Cloned registration

[Mon Ami Mate]

I've just received a penalty notice from TfL for riding my motorbike in a bus lane. Except I have never ridden on that road, I was in Bath on a client visit that day and the vehicle pictured is a Nissan Micra, clearly showing my registration number. What should I do?

>>> Edited by Mon Ami Mate on Wednesday 7th July 10:09

[Raify]

Call the police, and tell them that you suspect your plate has been cloned. It happens alot, so they should be able to tell you how to go about contesting the ticket.

With it being a bike / car, photo's should make it very obvious it is a cloned plate!

Good luck, this has happened twice in a year to a friend of mine, on two different cars. Both times, all the offences are in places in North London he's never even heard of

[ultimasimon]

Raify said:

Call the police, and tell them that you suspect your plate has been cloned. It happens alot, so they should be able to tell you how to go about contesting the ticket. With it being a bike / car, photo's should make it very obvious it is a cloned plate! Good luck, this has happened twice in a year to a friend of mine, on two different cars. Both times, all the offences are in places in North London he's never even heard of

Thanks to the Congestion Charge, thousands of innocent motorists are being reported for non payment due to ares0les cloning plates.

As usual the bib are left with a lot more paperwork to clear up the mess that Livingstone has created.

[Mon Ami Mate]

I've just sent this to TfL (the invoice is for £120):

Transport for London
Traffic Enforcement
Notice Processing Service
PO Box 4532
BN13 1XZ

Dear Sirs,

Penalty Charge notice GT1012853A

I was shocked to receive a penalty charge notice with the above reference this morning. Particularly as the registration belongs to my Kawasaki motorcycle and the photograph clearly shows a Nissan Micra car.

I am outraged that TfL does not undertake simple checks before sending out penalty charge notices. You are essentially handing the burden of your administration onto innocent members of the public. I have spent an hour of my time this morning trying to get through to your offices to discuss this matter and in drafting this letter. I am further outraged to find that, having got through to your advisor, he tells me that I am legally obliged to spend more of my time to prove my innocence by sending a written representation to you, with a photocopy of my registration document. I shan’t be doing this – I have your photographic evidence of my innocence, as well as a cast iron alibi that I was with a client in Bath for the entire day in question.

As a result of the time I have already spent today on this, please find attached an invoice. This invoice is payable within 30 days, or else I reserve the right to charge interest at the current base rate.

Yours sincerely,

[kamal996]

Mon Ami Mate said:

I've just sent this to TfL (the invoice is for £120): Transport for London Traffic Enforcement Notice Processing Service PO Box 4532 BN13 1XZ Dear Sirs, Penalty Charge notice GT1012853A I was shocked to receive a penalty charge notice with the above reference this morning. Particularly as the registration belongs to my Kawasaki motorcycle and the photograph clearly shows a Nissan Micra car. I am outraged that TfL does not undertake simple checks before sending out penalty charge notices. You are essentially handing the burden of your administration onto innocent members of the public. I have spent an hour of my time this morning trying to get through to your offices to discuss this matter and in drafting this letter. I am further outraged to find that, having got through to your advisor, he tells me that I am legally obliged to spend more of my time to prove my innocence by sending a written representation to you, with a photocopy of my registration document. I shan’t be doing this – I have your photographic evidence of my innocence, as well as a cast iron alibi that I was with a client in Bath for the entire day in question. As a result of the time I have already spent today on this, please find attached an invoice. This invoice is payable within 30 days, or else I reserve the right to charge interest at the current base rate. Yours sincerely,

I am about to go through the same for a parking ticket I received. I was no where near the area! Well done and I hope that you take the bu%$ers to small claims court if they dont pay your invoice.

[Raify]

Excellent letter!! Post the reply (if you get one) we'd all love to see them try and worm their way out of this one

[KITT]

Mon Ami Mate said:

a very good letter

Brilliant! Good luck getting them to pay you, but hope you get it sorted

[planetdave]

Excellent draft. If they are going to be silly let them incur lots of expence.

BTW can anyone explain why offences with motor vehicles have a presumption of guilt?

Which brings me to Gatsos and their horrible brethren. No police officer is involved and yet it is viable evidence of an offence. Scamera van operatives are often civvies (and dont even mention Traffic Wardens). How come motorists are legally a special case (with regards to evidence?)

[paolow]

planetdave said:

Excellent draft. If they are going to be silly let them incur lots of expence. BTW can anyone explain why offences with motor vehicles have a presumption of guilt? Which brings me to Gatsos and their horrible brethren. No police officer is involved and yet it is viable evidence of an offence. Scamera van operatives are often civvies (and dont even mention Traffic Wardens). How come motorists are legally a special case (with regards to evidence?)

because its easier to get money out of us this way?

[Zod]

They will just send a standard reply that the charge is due within x days.

[Mad Dave]

Similarly (kinda) my parents received a parking ticket from Hackney council, for a car that was written off in an accident 2 years previously. The entire boot and boot floor was creased in the rear end shunt, yet it appears to have been put back on the road.

My mother called to explain the situation, expecting a 'OK, not to worry, thanks for letting us know'. What did she get? "Im sorry, it up to you to PROVE that you werent not the driver and/or registered keeper of the car at the time. If you cannot prove this, we will take you to court for the fine." Luckily she still had all the documentation about the claim and the paperwork from the salvage company who collected the car. It f-ing stinks though - guilty until proven innocent.

Good luck with your matter Mon Ami Mate.

Dave

[BliarOut]

In this case I would love them to threaten to take it to court. If they do, please, please let us know when so we can all come along and take the pi$$ out of them!

[Mon Ami Mate]

Just back from the local Police station - it occurred to me that if the owners of this car are prepared to clone a plate, they might also be prepared to rob a bank. Didn't fancy the idea of waking up to a dawn chorus of armed response unit...

Nice lady on the counter at Bath Police station says she gets at least one of these a day...