Guy fined for eating his fast food too slowly

[patrickl]

Guy gets a £75  (104 euro or $153 US) fine for taking longer than 45 minutes to eat his fast food at a mcDrive 

Motorist Jamie Thomson said he was fined after eating his lunch in the car park. He said: "I ordered a burger, chips, a doughnut, coke and coffee.

"I sat in my car eating my lunch and listening to the radio.

"After eating, I continued to sip my coffee for a time and ate my doughnut. Then I left. All perfectly normal."

He claims he was in the car for about an hour.

Several weeks later he got a letter from Civil Enforcement, which runs the car parks, demanding £125, or £75 if it was paid quickly.

McParking row as slow eaters are fined
McDonald's drive-through customers face £125 fine for taking too long to eat (this might have a NSFW ad)

BTW fark.com is trying to trademark NSFW

[Grasshopper]

Wow, I'm genuinely shocked about this. What a massive PR own goal.

If that ever happened to me I'd definitely contest the fine as a matter of principle, and if necessary, take my chances in court. I think McDonald's legal position is pretty shaky to say the least. For a start, how can they prove you stayed too long? Who decides how long too long is anyway? And who gets to decide the size of the fine? Even if it was justified (which it's clearly not) it seems excessive to me.

Also, what the hell are the DVLA doing giving out personal confidential information to a private company?

This is just wrong on so many levels.

[shardian]

That is definitely crazy. Here in the states that would never fly. Only the local government has the authority to write fines for automobile infractions. Property owners can have your vehicle towed at your own expense if they have a posted warning on the premises. I'm sure our resident lawyer in training will put in his 2 cents soon enough.

[Daniel270]

I've got a feeling that McD's won't stay in business too much longer.....

[ChadTower]

Forget that... how about this guy that sits in his car with his Double Quarter Pounder extra value meal and then scarfs down a donut and coffee?  He was probably fined for being 500lb.

[patrickl]

and judging from that picture we have hippy americans visiting Germany ..

[ChadTower]

You need to look up the definition of hippy.  That's a hippo.

[patrickl]

That is definitely crazy. Here in the states that would never fly. Only the local government has the authority to write fines for automobile infractions. Property owners can have your vehicle towed at your own expense if they have a posted warning on the premises. I'm sure our resident lawyer in training will put in his 2 cents soon enough.

Apparently when tyou enter a private parking and there is an obvious warning they can have a private company send you a fine. Not sure how valid that is though.

I can understand mac Donalds problem too. People probably use that parking lot for long parking when they take a plane. 45 minutes seems awfully short though. Even for eating one of their meals.

[patrickl]

You need to look up the definition of hippy.  That's a hippo.

Hippy hippo?

[ChadTower]

45 minutes seems awfully short though. Even for eating one of their meals.

Listen to your mom.... 20 minutes on the lips, a lifetime on the hips.

[SavannahLion]

And all I keep thinking about is how Fark could have the gall to trademark NSFW.

[Zero_Hour]

And all I keep thinking about is how Fark could have the gall to trademark NSFW.

It's FARK, there has to be a catch (i.e. it's a stunt).

[ChadTower]

Really?  I don't do Fark.  NSFW was around WAY before Fark.

[SavannahLion]

And all I keep thinking about is how Fark could have the gall to trademark NSFW.

It's FARK, there has to be a catch (i.e. it's a stunt).

I suppose. I read a lot about Fark, but I don't read it. Not my cup of tea.

In any case, that's pretty dangerous grounds to be tromping around on. In my book it's a good way to join the Jack Thompson dickless troop.