Returning to your car to find its windscreen (dis)graced with a parking ticket ranks among modern life's most frustrating experiences.

Whether you parked illegally or not there's always a strong feeling that you didn't really deserve it and that a parking attendant's time would be far better spent elsewhere. Nowhere near your car, preferably.

As is so often the case nowadays, mobile apps are coming to the rescue.

One of the newest on the block is the amusingly named Eff the PPA, aimed at residents in Philadelphia who frequently suffer at the hands of sneaky wardens. The app helps drivers find a spot throughout the city blocks, many of which have different and confusing parking regulations.

It'll let you know how long you have left, and if you still fall foul but think you've been unfairly ticketed, can help you submit a complaint via a local attorney.

There are other parking apps out there to help you find a space too, including iCarPark, iParked and AutoPark. All give the same sort of information: Recording where you parked, parking time left and reminders.

Even BMW has its own parking app, ParkingAssistant. It lets you know how long you have left on your ticket, gives you a route back to your car and even takes into consideration how quickly you're able to walk back to the car. It's free and currently has full 5-star reviews on iTunes.

iTicketBust is aimed at Californian residents to beat parking tickets. The app sends a photo of your car to TicketBust and they'll help contest and dismiss your ticket. It has no reviews at the moment but could be useful to west coast drivers.

All the above, save for Eff the PPA which hasn't been launched yet, are available on the Apple App Store.

There's plenty of choice for making your parking life easier and dozens of free apps out there, so you no longer have an excuse for returning to your ticketed car...