parking ticket, Danish way

Yes, I just got a parking ticket- without being really doing wrong. I drove to the Greve Center (do never, ever use there if you can) in near Copenhagen. I saw the Europark- sign, saying that I have to set the clock. (Those who do not know what is a parking clock: it is a uniquely-Danish system of setting a manual paper clock for a parking, that you have to have on your car, on the right side of your front window. ) It is 3 hours free parking, but you must set the clock, it says. I understood it as I set the clock for the time of leaving. I arrived there at 12:15, so I set it as 15:00.

I got a ticket, when I am back from my visit to Førtex, after 30 min. Why? Because I should have set it as I arrived.

There are many things unfair in this situation. First, the sign should have had an instruction of how to set a clock. New comers and non-Danes do not have a fair chance here. Secondly, they fine it not for actual action (f.e. over stayed, wrongly parked, etc.) but for 'not setting a clock right'. This is an assumed crime. Thirdly, if one might be educated by Europark on clock setting, it should not be so expensive as 510 dkk.

It seems to be that Europark had been on TV for its aggressive and somewhat shady way of making money, and its increasing complains from parking ticket victims. I read some debate on this issue, and surprised to find it that many Danes seems to think it is OK to be fined for such human mistakes, like forgetting to set a P-clock. It is not right. Surely there are people see my points here?

Fine should be for things already happened illegally, not for simply forgot to set a clock. Setting a clock by oneself is not a freedom or proof of trust on responsible drivers, but doing a parking services job. Checking if one is staying longer should not be burden for all drivers, but should be done by the parking company. We are paying fines because the private parking company is too greedy to do the work right. Let it be a parking meeter in this country, let the guilty ones to be fined. But no: innocent people with normal human mistakes are being punished for crimes they never committed.

I am amazed that Danish rules are allowing such way of making money. Just because it is a law, and one is used it, Danes are blaming themselves when they get a ticket. I also think alot of blame should go to the shops, that use Europark-a likes. It seems to be that there are tons of money to be made from its careless and forgetful customers. Did you know that they share profits?!!!

Don't get me wrong. I would grumpily pay for a parking ticket, if I committed actual crime. But paying for following a sign, that did not provided a proper information? If this rules are only for Danes, I should certainly not pay for it. And those Danes who may think I should know better about Danish system; yeah, right, and you would surely have memorized all German laws when you drives through camping sites there this summer.

I suggest that do not go to the shops using Europark. It is never a free parking space, but a free trap for squeezing money out of you, for being a human. That is not a service. This should not be the kinds of human mistakes that one should pay for. Europark is actually make lots of money from this, and that is simply wrong. Those Danes attacking Guantanamo and Bush's Iraq war, just look at here closely at home in Denmark: you have your own preemptive punishment that you better deal with. Or you may one day pay for other terrible human mistakes like 'not remembering your social security number', or 'not pronounced ones name right'. All of you are actually working for Europark, when you set that clock. And when you are not doing job right, Europark is charging you for it. Maybe I should run a parking service. It sure looks like easy money.