If you were literally stopped for 2 minutes
he can't write a ticket. He has to "observe" a car for a certain period, usually 5 or 10 mins - depending on the local restrictions.

He'll start writing the ticket before the time's up, but it wont be valid cos you weren't parked "illegally" for the duration given.
(MrOli is ugly, but in the morning you will be sober, Tue 7 Sep 2010, 12:56, 1 reply)

Mmmm
I’m not saying that this isn’t true, and I have no specialist knowledge on the subject, but the above has the smell of the typical bollocks that barrack room lawyers spout up and down this great nation.
( Ring Of Fire A petty, drooling belming butthurt retard., Tue 7 Sep 2010, 13:29, closed)

yeah, I'm pretty sure you can go to prison for that

(The Cat Hater punch a cow for the planet, Tue 7 Sep 2010, 13:31, closed)

Actually...
...it is true, cos I got a parking ticket recently (which was perfectly valid and I paid it cos it was entirely my fault) and I checked all this in case I could wriggle out of it.

However, while there are observation times listed for each type of parking offense, quite often that observation time is zero - for instance when your parking ticket has expired or parked for longer than allowed.

At least for my town: www.bournemouth.gov.uk/Library/PDF/Living/Transport/Parking/tmadiscretionpolicyv4docJune%2008.pdf
(NoveltyCondomHead Clanks Wams., Tue 7 Sep 2010, 13:58, closed)

I've checked it before when trying to wriggle out of a ticket
^^^ observation times from and to on the ticket have to be at least those for the offense committed for the council.

Have a google for "minimum observation period". Obviously, it depends on the offense, as NoveltyCondomHead says...
(MrOli is ugly, but in the morning you will be sober, Tue 7 Sep 2010, 16:39, closed)

I did have a quik look
as far as I could tell the observation times are discretionary, and a ticket is still legally enforceable with zero observation.
( Ring Of Fire A petty, drooling belming butthurt retard., Tue 7 Sep 2010, 21:00, closed)