I don't normally do this, but need to vent

[janeyo]

My local paper seems to love stories like this, maybe yours does too?

Hope it gets resloved to your satisfaction.

[OllieMartin]

My local paper seems to love stories like this, maybe yours does too?

Hope it gets resloved to your satisfaction.

Not the worst idea, but there are certain aspects of the story that i'd prefer to keep away from people I work/socialise with and I can't imagine the paper would be happy with half the story.

[Jeanied]

Ollie don't the sadists from local officialdom make you want to put them in a trench covered in honey and hope the ants find them?

[OllieMartin]

Ollie don't the sadists from local officialdom make you want to put them in a trench covered in honey and hope the ants find them?

They certainly put me in an extirpative state of mind (and that's not even the word of the day!
I've written a suitably trenchant letter this evening, which I'll print out at work tomorrow. Hopefully will get some answers. I've given them a numbered list of questions to which I expect them to respond, but being the council I'm sure I'll get "Cancellation Denied Letter #6" in reply.

[ginger ninger]

Sorry to hear about your ticket Ollie, surly they can see there being unfair, not that councils are fare at the best of times, I think you've had some excellent advice on here, and with regard to venting your spleen, you vent away lord knows you've listened to us enough, were only returns the favor.

On a lighter note.. with regards to a "Girlfriend", I think I may have found you a stunner, she's available because her husband got boiled in "Basic Instinct" and she said she needs a nice man to look after her, I hope you like her...

[OllieMartin]

Being the kind of person who's always had rather blurry moral boundaries; I'm not sure what's considered acceptable, but when I first saw Who Framed Roger Rabbit? I thought Jessica Rabbit was outstandingly hot!
Shame she got all up-close and personal with Bob Hoskins, I'd rather have seen her making advances on Christopher Lloyd than that homunculus!

[Hilary B]

re parking tickets and law (1689 style). A parking ticket (or other 'fixed penalty' notice) is equivalent to being charged. Paying it is equivalent to pleading guilty in court.
You CAN plead not-guilty (ie appeal the ticket) and often this will result in the thing being dropped (charges withdrawn). If they DON'T drop it, it eventually goes to court, where justice will take its normal course, and the penalty (If you lose) may be considerably greater than the original.
They rely on 2 things
1) most people don't realise the alternative
2) a lot of those who do realise the alternative are too scared of the consequences of losing to try.
Hence these things usually get paid.......
OH got a speeding ticket a while back. He COULD have appealed on the basis that the 'camera' was not readily visible (it was in a parked police car, but the car was hidden from the direction we were travelling; easier to see in the opposite direction) but I wouldn't let him, because I don't consider it right that you can get away with breaking the law just because you didn't see the policeman. He did the 'course' to save licence points. Now he remembers not to speed where there MAY be a camera.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Blimey love. What an awful mess! BIG (((((((((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))))) from me and Dexy. Hope you sort it out soon. Love Bernie x

[OllieMartin]

Well just to update.
I got a response to my last letter detailing (sadly quite well) why they don't need to provide additional evidence.

So all I have left is the fact that I DID have a permit, I simply hadn't got round to putting it in my car.

The problem now is that, whilst the principle of the matter counts, it's not worth my time trying to get out of it.
The way I see it; if the cost of my time minus the subjective value of fighting it are greater than the £25 fine, then it's worth fighting. Sadly I don't think it is.

I know I'm getting totally suckered into paying it just because I simply don't have the time to sit around writing letters to the council, but paying £25 for a little piece-of-mind is just easier.

I hate giving in!

[Brengirl]

That's why I normally just shrug my shoulders and put it down to experience. My brother thinks I always take the easy route and that I am a pacifist. Maybe I do/am, but my life is too precious to waste time on conflict. He on the other hand looks out for trouble on every horizon so that he can 'have a go' and when he wins you should him crow.

[OllieMartin]

Well I went to pay it and apparently because I sent two letters (only one letter counts towards reseting the 14 day 50% discount period), the fine is now £50 and I have 28 days to appeal again before it is increased (to £75 I think).
So I might as well continue to appeal as I've nothing to lose. Am in the process of posting my predicament on Pepipoo (thanks for pointing me in the direction of that site folks). I may have a vicissitude in the situation yet!

[Pumpkin Becki]

I may have a vicissitude in the situation yet!

Nice!!

[Littlemouse]

I work for a local council and handle parking-related calls. Have you received the notice to owner letter? If not you have to wait until you receive that and then you can make your 'formal' challenge.

PS to other posters:

Thanks for all the kind comments and thoughts directed to council workers... what goes around comes around!

[OllieMartin]

I work for a local council and handle parking-related calls. Have you received the notice to owner letter? If not you have to wait until you receive that and then you can make your 'formal' challenge.

PS to other posters:

Thanks for all the kind comments and thoughts directed to council workers... what goes around comes around!

Thanks for the advice. No I haven't received the NtO yet. Will send a formal challenge, but don't expect them to take much notice so will likely just have to pay £50.