The Old Bill at it again.....

We certainly live in the day of the local authority nazis........................

In the space of three days I had delivered to my address three PCNs ~ for those who don't know what they are they are fines sent through the post for camera recorded "offences" against traffic regulations such as parking, yellow box, banned turns etc, and they emanate from either local London councils or Transport for London.

They originate, not as some people imagine; through a "computer" issuing them out moronically but from a viewing suite operators observing moving images and then reversing the digital footage to obtain still images to use as evidence of an infringement.

Fines run at £120 a time, halved if you pay within 28 days.

So two weeks ago I receive two for stopping where I (and thousands like me) have without problem for years,on a single yellow line; to use a urinal and then proceded on my way within one minute at the longest......................the numerous City of Westminster Civil Enforcement Officers have to a man and woman always shown their human side in turning a blind eye to which is only to guys stopping for a quick pee. Now the location is under camera scrutiny and some moron in the viewing sweet (who no doubt can go to the toilet whenever they feel the need) is turning out prosecutions.....................prosecutions that any appeal over are being rejected.

To go with them, I have one from Camden Council for stopping outside a Central London hotel on double yellow lines to take a client on board together with their considerable luggage......................again, out of the blue when there has never been a problem here before and also despite signage on my vehicle indicating both my trade and right under TfL regulations to carry out such a manouvre in their traffic lanes without impunity ~ but this is not TfL jurisdiction you understand; this is Camden.

So basically, I lose £180 overnight out of rapidly diminishing earnings of late because London is a dying town in the centre and dying mainly due to the oppressive regime under these local authorities.

If I fail to pay these fines within 28 days, the amounts are doubled and civil enforcement procedings will be put in motion; but now I have another problem......................my gradually deteriorating health of late has now manifested itself in me having to withdraw from all driving or operation of any machinery etc etc forthwith pending hospital investigation.....................investigation that might take weeks or months to set in motion. So I now have no current job, no income, no means of paying those punitive fines and have even had the bank I have banked with for over 25 years withdraw my overdraft facility whilst demanding repayment of it in total and then to completely cover themselves in glory; they have closed my account........................thank you The Post Office/Alliance & Leicester/Abbey National/ Santander.

It's going to be "an interesting" period of time in the next few weeks!

As you will remember Merse you shared some concerns you had for your health with me four or five months ago and I’m so sorry to hear it seems to be deteriorating further to the point you are at this time unable to even earn a living doing a job I know you enjoy. I wish you all the best and hope any tests that might be done can get to the bottom of your problems and hopefully find a way forward that will greatly improve things for you and your family.

I have watched a few programmes on the TV and read a few stories about these PCNs and I’m also sorry to hear you have received three while trying to go about your daily business trying to earn a living and not be like so many who just take without ever wanting to give anything back.

I expect in time we will see these cameras in every town and city as its easy money as car owners are just seen as easy targets as it’s known that in most cases they will always pay up. I’m lucky that in the towns I drive into do my job, there are proper wardens who you can talk too and to date still use common sense and understand I also have a job to do and I also need to have a pee every so often.

That has not been the case in Torbay over the last five years we have had the NCP mob here, it has now just gone in house only all the NCP staff have been given the jobs and I’m not sure its going to be any different .

There has been very serious damage done here in the Bay by giving so many parking tickets out, I have lost count of all the people I have come across doing my job, who have told me they will never come to Torbay again.

There has been no improvements in traffic flow despite the claims that is why so many are issued and a seaside resort so dependant on having visitors coming to it and spending money, it seems madness to send so many home feeling they were stung in the tail. The seafront is the worst while the signs down there are legal as such, they are very confusing and catch people out, that’s why at 4pm the wardens go down there in three’s as they can catch out up to 30+ visitors each and every day.

The only good thing about a parking ticket is at least if you feel it was issued unfairly or incorrectly, you can at least gather some evidence such as talking some pictures of your car parked where the ticket was issued, any road markings and signs nearby. That can’t happen with PCNs as you simply a few weeks later get a fine come through your letter box and there then is not a lot you can do about it.

This was covered on the J.Vine show a few months ago and it’s clear that all appeals are simply thrown out when they are first put in and most not even looked at. It has been proved that by carrying on the appeals procedure to the much latter stages of it that it is possible to get a ticket overturned, but most won’t do that as they fear they will end up paying even more.

The world we live in is becoming sadder and sadder and the real villains get away scott free and the main reason in my view things are so bad, is because the old fashioned ways or decency and respect that we grew up with have been lost and most because of human rights going way over the top and the PC brigade.

As kids we could go into Drum Sports in Newton Abbot and come out an with 8” sheath knives complete with in a case we could attract to the belt on our trousers, all we were ever going to use the knife for was to cut down some tree branch to make a catapult or carve I love Julie into a tree bark.

So what has changed? Well these days kids can get away with what ever they want and they all know it and even when they do ever get charged they never have to face a punishment that will make them feel they never want to get into trouble again.

These days parents let their kids just run lose and hardly ever know what they are up too, when I was kid I could go out after school until 6pm when I had to be home for tea and in for the night. As I got a bit older and mostly in the lighter summer nights it gradually increased up to 9pm but never any later and boy would you get punished if you came home late.

You can see kids as young as 12 or 13 out on the streets well past midnight and whose fault is that? Yes the parents who may well be just making sure they have all the fun they want without ever fulfilling the real roles and reasonability’s they do have when they brought their children into the world.

Something to remember with these PCN's is it is only the police and local authorities that can issue them, but many others such as Motorway Service Stations, Railway Stations, and Supermarkets try it on and send people 'PCN's' for alleged breaches of their parking area regulations. These are not actually PCN's although they are always headed up as such. They are actually invoices for an amount of compensation for 'trespass' and the only recourse they have if it isn't paid is to take you to court for trespass. Not really worth their bother and also unlike proper PCN's are normally withdrawn if challenged. Recently I not only had one withdrawn after parking at Exeter Motorway Services but received £20 worth of vouchers to spend there after writing furious letters to everybody I could think of!!

We do indeed. And as someone who has witnessed the sharp end of these officious prats and their minimum waged minions...one can at least draw some solace that the people who implement these policies will shortly find themselves on the scrapheap...whoever wins on 6 May.