Man fined over 20 minute parking limit

Watch as Ed Chatterton discusses the almost £200 parking fine he received for taking over 20 minutes to eat his food at a West Midlands McDonalds.

Transcript

00:00We're here today because I had a McDonald's meal which ended up costing me £170.

00:06Unbeknown to me, this branch here in Walsall, West Midlands has a 20 minute time limit

00:11unless you input your registration details on the tablet inside.

00:17Now, I went through the drive-thru so I was unaware of this.

00:20So I then parked up here in the car park, ate my McDonald's, actually went back through for a McFlurry.

00:27I was here for longer than 20 minutes.

00:29The next thing I know, I have a letter from a debt recovery company

00:34because I have not paid a £60 fine which apparently was sent to me in two separate letters in the post.

00:41Now, this is the first correspondence I'd had from them.

00:44I had not received these letters.

00:46So if I had, I think I would have paid the £60 fine.

00:49To be honest, it would have been annoying.

00:50But to then get threatened with course action, a £170 fine,

00:55all for taking just 20 minutes, or over 20 minutes, to eat my meal,

01:02I thought was a little bit unjust and unfair.

01:05I think it was busy and, like I said, I think I went back round for a dessert as well.

01:10So that would have added to the time period.

01:13I just think 20 minutes to expect diners to eat a meal within that time frame

01:18is just a little unreasonable really.

01:22It has been stressful because £170 is a lot of money,

01:26especially for a £7 chicken selects meal.

01:30So, yeah, it's left a bitter taste and, yeah, I feel a little bit hard done by.