Car park top of Rye Lane

[carter39]

Southwark Council are notoriously dodgy. They gave me a parking ticket once for parking in a parking bay which didn't yet have a pay-and-display system set up. I've also received reminders from them for parking tickets which I'd never received in the first place.

[kford]

Carter39, you've been a victim of so-called 'ghost' tickets. Attendants will write up a ticket but not issue it to the car, to make up the numbers at the end of a slack shift (remember, these guys work piecework). Appeal and ask for photographic evidence, or the bailiffs will be round for you car or your telly. Lambeth tried it once in Brixton and I got off after appeal.

[Loz]

Glau, you should've driven off. The ticket has to be issued to the vehicle, otherwise you will get off under 'the offence did not occur' excuse. This doesn't apply to the Stasi-like issuing of tickets by CCTV.

kford - the rules changed on the 1st April - driving off won't save you anymore.

New Parking Rules

[glau]

I like the flicking a match to set pool of petrol alight idea - we were actually just coming out of the new batman movie when our so called offense occurred so were in the mood for apocalyptic violence. But seriously - isn't there a period of grace after expiration of parking ticket - like ten minutes or so - in case me and the warden neglected to synchoronise our watches before commencing offending behaviour? Or would it just be ordinary common/human decency and thus I am not making sense?

[kford]

Common human decency goes out of the window when there's oodles of cash to be made with little recourse.

Loz - I remember reading that (one of my comments has even been used), but thought it applied to CCTV convictions only. Reading again, you're right. Outrageous. What's stopping an attendant topping up his quota with a few passing numbers, as what happened to me once? How would you prove him wrong?

Time to leave the country.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Everytime I hear that phrase I think of Richard Littlejohn - who's other catchprase is "You couldn't make it up". The irony being of course, he makes most of it up

Which destination do people who want to leave the country have in mind? And care to point out the cons of that country as readily as you do this one?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I'm off to Brigadoon.

[kford]

Australia - cons: a bit far away; newspapers aren't as good as the UK. That's about it.

France, Spain or even Germany. Cons: can't speak the language as well as I ought; would only get Channel 4 on satellite or PC. That's about it.

The benefits over this expensive hateful little country, to anyone who's visited the above, are blindingly obvious.

In a recent poll, people were asked to list what they would miss most about this country and they answered thus:

1. Nothing

2. Baked beans

3. The telly

Says it all. Now try and think of something yourself. Hard, isn't it?

[SeanMacGabhann]

Let's not question THAT source

"people" - what, all of them? or a specific demographic?

This is just getting pathetic - you genuinely can't think of any reason to like this country apart from baked F***ing beans??

I don't think you have a problem with this country - I reckon you are just one of those people who has a problem with life. My Australian friends (still living there) speak endlessly of leaving Australia. they cite many of the same problems you mention about this country. Grass is always greener etc etc

To pick one small, but not irrelevant example - Imagine in this country if someone banned mexican waves at sports ground - "that's it I'm leaving etc etc" - well, welcome to Australia

Overkill

As for car parking and speeding - dopplegangers exist over there too

How very dare they!

France, Spain & Germany? You don't tolerate the lower taxes in this country - what makes you think you would do better there - even if you spoke the language?

Until the sun broke today, London basked in lovely sunshine. It would take a curmudgeon of extraordinary tenacity to deny how good life can be in this country. But hey, if it's not enough, the door is over there .... Now you too can be an immigrant

[kford]

Sure, and you can't drink outside pubs and you can't park with your car facing the traffic.

Have you ever lived there? No? Well shut up then.

My poll findings were possibly exaggerated, but hey, I haven't got the time to trawl the internet looking for the exact figures. You obviously have.

My original point was just to show a little solidaity with the likes of Louisa, and others, who probably perceive that they're being persecuted for what, on the face of it, are trivial 'crimes'. That's all.

I don't have a problem with life - how dare you - I do however have a probelm with people like you. who seem to want to start an argument at every opportunity. You don't work for NCP, APCOA or Southwark council do you?

[SeanMacGabhann]

Thats told me. Splendid logic

[kford]

I hadn't finished.

[Gerrard]

I wish you would, your ridiculous and unsubstantiated comments have nothing to do with Louisa's original post.

[kford]

He started it miss!

[SeanMacGabhann]

Well that at least made me chuckle

And fair play... me saying you have a problem with life is a bit OTT - err.. sorry about that

But I wasn't trying to pick an argument - good to see Louisa get plenty of support from people after dealing with an over officious lackey and I'm not quibbling with that. It's when I saw the "time to leave the country" line I thought here we go. For the sake of not arguing I won't cover the wider argument again. Unless, you know.. you want to

Oh and having lot's of spare time is great. I recommend it....;-)

[kford]

And apologies for telling you to 'shut up'. Perhaps we need a 'take it outside' button for such passionate battles, that allows the thread to continue without being lounged ;-)

[SeanMacGabhann]

peace yo ;-)

[Moos]

Ah, how sweeeeeet. Can I have a hug?