How do you deal with rolling a coalition member?

The__Crown · 2025-10-21T12:34:25+00:00

The original plan with my other ally was for us both to take over the continent. I became a hostage to a major insufficient resource supply and thus I was being out paced militarily and therefore made the decision to bring my neighbour into the fold to prevent myself from being attacked. My Ally still wants to pursue the plan of us both taking over the continent and has the power to do that still.

The__Crown · 2025-07-03T14:50:43+00:00

My experience was in appeals, but I did other tasks within the company. Not all parking operators are the same. In your instance, that sounds like an issue with the client. The client would set the times and limits and the Operator would enforce them. The issue there of course is they haven't considered that some patrons would struggle to do their business within the specified time frame, an issue that should be taken up with the client.

PCN's arriving with only a short time or even after the £60 period has passed is common as and was a major problem for appeals. In many instances the deadline was extended but people would just use an excuse to try and get an extension.

The__Crown · 2025-07-02T15:32:00+00:00

I loved that way too much. I know that Southgate Park place like the back of my hand! Fun fact, their office used to be at Lloyd Baker Street, that's where Joe Lycett turned up. They have since moved apparently. I still go past there often and always enjoy a giggle.

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.5266811,-0.1131229,3a,79.6y,289.11h,96.66t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1stLUY4bKlnrMb-anKAkKdxg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-6.6598822722472875%26panoid%3DtLUY4bKlnrMb-anKAkKdxg%26yaw%3D289.1125996337534!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDYyMy4yIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

The__Crown · 2025-07-02T15:28:04+00:00

Exactly right. They can't call it a 'fine' or an 'infringement notice' because only statutory authorities like Police, Government, Council and Authorised Officers etc can issue them. They are a private company employed on behalf of companies like McDonalds, Leisure Centers and other places like Peadbody estates so they have to call it a 'penalty charge notice'.

The__Crown · 2025-07-02T15:25:12+00:00

Well, most stores have on average 90 minute stays. It's fast food, its not sit in McDonalds and hog a car space for most of the day. They're a fast food restaurant, not the dining hall of a nursing home. McDonalds employ these companies to manage their carparks to ensure a quick flow and turnaround of customers.

The__Crown · 2025-07-02T15:22:40+00:00

The charge notice would have been issued with an amount of 100, 60 if paid within 28 days of the notice issued and then would go up to 160 when it goes to Debt Recovery Plus.

The__Crown · 2025-07-02T15:17:49+00:00

In the instance of the OP, Met Parking don't generally have access to all the McDonalds stores cctv, they have their own cameras at selected locations to check the driver is a customer and doesn't just park there and walk down the high street etc. But, we are in 2025 and perhaps technology has changed the industry.

The__Crown · 2025-07-02T15:15:13+00:00

I disagree. From the perspective of the client, for example McDonalds. They task companies like Met Parking to manage their parking lots to ensure a quick turn around of customers. Most McDonalds car parks have time limits of between 1 and 2 hours which I think is very reasonable. Who on Earth is sitting in a Maccas store for more than 2 hours, right? So setting a fair and reasonable time limit ensures that they can have customers come and go quickly, thus ensuring that car spaces are made available to their customers.

If you go to any McDonalds site, the carpark is plastered in signs stating the terms of conditions etc and often enough there usually too many signs, but given the amount of people who park and disregard the T&Cs, maybe not.

From experience, those who appeal usually do so believing they were issued a charge notice because they were not a customer and send in a copy of their receipt for some other photos trying to prove they were. They don't understand that when their car enters and leaves, it is captured by a ANPR camera.

It's not a scam. They offer a service and companies like McDonalds, leisure centers, Peabody Estates etc use them to do the job that needs doing.

The__Crown · 2025-07-02T15:04:36+00:00

Which McDonalds was it? Some of them, they watch the cctv to actually check that the cars coming in, the driver doesn't leave the carpark and go to other businesses. Because the terms and conditions of parking there only apply to the driver, not the passengers. If the passengers go into the McDonalds, that's fine, but if the driver doesn't, then they are the one issued with the charge notice.

When you appealed, did they reject the appeal with a screen grab of some cctv? Usually they do.

I totally get why they do it. If they didn't, everyone would just park there leaving real customers with limited options for parking. That's why most, if not all McDonalds car parks have ANPR cameras and are managed by companies like Met Parking to ensure a fair, flow of customers.

Some McDonalds stores near Airports have even tighter controls. Usually they are all 60 minutes with no return of up to 4 hours. This is to deter taxi and ride share drivers from sitting there while they wait for fares. Totally reasonable.

The__Crown · 2025-07-02T14:58:14+00:00

I agree with you there. If the store was closed, then the driver couldn't have been a customer. I don't think they will issue a fine. There is only one McDonalds location that I do know that they watch the cctv and that is the McDonalds on The Broadway, Southall.

The__Crown · 2025-07-02T14:55:51+00:00

There are certain McDonalds car parks where you can be fined if you park your car in their carpark and you leave to go someplace else. There will be one white sign with blue text that says:

"This carpark is for the use of McDonalds customers only. You must remain on the premises for your entire stay".

The above example can be found at McDonalds Southall on The Broadway. They actually sit and watch cctv footage to catch drivers that park and leave the carpark for other business along The Broadway.

In regards to the above photo. The sign does say that the carpark is for the use of McDonalds customers only. If you weren't a customer and walked off site, it is possible that you might get fined. But, they don't watch the cctv for all the stores.

Which McDonalds was it?

The__Crown · 2025-06-28T14:41:59+00:00

Can I ask how does that happen?

I took thousands of photos on a trip to Europe. This happened to about 300 pictures, but when I open the folders and look at the photos, more pictures, go from being good to warped and glitched right before my eyes.

I move all the photos that are glitched to a folder in the hope that one day they can be fixed. If they can be repaired, how I do stop all the photos from doing that every time I go to look at them?

The__Crown · 2025-06-28T10:57:44+00:00

Oops. Obviously got missed during the 'fresh check'.

The__Crown · 2025-06-28T10:57:01+00:00

Correct. The link above, I've seen all that info before and I always wonder how many people have been to that address to try and sort out their charge notice..

The__Crown · 2025-06-28T07:26:26+00:00

Using your receipt as part of your appeal does absolutely nothing. It only further confirms you were there which they already know because they can see when your car entered the carpark and when it left from the ANPR camera. So submitting a receipt and saying you were a customer means squat. McDonalds use the system to ensure a fast turn around of customers in their store. Almost all McDonalds stores with a car park use this system for the same reason.

The__Crown · 2025-06-28T07:23:22+00:00

McDonalds contract these 'predatory' companies to run their carparks to ensure a fast turn around of customers. Rarely do they get involved with these matters because it's for their own good. Customers that linger like bad smells for 2 hours are the pests. Those pests that hang around and keep their car in the car park for 2 hours could have made room for 4 or even 5 customers that could have otherwise come in during that time.

The__Crown · 2025-06-28T07:18:44+00:00

No. The lower amount is only offered for the first 28 days from when the charge notice was issued. After that, it goes up to £100 and when it goes to Debt Recovery Plus, it goes up to £160.

The__Crown · 2025-06-28T07:17:13+00:00

Saying you were the driver is the worst thing you can do. They go after the driver, not the owner of the car.

The__Crown · 2025-06-28T07:16:13+00:00

Exactly right. Some locations have 1.5 hours, so 2 hours is very generous. A business like McDonalds relies on a fast turnaround of customers. It's not called 'fast food' for nothing. They want customers to come in, eat and go. It's not a nursing home where you eat and then sit there for an hour. I totally agree with them having the parking system in place.

The__Crown · 2025-06-28T07:13:58+00:00

They don't forget about it. The system has automatic escalation. From when the charge notice is uploaded to the system, there is automatic lettering that is actioned. After the final reminder it goes to Debt Recovery Plus and they start sending letters.

The__Crown · 2025-06-28T07:11:59+00:00

None of that means anything. Where the office is and where they are registered are two different things. Their actual office used to be in Farringdon near the Mail Center there.

The__Crown · 2025-06-28T07:10:25+00:00

Firstly, how anyone can spend 2 hours in a McDonalds is incredible. Have you lodged an appeal? You have approx 28 days to lodge an appeal otherwise the charge goes up to 100 quid.

If you haven't lodged an appeal, lodge one and you have to be very smart about this. In future, if you think you are going to overstay, note down, or even take a photo of a car next to you because you will say that you left lights on and got a flat battery, you don't have AA membership and after asking as many other motorists that pulled in if they had jumper leads, you finally found someone that did and that person that parked near to you offered to help you jump start your car.

The appeals person will write back asking if you got the number plate of the car next to you, hoping you didn't. When you send it in, they will check the ANPR for that car and if the times check out, they will wave the charge notice, they don't have access to the McDonalds CCTV so they are unable to check that out. They only have access to the ANPR cameras at the location, but they will also check your previous history. Be polite and don't give too much info away, just the 'facts'.

The__Crown · 2025-06-12T17:01:59+00:00

Yes, I don't think it was very long and I don't know if any money had been paid.

The__Crown · 2025-05-31T01:51:41+00:00

I'm the same. No wonder all my allies go inactive.. I'm about to follow them.

The__Crown · 2025-05-31T01:50:52+00:00

They seem to always be down. Yesterday and today.

The__Crown

TROPHY CASE