Parking tickets for whale rescuers
Discussion
I hope that the relevant local authority cancels these tickets, but I seriously doubt it!!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4638790.st
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4638790.st
bbc said:
Whale rescuers' £300 parking bill
Rescue charity workers who battled in vain to save a whale found swimming up the River Thames are now facing a bill of more than £300 in parking fines.
Alan Knight, the British Divers Marine Rescue Group chairman, said cars were parked by Vauxhall Bridge on meters.
But in a race against time to get the mammal to safety, the volunteers jumped on the rescue barge and did not return until Saturday night.
The 19ft whale has now been confirmed as an adolescent female.
She first surfaced on Friday morning in central London and throughout the day captured the attention of thousands of Londoners who flocked to the river banks.
I would have hoped they would have given us the benefit of the doubt
Alan Knight
But she rapidly became disorientated and distressed, prompting the seven-hour rescue operation aimed at getting her back to her natural habitat in deep sea waters.
"It upsets me a bit that we are facing over £300 worth of bills," said Mr Knight, who was in charge of the rescue operation.
"I guess they have got a job to do. However, all of our cars have 'marine ambulance' on the side or 'marine medics'... and I would have hoped they would have given us the benefit of the doubt."
He added that as a small charity with limited funds, it already faces a steep rescue bill of £5,000.
"We are hoping the public will show some of the enthusiasm they showed for the rescue by donating to us," he added.
The charity is also hoping to raise funds by auctioning a red watering can used in the rescue attempt on the internet.
Meanwhile, a post-mortem examination of the northern bottle-nosed whale has taken place in Gravesend, Kent, where she died.
Findings from the examination conducted by marine expert Paul Jepson are expected to be released on Wednesday.
There is some uncertainty about what will happen to the carcass.
Mr Knight said it could be buried in a landfill site or be incinerated, adding there was some concern over zoonotic diseases which can be passed from animals to humans.
The Maritime Coastguard Agency said the whale was not its responsibility because it died on a barge rather than land.
I've deliberately not followed this story as I know it would only get me mad. Yet again a massive rescue operation is mounted to save a creature that lost its way yet there are thousands of humans suffering with ailments and problems that could be remedied with that 5K.
Do they honestly and genuinely expect us to believe that their actions in dealing with the whale should warrant exmeption from parking restrictions?
It's a wonder they don't want blue lights and two-tone horns so they can get to whale incidents quicker next time. What utter bollox!
>> Edited by volvos70t5 on Monday 23 January 12:34
Do they honestly and genuinely expect us to believe that their actions in dealing with the whale should warrant exmeption from parking restrictions?
It's a wonder they don't want blue lights and two-tone horns so they can get to whale incidents quicker next time. What utter bollox!
>> Edited by volvos70t5 on Monday 23 January 12:34
Hallo Volvo. Don't think anyone was asking for blues and twos.
Think your rationale is a bit harsh to be honest. Are you saying that whilst there is a single human in trouble somewhere, nothing should be spent on attempting to solve environmental problems?
I'm not a sandle-ista, but it should be fairly obvious to all that the environment that we all live in has a fairly direct impact on one's health?
If people want to put their own money into sorting out problem x, y or z then who are we to judge?
Perhaps we are all selfish spending loads of £££££'s on cars whilst there are people in trouble all around the world?
Think your rationale is a bit harsh to be honest. Are you saying that whilst there is a single human in trouble somewhere, nothing should be spent on attempting to solve environmental problems?
I'm not a sandle-ista, but it should be fairly obvious to all that the environment that we all live in has a fairly direct impact on one's health?
If people want to put their own money into sorting out problem x, y or z then who are we to judge?
Perhaps we are all selfish spending loads of £££££'s on cars whilst there are people in trouble all around the world?
I agree with Volvo's sentiments, and whilst I wouldn't deliberately go out of my way to club a baby seeal to death, I really don't see the point of all this fuss:
1. Was it even an endangered species?
b. Would the same kerfuffle have ensued if it had been a big fish? or a cow? (ie, some animal not cute enough to have its own hit movie)
Think of it this way. If all those people who rushed to help (and got tickets), had given a pint of blood instead of pouring water over a sick animal, how many people would have been saved?
After saying all that, however, I would much rather have seen a Traffic Warden floundering in the Thames than a whale*
*joke, joke. I'd never want to see another human being suffer. Not even a traffic warden
1. Was it even an endangered species?
b. Would the same kerfuffle have ensued if it had been a big fish? or a cow? (ie, some animal not cute enough to have its own hit movie)
Think of it this way. If all those people who rushed to help (and got tickets), had given a pint of blood instead of pouring water over a sick animal, how many people would have been saved?
After saying all that, however, I would much rather have seen a Traffic Warden floundering in the Thames than a whale*
*joke, joke. I'd never want to see another human being suffer. Not even a traffic warden
FFS !
Yes the bottle nose whale is an endangered species - it was practically hunted to extinction by the north atlantic whaling fleet.
i didn't see any public money being spent - apart from the river police being involved.
and i would rather help any animal than a bloody traffic warden - fleas and ticks that they are !
711 said:
Hallo Volvo. Don't think anyone was asking for blues and twos.
Think your rationale is a bit harsh to be honest. Are you saying that whilst there is a single human in trouble somewhere, nothing should be spent on attempting to solve environmental problems?
I'm not a sandle-ista, but it should be fairly obvious to all that the environment that we all live in has a fairly direct impact on one's health?
If people want to put their own money into sorting out problem x, y or z then who are we to judge?
Perhaps we are all selfish spending loads of £££££'s on cars whilst there are people in trouble all around the world?
Hi 711
The comment about blues and twos was tongue-in-cheek. I will only be a matter of time before they get round to it, though.
I think it is a question of ones own priorities. I do think it is pretty disgraceful when we see large sums of money being spent on things that really are of questionable value. It makes no matter whether it is my money, your money, UK plc's or Elton John;s. If it isn't spent usefully then it is being wasted. I guess I just don't like to see waste.
I don't doubt that we all need to take ownership of the environment but what do we do next time a whale decides to swim the wrong way up the River Thames? Launch a full on rescue mission again? If so, at least the whale-savers can think to sort out their parking beforehand.
volvos70t5 said:
I think it is a question of ones own priorities. I do think it is pretty disgraceful when we see large sums of money being spent on things that really are of questionable value. It makes no matter whether it is my money, your money, UK plc's or Elton John;s. If it isn't spent usefully then it is being wasted. I guess I just don't like to see waste.
I'm not really qualified to assess the business case for the rescue attempt last weekend, but as the rescue was funded by the charity and conducted by charity members then surely that is their priority. As it is our priority to drive our cars, which others may see as wasteful...
volvo70t5 said:
don't doubt that we all need to take ownership of the environment but what do we do next time a whale decides to swim the wrong way up the River Thames? Launch a full on rescue mission again? If so, at least the whale-savers can think to sort out their parking beforehand.
Like I said, only the experts can assess the business case for the rescue. I think the point about parking was that whatever our views on the merits of individual altruistic acts, it seems petty for restrictions to be applied to someone who is so obviously otherwise engaged.
If you were trying to save a life, would "oh I must feed that meter" be at the top of your agenda? Didn't think so!
One could also take the view that "rules is rules". Perhaps that logic could also apply to emergency services vehicles in bus lanes?
711 said:
If you were trying to save a life, would "oh I must feed that meter" be at the top of your agenda? Didn't think so!
One could also take the view that "rules is rules". Perhaps that logic could also apply to emergency services vehicles in bus lanes?
No, it probably wouldn't but then again since I am not a member of the emergency services it is very unlikely that I will ever be in the position of having to intervene in a situation to attempt to save a life.
Suppose they parked in such a way as to partially block the road? Would you be happy that ambulance/police/fire vehicles couldn't get through because someone was out saving a whale?
I remember a tale of a guy (a policeman) who worked overtime and forgot to extend his meter with the result that he got a ticket. He thought that was unfair. I still struggle to understand that one.
>> Edited by volvos70t5 on Monday 23 January 14:38
How did the Parking Attendants know that they were cars from the Rescue?
No mention of special stickers etc.
Not an emergency as such that it was a dump and run which it seems they did.
Am I alone in thinking they made almost a complete botch of the so called rescue.
24 hours to come with the idea of pontooning out to sea. Could have been done in four hours max. In fact there was that much hot air to fill a ballon by the so called experts pontificating on TV News they could have flown it to sea....
dvd
No mention of special stickers etc.
Not an emergency as such that it was a dump and run which it seems they did.
Am I alone in thinking they made almost a complete botch of the so called rescue.
24 hours to come with the idea of pontooning out to sea. Could have been done in four hours max. In fact there was that much hot air to fill a ballon by the so called experts pontificating on TV News they could have flown it to sea....
dvd
I happen to think that these marine charities have probably paid a blinder. Their income will rapidly rise in the short term due to the exposure they've just received, and good for them 
As for the local authorities and their attendants who are helping to reduce cost of public pensions to 'just' 26% of council tax - they couldn't sink any lower anyway!
As for the local authorities and their attendants who are helping to reduce cost of public pensions to 'just' 26% of council tax - they couldn't sink any lower anyway!
volvos70t5 said:
Suppose they parked in such a way as to partially block the road? Would you be happy that ambulance/police/fire vehicles couldn't get through because someone was out saving a whale?
If they were ticketed because they were blocking the road then it's a fair ticket. From the reports I don't think they were blocking the road though...
Dwight VanDriver said:
How did the Parking Attendants know that they were cars from the Rescue?
No mention of special stickers etc.
Cars did have some stickers apparently...
Dwight VanDriver said:
Am I alone in thinking they made almost a complete botch of the so called rescue.
24 hours to come with the idea of pontooning out to sea. Could have been done in four hours max.
DVD, much appreciated, respected and knowledge member. But have to ask, is large marine mammal rescue your subject matter
Dwight VanDriver said:
In fact there was that much hot air to fill a ballon by the so called experts pontificating on TV News they could have flown it to sea....
dvd
Now that much is true
Perhaps they should just have blown it up, like on that much available "wanna see a whale blow up" video that's been floating around the net for years. That would have provided the hoardes of spectators and news folks something to see / scrape off their jackets
711 said:
Suppose they parked in such a way as to partially block the road? Would you be happy that ambulance/police/fire vehicles couldn't get through because someone was out saving a whale?
If they were ticketed because they were blocking the road then it's a fair ticket. From the reports I don't think they were blocking the road though...
Sorry, I should have added that parking restrictions are there to perform 2 things:
1. Generate revenue e.g. car parks
2. Dissuade people from parking in areas that will cause traffic problems.
If the whale people were parked safely but ran over then they still owe the unpaid parking fees or else we get into a ridiculous argument about what does and does not constitute a valid exmeption from parking.
Westminster have agreed to waive the fines 
Although the parking attendant should still have been thrown in the Thames for issuing the ticket, 'job to do' or not...
These are not my views on the parking attendants concerned, but on all parking attendants
bbc said:They clearly realised how bad the PR would have been...
A Westminster Council spokesman said that while the parking attendants were correct in issuing the tickets, these were extraordinary circumstances and the fines will be waived.
Although the parking attendant should still have been thrown in the Thames for issuing the ticket, 'job to do' or not...
These are not my views on the parking attendants concerned, but on all parking attendants
bbc said:
A Westminster Council spokesman said that while the parking attendants were correct in issuing the tickets, these were extraordinary circumstances and the fines will be waived.
So how are these extraordinary circumstances?
Please don't get me wrong, my hatred of traffic wardens is close to clinical considering recent issues I've had with a parking ticket, but how is "rescuing a whale" more of an emergency than "visiting my sick mum" or "popping into the newsagent for some smokes".
I really dont give a flying toss about the whale, it was a whale, it got into the thames. It died. Last time it happened we followed it at a safe distance and waited for it to die as it was a menace (capsized a small boat IIRC) not that long before that we would have harpooned the buggers and donated a percentage to the queen's whalebone fund.
It irritates me to watch everyone jumping on a random cute and fluffy (metaphorically speaking) bandwagon and donating public resource to them (which is effectively what the council have done in refunding the parking tickets).
Would they waive a ticket for someone doing something actually praiseworthy? Not a chance, check some of the threads on a PHers other half being pursued for tickets while visiting patients.
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