Parking safely and securely
But its not just finding a
parking space that is a problem, protecting your car from criminals is also an
issue. Although reports show car crime has dropped 61% since it hit a record
high in 1995, there were still over 1.7 million car-related thefts in 2006-07. (Source: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-victims/reducing-crime/vehicle-crime/).
Here are some useful tips
about how to park safely, securely and avoid parking tickets.
Safe parking
Reverse into your parking space
According
to Advanced Driving UK, it is safer to reverse into a
parking space you can see than reverse into oncoming traffic when you are ready
to leave. Its also easier to control a car moving forwards when it is first
started.
Fit parking sensors to your car
Parking
sensors use ultrasonic technology to detect obstacles behind you. They let you
know how close they are and, are an effective way of preventing accidents
caused by misjudging distances.
Be considerate
Dont
steal a parking space that someone else has clearly been waiting for. You
wouldnt like it if someone did it to you.
Secure parking
Reverse park against a wall
This
makes it harder for thieves to break into your boot.
Fit an immobilser
Surveys
conducted by the Home Office show that cars fitted with immobilsers are over 10
times safer than cars without them.
Park in a locked garage
If
you have access to a locked garage, this is the safest place to park your car.
Park in a patrolled
or Police-approved car park.
These
car parks are watched and provide extra security for your car.
For
more information about Police-approved car parks in your area, visit www.saferparking.com.
Park in a well-lit place
If
all else fails and you have to park on the street, choose a place that is
well-lit, is used by other motorists and is on a busy street. Thieves dont
like to work in the spotlight or with an audience.
Park in view of CCTV cameras
If
you see CCTV cameras on the street, try to park within their range so that if
anything happens to your car, you can use the footage to find the culprit.
Lock all valuables away out of
sight, lock all doors and set your car alarm (if you have one).
Avoiding parking tickets
After a long day at work,
shopping or in a business meeting, you dont want to come back to your car to
find youve been issued a parking ticket. The best way to avoid being booked is
to know what not to do. The website www.parkingticket.co.uk
provides a wide range of information about parking tickets from parking law to
what to do if you get a ticket. Parking restrictions in the UK are enforced by either traffic
wardens (they are employed by the Police) or parking attendants (they are employed by the local council or a
subcontractor). There are 40 reasons that you can be issued a ticket for. So
before you park, check the signs around you. You may need to pay and display,
or have disabled or resident passes clearly displayed. Of course, you could be
issued a ticket incorrectly. Parking wardens and attendants
are only human and do make mistakes. If fact, more than 60% of the Penalty Charge
Notices (PCN) parking tickets issued in London in 2004-05 were unfair (source: http://www.ticketbusters.co.uk/). If
you think youve been issued a ticket unfairly, then find out how to appeal
your fine at www.ticketbusters.co.uk.
Protecting
your property
Car insurance is a
necessity. It provides peace of mind that should anything happen to your car or
if you fall victim to thieves, your insurance will cover the replacement/repair
costs. There is a range of car insurance options available to suit your
specific needs.
ArticleSource: ArticlesAlley.com
