BBC Blog Network

User Profile

blogjan

Listed below are comments made by blogjan between Friday, 16th May 2008 and Friday, 16th May 2008.

«Newer
Older»

Flash, Bang, Wallop - what a picture! 6:23pm on 16 May 2008 I spend much time looking for free and legal places to park, usually entailing a longer walk to work, but feeling safe and secure, I left my car in a road where i Have parked before. On returning at six pm to my car, laden with lap top and office work and food for the weekend, I could not see my car. I thought I had got the wrong road and walked around convinced eventually my car had been stolen. Luckily phoning the police who werent happy to help, they gave me the number of TRACE a company who then were able to give me the whereabout of my car - In Ealing Car Pound - they werent able to tell me why and I was mystified. This was thursday before the bank holiday easter weekend.
I miserably got on a bus, used my oyster card,I had little cash not expecting to need any, and then got another packed connecting bus, used my oyster card again - it was 40p short and I was told to get off the bus. I did get off, and thought Id wait till the next bus and explain to the driver what happened - car towed away etc, I duly did and he let me stay on the bus for just TWO stops, then told me to get off. I might add that I am a young to middle aged woman in respectable clothes, upset and tired at the time. I walked home, and drowned my sorrows with a couple of glassed of wine.
I thought I would get my car the next day. After several phone calls I discovered that my back tyre had been parked on the grass and that was contravening some pathway infringement, though no one walks on the grass, but anyway I could not get my car till Tuesday morning, which meant asking a friend to take me, as the place is on the north circular and probably difficult to get to by public transport, and difficult to locate on any map either - only those unlucky enough to have been there
can tell you where it is.
the weekend was dire, not being able to have my car.
I was duly taken to get my car, the metal gates swung open, my friend was not allowed in with me. It was grim inside, I felt i was entering Holloway, asked for my documents etc.
I duly paid £250 on my credit card, and then at last -45 minutes later, as I saw my car keys being handed over, I was presented with an envelope, the humorless woman looked as though she was enjoying this bit!
In it was a letter from some 'baillifs' demanding £365..00 for an unpaid parking fine from 18 months ago, which had been sent to an address in Plymouth, where I once lived. I could not contest the parking fine, it said, and had to pay before 6pm that day. I looked at the woman safely behind the screen who said, Its nothing to do with me, but if you leave that car here overnight it'll cost you another £250. It took another 30 minutes to locate a number and pay by credit card, press buttons and complete the transaction.
Two weeks later I got a letter in the post - a parking fine of £100. for the offence of parking my back tyre on the grass.
Does this inhuman treatment and the penalty fit the nature of this 'crime' ?
I am a hard working tax payer, I dont know wether this offence I committed was issued legally or not, but I know that I feel a victim, feeling pretty penniless by this medieval method of
extracting taxes. £710..00 for inadvertently parking on a pice of grass.

«Newer
Older»

^ Back to top

BBC MMVI

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

BBC.co.uk

BBC Blog Network

Find and talk to the BBC's bloggers.

User Profile

blogjan