November 19th 2024.
Alastair was just out running a quick errand to grab a sandwich when he noticed an elderly woman lying on the ground in front of a Marks and Spencer store in Cowes, Isle of Wight. Being a Good Samaritan, he immediately rushed to her side and called for an ambulance since she seemed to have badly injured herself. Unfortunately, it took over two hours for the ambulance to arrive, causing Alastair to worry about the woman's condition.
After the ambulance finally arrived and tended to the injured woman, Alastair headed back to his car, only to find a parking ticket worth a whopping £105. He couldn't believe it. How could he be fined for simply helping someone in need? "It's incredibly frustrating," he said, "to be punished for doing a good deed. I just can't wrap my head around it." Alastair explained that he saw the woman fall and immediately went to her aid, as he was trained in first aid. He also mentioned that the woman was in her 90s and partially blind, which made the situation even more urgent.
Alastair decided to appeal the ticket to the parking company, Euro Car Parks, thinking that they would surely understand the extenuating circumstances and waive the fine. However, to his surprise, the company rejected his appeal and even increased the fine to £155 during the appeal process. According to their website, Euro Car Parks allows appeals for "extreme circumstances" where a driver is unable to return to their vehicle due to a medical emergency. Alastair thought this was a perfect example of such a circumstance, but the company still denied his appeal.
Feeling frustrated and unfairly treated, Alastair paid the fine to avoid any impact on his credit score. However, he did consult with a local solicitor about fighting the fine in court. Unfortunately, the cost of doing so would have been more than the actual fine, so Alastair decided to let it go. He expressed his disappointment, saying, "It's just not right. Dealing with a first aid crisis was stressful enough, and this fine only made it worse."
This is not the first time Euro Car Parks has caused trouble for good Samaritans. In 2022, two NHS workers, Linda Somboongedd and Stacey Batten, were also fined by the company for leaving their cars while tending to a dying patient. The patient passed away shortly after, but the parking company still hounded the women for parking violations. When asked for comment, Euro Car Parks did not respond. It's unfortunate that people are being punished for simply trying to help others in need.
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