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Traffic warden tickets man as wife is dying
Last updated at 10:40am on 17th November 2006


Warden: 'I've got a job to do'

A driver who pulled over to park the car when his wife had a fatal heart attack has been booked by traffic wardens.

The woman, in her seventies, had a cardiac arrest on her way to St John's Wood Medical Practice in north London.

Her husband, who was taking her to a doctor's appointment, was forced to stop on a yellow line outside the surgery as he called 999. He went with his dying wife in the ambulance as she was rushed to St Mary's Hospital in Paddington.

But the woman, who has not been named, was dead on arrival.

Her devastated husband returned to the surgery in tears to find he had been given a £50 parking ticket.

Wardens acted despite doctors displaying a notice in his windscreen explaining the emergency.

One local businessman said he pleaded with the warden. Gary Mulreay, who owns St John's Barbers a few doors away, said: "I was there to help get this poor woman out of the car and to administer CPR. When the wardens came along we told them what had happened.

"But one issued a ticket anyway. I was absolutely stunned. He actually said, 'It's not my problem, I've got a job to do'."

A spokesman for Westminster council, which employs the NCP firm of wardens, said the ticket had now been cancelled.

I suppose his crystal ball wasnt working that morning ,for him to know that the car parked presumably with no note in the window to tell him.

Before you all start shouting who the hell wants to put a note in the window when your loved one is dying, exactly. I am sure that a simple letter to the council will see it squashed under the circumstances.

The power of the media again and the public opening there mouth before putting there brain into gear, unless ive missed something, how the hell is the warden supposed to know, and no he shouldn't have to walk in and out of every nearby premises to find the driver. Stand back and wait for the fallout. .
Stephen

I suppose his crystal ball wasnt working that morning ,for him to know that the car parked presumably with no note in the window to tell him.

Before you all start shouting who the hell wants to put a note in the window when your loved one is dying, exactly. I am sure that a simple letter to the council will see it squashed under the circumstances.

The power of the media again and the public opening there mouth before putting there brain into gear, unless ive missed something, how the hell is the warden supposed to know, and no he shouldn't have to walk in and out of every nearby premises to find the driver. Stand back and wait for the fallout. .
Stephen

Wardens acted despite doctors displaying a notice in his windscreen explaining the emergency.

As Paul says, Stephen and smeggy, if you had read the full story (go on, its not even that long) you would have seen that the doctors placed a note on his windscreen, and a local business man pleaded with the warden. I doubt whether "every cheating bugger" can get this level of corroboration at the scene!

I did read it and I did notice a note was placed on the windscreen. My point is: unless the note can be proven to be genuine, then wardens have to assume it isn't until proven otherwise.

I can't agree with you there. We need officials who have reasonable powers of judgement do we not?

I thought you wanted anyone who had committed any offences to recieve justice from jury and judge regardless?

Alternatively, one could ask whether the ticket would have been cancelled at all if the media had not been involved...?

It certainly would be fishy had the Westminster spokesman council had said
"the ticket would now been cancelled" instead of "the ticket had now been cancelled"

unless the note can be proven to be genuine, then wardens have to assume it isn't until proven otherwise.

the difference here is that driver was able to appeal to a wiser being, resulting with the warden’s judgement being reversed, no harm done!