Man gets buslane and parking ticket at same time
Discussion
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/londonnews/articles/18848379
Fined for being 'in two different places at the same time'
By David Williams, Evening Standard
25 May 2005
A motorist is demanding an inquiry after he was given tickets in two different places at the same time.
Colin Southwell was ready to admit his guilt when council chiefs sent him a photo of his van driving in a bus lane at 9.47am - and a £100 fine.
But when the same council fined him a further £100 for staying too long at a meter at 9.48am on the same day - at a location five minutes away - he dug his heels in.
Mr Southwell, the director of a metal designs business, admitted he had parked his vehicle in Cowcross Street, Farringdon, while he visited the dentist.
But he clearly recalled arriving back at his car in time to buy a coffee and drive off before his money ran out.
"It was obvious the minute I opened the two separate envelopes, which arrived at the same time, that someone was trying to cheat and it wasn't me," Mr Southwell said.
"Clearly, a parking attendant thought he could get away with noting down my car's details and issuing a fine after I left, in the belief I'd simply forget when the fine came through the post, assume I had made a mistake and pay up.
"What he didn't know was that precisely one minute earlier I had already been caught on film by his own council's cameras at least five minutes away on Clerkenwell Road."
Mr Southwell, who says a ticket was not left on his car, wants an inquiry into whether he is the only such victim.
"My workers have had numerous penalties when we didn't have tickets on our cars and we have paid up, assuming we were in the wrong," he said.
"They must get motorists like this all the time."
Islington council has cancelled his second ticket and promised to investigate and penalise its contractor, NCP, if his complaint is upheld.
Fined for being 'in two different places at the same time'
By David Williams, Evening Standard
25 May 2005
A motorist is demanding an inquiry after he was given tickets in two different places at the same time.
Colin Southwell was ready to admit his guilt when council chiefs sent him a photo of his van driving in a bus lane at 9.47am - and a £100 fine.
But when the same council fined him a further £100 for staying too long at a meter at 9.48am on the same day - at a location five minutes away - he dug his heels in.
Mr Southwell, the director of a metal designs business, admitted he had parked his vehicle in Cowcross Street, Farringdon, while he visited the dentist.
But he clearly recalled arriving back at his car in time to buy a coffee and drive off before his money ran out.
"It was obvious the minute I opened the two separate envelopes, which arrived at the same time, that someone was trying to cheat and it wasn't me," Mr Southwell said.
"Clearly, a parking attendant thought he could get away with noting down my car's details and issuing a fine after I left, in the belief I'd simply forget when the fine came through the post, assume I had made a mistake and pay up.
"What he didn't know was that precisely one minute earlier I had already been caught on film by his own council's cameras at least five minutes away on Clerkenwell Road."
Mr Southwell, who says a ticket was not left on his car, wants an inquiry into whether he is the only such victim.
"My workers have had numerous penalties when we didn't have tickets on our cars and we have paid up, assuming we were in the wrong," he said.
"They must get motorists like this all the time."
Islington council has cancelled his second ticket and promised to investigate and penalise its contractor, NCP, if his complaint is upheld.
LES said:
Islington council has cancelled his second ticket and promised to investigate and penalise its contractor, NCP, if his complaint is upheld.
Yeah right? They got caught this time. But I wonder how many innocent people get fined this way in the pursuit of targets and revenue.
With the force of the law against you, and threatening letters I imagine a lot of people just cough and swallow. Its amazing how this occurs in the first place. I mean, the congestion charge is still chasing people through the courts for fines on cars that have never been to London (and they know it!). Its a con and those that know are raping the public.....
The obvious question here should be: what tolerance is allowed when reporting the time of an offence?
It could be argued that:
the reported time for the bus lane photo was 3 minutes late, so actually occurring at 9:50, while the reported time for the parking offence was 3 minutes late, actually occurring at 9:45; hence allowing him the 5 minutes travelling time needed to get to the bus lane. I’ve not even accounted for the quantisation effect of when each new minute occurred!
I can see this complaint being dismissed; he admitted being at the parking zone and there is a picture of him in the bus lane. I think it’s more likely this is a case of him trying it on.
It could be argued that:
the reported time for the bus lane photo was 3 minutes late, so actually occurring at 9:50, while the reported time for the parking offence was 3 minutes late, actually occurring at 9:45; hence allowing him the 5 minutes travelling time needed to get to the bus lane. I’ve not even accounted for the quantisation effect of when each new minute occurred!
I can see this complaint being dismissed; he admitted being at the parking zone and there is a picture of him in the bus lane. I think it’s more likely this is a case of him trying it on.
Dont know about down south, but up here in Aberdeen, we have about 3 different bus lanes, but with different times.
Problem I find is that the sign is so small that as you pull onto the road with the bus lane, you cant really read the sign with the times on it, and it is only repeated at the next road turning on to the one with the bus lane.
If the signes were bigger, and repeated at perhaps every bus stop, motorist would use bus lanes outwith bus times.
Often I drive in bus lanes when no other cars are in them, I once asked a yellow peril why no other cars wee in the bus lane, and he said "They dont read the times", so if they were more apparant, more cars would use them outwith the buys tiems thus reducinc congestion.?
Problem I find is that the sign is so small that as you pull onto the road with the bus lane, you cant really read the sign with the times on it, and it is only repeated at the next road turning on to the one with the bus lane.
If the signes were bigger, and repeated at perhaps every bus stop, motorist would use bus lanes outwith bus times.
Often I drive in bus lanes when no other cars are in them, I once asked a yellow peril why no other cars wee in the bus lane, and he said "They dont read the times", so if they were more apparant, more cars would use them outwith the buys tiems thus reducinc congestion.?
supraman2954 said:
The obvious question here should be: what tolerance is allowed when reporting the time of an offence?
It could be argued that:
the reported time for the bus lane photo was 3 minutes late, so actually occurring at 9:50, while the reported time for the parking offence was 3 minutes late, actually occurring at 9:45; hence allowing him the 5 minutes travelling time needed to get to the bus lane. I’ve not even accounted for the quantisation effect of when each new minute occurred!
I can see this complaint being dismissed; he admitted being at the parking zone and there is a picture of him in the bus lane. I think it’s more likely this is a case of him trying it on.
He admitted being at the parking zone AND having time to buy a coffee before the meter ran out.
I think it's more likely this is a case of the warden trying it on
BliarOut said:I certainly would not put that past those bar stewards, but [in relation to the parking offence]
He admitted being at the parking zone AND having time to buy a coffee before the meter ran out.
I think it's more likely this is a case of the warden trying it on
article said:Surely anyone would be more certain of themselves if they think they're innocent of such an act?
"Colin Southwell was ready to admit his guilt "
His change of heart is a bit too convenient, though I can't blame him for making full use of the opportunity.
Hang on, I've just re-read it. It's bloody Cowcross Street.... I know the wardens down there as I've worked there many times.....
Vicious bastards to a man, they don't miss a trick. They are always argueing with motorists when they try to ticket early.
We almost got a ticket despite the meter being taken off for a day to allow us to relocate a customer. We had the permit displayed and everything.
I am pretty certain he's innocent at the time charged
Vicious bastards to a man, they don't miss a trick. They are always argueing with motorists when they try to ticket early.
We almost got a ticket despite the meter being taken off for a day to allow us to relocate a customer. We had the permit displayed and everything.
I am pretty certain he's innocent at the time charged
Vipers said:
Often I drive in bus lanes when no other cars are in them, I once asked a yellow peril why no other cars wee in the bus lane, and he said "They dont read the times", so if they were more apparant, more cars would use them outwith the buys tiems thus reducinc congestion.?
Plese keep your voice down! I make extremely good progress through many towns by using precisely this method.
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