the fine straight away and I’m not going to make a fuss because I know I was in the wrong..."
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... but actually I will make a fuss 'cos appearing in the Adver is the closest I'll get to being on Big Brother.
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“This person had no consideration as to whether I was alive, I could have been in a coma or seriously ill,”
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Or probably just heard you snoring and figured rather than wake you up so you could drive off and kill someone in your sleep-deprived state, he'd let you carry on knowing that you'd know you were in the wrong and would just pay the fine without making a fuss... little suspecting that, as others have implied, you're a witless, thoughtless, ignorant, self-obsessed self-important product of the "me" generation, so important in the grand scheme of Woodwards World that strangers should wake you up just to make sure you're not in a coma.

Hmmmf wrote:
"They must have been completely silent because when you are just dozing, the slightest noise can wake you up."
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Or, in fact, you were sound asleep and didn't hear them over the noise of your stentorian snoring.
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"I have a radio unit in the car which makes a bleeping noise to let me know I have a job to go to, and that always wakes me up."
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So it takes the shrill beeping of your alarm clock...sorry radio... to wake you up when you are 'just dozing'.
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“I’m going to pay the fine straight away and I’m not going to make a fuss because I know I was in the wrong..."
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... but actually I will make a fuss 'cos appearing in the Adver is the closest I'll get to being on Big Brother.
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“This person had no consideration as to whether I was alive, I could have been in a coma or seriously ill,”
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Or probably just heard you snoring and figured rather than wake you up so you could drive off and kill someone in your sleep-deprived state, he'd let you carry on knowing that you'd know you were in the wrong and would just pay the fine without making a fuss... little suspecting that, as others have implied, you're a witless, thoughtless, ignorant, self-obsessed self-important product of the "me" generation, so important in the grand scheme of Woodwards World that strangers should wake you up just to make sure you're not in a coma.

Hmmmf! This story is about park illegally and get fined! Thats all, its 'simple'. Wether it right or wrong, perhaps he shouldn't of dozed off!

"Robert Feal-Martinez, says...
9:25am Mon 23 Aug 10

On this particular occasion I do think the guy has a point. "
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Whatever happened to 'Call me Bob'? Have you decided to drop the shameless and hypocritical posturing then 'Bob'? Do you no longer wish to be called 'Bob'? Please do clarify.

Yes sun_set, I know, I was pointing out the stupidity of the arguments he 'wasn't making a fuss about.'
I wanna die peacefully in my sleep like Steve Woodwards, not screaming in terror like his passengers... If he can't cope with the shift pattern without falling into such a deep kip he doesn't know he's being ticketed, he should stick to days.

Gooey wrote:
What a nothing story.The adver really does struggle to fill its ever dwindling pages.The taxi driver was wrong,and the checking to see if he was alive bit is laughable what a pathetic story.Maybe the police should investigate the driver who is so tired he falls asleep in car parks.Isn't that a danger to his passengers?

Sod it... You're quite right....
The traffic warden is just that... He is not a flippin paramedic or a guardian angel.
WAKE UP YOU USELESS CABBIE AND YOU WON'T ENCOUNTER THIS PROBLEM AGAIN !!!

DESPERATEDAN wrote:
Why is a traffic warden around at 7am ?

Just so they catch the ones they missed the night before.

They are around from about 6am in Paddington Drive, booking sleeping lorry drivers. Where they have suddenly surprised them after many years, with a restrcitive parking area, that has a complete lack of signs. Makes them an easy target and the borough easy money!!

Sleeping Targets!

Mr Woodwards has a valid point here.
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Yes, he should have purchased a ticket but he is right when he says it shows the mentality behind the behaviour of many traffic wardens.
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What *should* have happened is a polite knock on the window and a, 'Are you OK Sir? If you intend staying I must ask you to purchase a ticket please', rather than a cowardly tip-toe around trying not to laugh as they issued the ticket.
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It highlights the 'Them and us' type 'gotcha!' mentality. They are SUPPOSED to enforce parking regulations but they also supposed to work FOR us, not against us.
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I have had similar isssues with these Civil Enforcement Officers where their actions clearly demonstrated that they're out to get motorists whenever they can and by an devious means they think they will get away with. In my case, they shot themselves in the foot and I actually had no fine to pay and the ticket was voided. But the manner in which they issued it absolutely proved that they were trying to get one over on me rather than issuing the ticket correctly.

i think the traffic warden was correct in this case.
1) if the man was observed for three minutes then the traffic warden would have established that he was alive
2) if you break the rules then you have to pay the consequence
Traffic wardens are not stupid members of the public should not treat them in this way. Also they are normal people too and would not put someones life at risk if they really thought they were in danger.
Surely if the taxi driver was tierd then he should have gone home. This may be a lesson to him as to not kip on the job!!!!!

Traffic wardens get paid very little for the job they do and do not get any bonuses for how many people they fine.
They are only doing there job!!!!

The Real Librarian wrote:

Amberflame wrote:
I thought that the traffic wardens in Swindon seemed to be more lenient than those in other towns because i had parked outside my own house once (double yellows) and the warden actually knocked on my door and asked me to move my car instead of just issuing a ticket, which i thought was rather decent and showed common sense, but it seems i am wrong at that traffic wardens when on patrol lack any ability to use common sense and initiative (which is sadly lacking in today's society). I don't care what the rules are a knock on the car to wake the man should of been all that was needed, and SBC can come out with all the excuses they want in response to this but it is just plain wrong to issue a parking fine to someone asleep in their car.

So what you are saying is, should the Police catch someone in the act of burgling your house, you would be quite happy for them to let him go, provided he put the stuff back he stole?
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Rubbish. You would say that he had broken the law and should be punished, even if he didn't get away with it.
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In this case the taxi-driver has the decency to admit he should have bought a parking ticket, which he didn't. Why should he get let off?

Sorry, didn't realise failing to buy a parking ticket was a crime akin to burglary, in fact i didn't think it was a crime at all?

So in reply to your rather aggressive response to my original post let me make clear what i believe should of happened. If someone parks their car gets out, walks away and does not buy a ticket then they should receive a fine but if someone is in their car, possibly having fallen asleep they should be asked to move on or buy a ticket, if they don't then they get a fine.

That is my opinion please don't try to tell me what i would say or think!

Mr Blackwell wrote:
Mr Woodwards has a valid point here.
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Yes, he should have purchased a ticket but he is right when he says it shows the mentality behind the behaviour of many traffic wardens.
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What *should* have happened is a polite knock on the window and a, 'Are you OK Sir? If you intend staying I must ask you to purchase a ticket please', rather than a cowardly tip-toe around trying not to laugh as they issued the ticket.
.
It highlights the 'Them and us' type 'gotcha!' mentality. They are SUPPOSED to enforce parking regulations but they also supposed to work FOR us, not against us.
.
I have had similar isssues with these Civil Enforcement Officers where their actions clearly demonstrated that they're out to get motorists whenever they can and by an devious means they think they will get away with. In my case, they shot themselves in the foot and I actually had no fine to pay and the ticket was voided. But the manner in which they issued it absolutely proved that they were trying to get one over on me rather than issuing the ticket correctly.

I thought I was alone with my opinion on this, but perhaps not! There seems to be a lot of mean spirited people out there!
:-)

To all those people who are defending the Civil Enforcement Officer, do you REALLY think the person responsible hasn't been telling all his/her colleagues about what they did whilst all wiping away their tears of laughter?
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They will have found this incident *hilarious* because that, I'm afraid, is their mentality - it's all about catching people out and screwing drivers if they possibly can.
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This is NOT about some highly moral crusade to ensure correct parking, it's about generating revenue and clobbering drivers.
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It would have been polite, morally correct and gracious to have simply tapped on the window and asked the taxi driver to either buy a ticket or move on.
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But, not, the warden decided to be a sneaky little arse about it. Well done traffic warden, you've just demonstrated exactly why you get a hard time from the public and might like to think about such incidents when you're bleating about how 'nasty' people are to you.

Billy Jo wrote:

Gooey wrote:
What a nothing story.The adver really does struggle to fill its ever dwindling pages.The taxi driver was wrong,and the checking to see if he was alive bit is laughable what a pathetic story.Maybe the police should investigate the driver who is so tired he falls asleep in car parks.Isn't that a danger to his passengers?

Sod it... You're quite right....
The traffic warden is just that... He is not a flippin paramedic or a guardian angel.
WAKE UP YOU USELESS CABBIE AND YOU WON'T ENCOUNTER THIS PROBLEM AGAIN !!!

Can he stay awake for an extra shift to pay the fine?

Security word lazy-turn

faatmaan wrote:
Again all rules of life are null and void for the taxi community, why should the rest of us be compliant with rules and there penalties, I don't agree with the perverse use of bus lanes by taxis as this a form of positive discrimination against those who can't afford to pay their queue jumping fares, the roads are paid for and maintained by the the tax payers, if they want exclusive use of said lanes they should pay for any maintenance. If the driver was feeling sleepy the law clearly states he should not be driving, he needs to find somewhere sensible to pull up and recover (not a public area), if anybody falls asleep at work, the health and safety taliban would probably have said person sent home without pay. Driving a vehicle under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or sleep deprivation is illegal, people who drive and the people who nag them for taking time out to get the required amount of sleep should be aware of their actions/inactions.

I just want to say this man was not a TAXI driver he is a private hire driver, probably doing a double shift as they so often do. It seems every time a private hire driver breaks the law be it a parking ticket to more serious crimes like sexual assault or rape the two bit paper that is the adver tells you the readers its a taxi driver, well once again its not. Prehaps the staff in the adver could make some kind of effort to get the facts straight.

the cabster wrote:

faatmaan wrote: Again all rules of life are null and void for the taxi community, why should the rest of us be compliant with rules and there penalties, I don't agree with the perverse use of bus lanes by taxis as this a form of positive discrimination against those who can't afford to pay their queue jumping fares, the roads are paid for and maintained by the the tax payers, if they want exclusive use of said lanes they should pay for any maintenance. If the driver was feeling sleepy the law clearly states he should not be driving, he needs to find somewhere sensible to pull up and recover (not a public area), if anybody falls asleep at work, the health and safety taliban would probably have said person sent home without pay. Driving a vehicle under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or sleep deprivation is illegal, people who drive and the people who nag them for taking time out to get the required amount of sleep should be aware of their actions/inactions.

I just want to say this man was not a TAXI driver he is a private hire driver, probably doing a double shift as they so often do. It seems every time a private hire driver breaks the law be it a parking ticket to more serious crimes like sexual assault or rape the two bit paper that is the adver tells you the readers its a taxi driver, well once again its not. Prehaps the staff in the adver could make some kind of effort to get the facts straight.

just to say private hire should not be allowed to use bus lanes as they are as the title states private hire for private bookings, taxis or hackney carriages are for public hire as are buses so should have the same rights to use bus lanes and gates.

so empty cabs are allowed the use of a lane designed/funded by the general public, if you want exclusivity , pay the real cost of the lanes , why should the general public subsidise private enterprise, these are public highways not private back roads.

faatmaan wrote:
so empty cabs are allowed the use of a lane designed/funded by the general public, if you want exclusivity , pay the real cost of the lanes , why should the general public subsidise private enterprise, these are public highways not private back roads.

they use the bus lanes when empty so they can return to the rail/bus station or town ranks quickly to collect waiting members of the public to take them to work/home. taxis pay road tax (a higher road tax than most cars) and also pay a fee to the council every year.If more people used public transport for short journeys taxis probably would'nt need to use bus lanes.

Mr Blackwell wrote:
To all those people who are defending the Civil Enforcement Officer, do you REALLY think the person responsible hasn't been telling all his/her colleagues about what they did whilst all wiping away their tears of laughter? . They will have found this incident *hilarious* because that, I'm afraid, is their mentality - it's all about catching people out and screwing drivers if they possibly can. . This is NOT about some highly moral crusade to ensure correct parking, it's about generating revenue and clobbering drivers. . It would have been polite, morally correct and gracious to have simply tapped on the window and asked the taxi driver to either buy a ticket or move on. . But, not, the warden decided to be a sneaky little arse about it. Well done traffic warden, you've just demonstrated exactly why you get a hard time from the public and might like to think about such incidents when you're bleating about how 'nasty' people are to you.

I'm with the wardens. They put up with a lot of abuse from the rude, abusive, agressive, and generally unpleasant people they encounter.
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This one was doing their job, no more, no less. In their place I would have done exactly the same.
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The guy was in a park. He had no ticket. End of story.
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Amberflame, no offense intended. Just calling it like I see it. Apologies if you thought it was too strong.

Mr Blackwell wrote:
To all those people who are defending the Civil Enforcement Officer, do you REALLY think the person responsible hasn't been telling all his/her colleagues about what they did whilst all wiping away their tears of laughter? . They will have found this incident *hilarious* because that, I'm afraid, is their mentality - it's all about catching people out and screwing drivers if they possibly can. . This is NOT about some highly moral crusade to ensure correct parking, it's about generating revenue and clobbering drivers. . It would have been polite, morally correct and gracious to have simply tapped on the window and asked the taxi driver to either buy a ticket or move on. . But, not, the warden decided to be a sneaky little arse about it. Well done traffic warden, you've just demonstrated exactly why you get a hard time from the public and might like to think about such incidents when you're bleating about how 'nasty' people are to you.

Bowlocks. Load of emotional claptrap because you've got a chip on your shoulder. Been ticketed yourself recently have you?
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You have no idea what the enforcement person thought. You have no idea about their mentality. Instead of wiping away tears of laughter might've been shaking their head in disbelief and sorrow at just how stupid some people can be.
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"It would've been polite, morally correct and gracious to have simply" paid for a ticket like everyone else.
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But no, the driver decided to be a sneaky little arse about it and got caught. Well done traffic warden, maybe next time Richard Head will go back home to bed instead of trying to pull a fast one.

well the traffic wardens done what they had to do same as clampers do other wise driver would park were they like, and that would corse all kind of problems, that what they are paid to do not to nurse drivers, so what is your problem,not like page two of the of the swindon advertiser then you would have something to say.

well the traffic wardens done what they had to do same as clampers do other wise drivers would park were they like, and that would corse all kind of problems,and that is what they are paid to do not to nurse drivers, so what is your problem,not like page two of the of the swindon advertiser then you would have something to say.

Taxi drivers, private hire drivers, bus drivers, and those mindless idiots that ride the pizza mopeds. All the same to me, deserve all they get

You have to wonder about a society where it doesn't feel safe to be out after dark because the only uniformed officer you can see on the street just wants to issue parking tickets. Have we not got our priorities wrong?

I nearly fell asleep behind the wheel the other day but i had my anti sleep alarm on and it sounded so i pulled over and had a break. They are not that expensive and i got mine from NO NAP

@Hmmmf: yes, I have indeed been ticketed recently. It was by a warden so quick to issue a ticket that they didn't realise my residents parking permit was perfectly in date. They thought it said 24/04/10, when it actually is valid until 24/04/11. They even took a photo of it and still wrote down that it had 'expired'.
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They are nasty, vicious little snides who will issue tickets like confetti even when they're invalid.
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I have zero time for these people, they know they're hated and they also know precisely why they're hated.
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As it is, I've never had to pay a parking fine and have never had a speeding ticket - so none of this is due to a 'chip on my shoulder'. It's because I know exactly how their minds work, and how their minds work is very, very far removed from the type of 'worthwhile' mentality that you appear to misguidedly believe they operate under.

The Real Librarian wrote:
My life already, does no-one take responsibility for their actions any more? As soon as anyone gets a parking ticket in Swindon now are they going to have a story in the Adver. . Only two days ago we have Grandpa Cummings and his highly dubious whinging about being clamped for obstructing Little London Court whilst he went off to the Church on the other side of the road, which has a car park. . Now we have Rip Van Woodwards who doesn’t buy a parking ticket and quite rightly gets a ticket, then gets upset because the Warden doesn’t stop to make sure he is still alive. . People. Pay for your **** parking like the rest of us do, and stop whining if you get a ticket or clamped when you don’t.

Couldn't agree more! If he had done the correct thing and bought a ticket in the first place none of this would have happened. I have no sympathy whatsoever for the cabbie.

Traffic warden without common sense but you should have had SNOOZE CONTROL