I'd go with 'real'
once they have hit the print button, it's over... you're getting a ticket and the only way around it is to contest it... how the parking cop in question happened to notice the car in the bay, but not see it drive in is beyond my comprehension, but once thats happened, depending on the vehicle, and the mind numbingness of the events leading up to that point, he may have seen the car in the bay without a ticket and started issuing it, without noticing the boot open and the driver (presumably obscured by the boot) trying to find some change...