Skip to content

Driver gets fine before opportunity to reconcile parking amount

Editor: I bought 90 minutes of parking at Richmond Hospital, never suspecting that our father's pre-admission clinic would take four hours. We found a blue Impark ticket on the windshield, claiming that I had not paid. I had paid, for 90 minutes.

Editor:

I bought 90 minutes of parking at Richmond Hospital, never suspecting that our father's pre-admission clinic would take four hours. We found a blue Impark ticket on the windshield, claiming that I had not paid. I had paid, for 90 minutes.

At no time did hospital staff warn us that we'd spend four hours at the clinic. I assumed that 90 minutes was more than enough time, completely forgetting about the car and never suspecting that Impark would “fine” me $80 for parking in a parking lot when I never refused to pay for the time I parked.

It is Impark that refused me an opportunity to pay for parking by issuing its “fine” without offering an opportunity upon exit to pay up for time actually used. How can anybody be fined if an opportunity to reconcile the amount owed was never given?

I can't pay somebody who refuses to be paid the amount owed, so how can I be fined for said lack of opportunity to reconcile?

Last week, I visited our father at Vancouver General, paying for time used upon exit from the parking lot. I don't object to paying for parking. Never have, but I do object to a parking company presenting a “fine” when it offers no opportunity to pay for the actual time parked.

I've contacted Impark. Its employee is satisfied that I paid for 90 minutes and tells me that he is going to waive the $80 fine for over parking "as a courtesy," but he refuses to send me an email or letter stating that my Impark notice is null and void.

Impark is not worthy of trust, so I am assuming the “fine” it issued me -- without opportunity to pay for services used -- is still in effect. I want written notice from Impark stating that it has cancelled the “fine” it issued me.

Greg J. Edwards