My first ever fine !
Discussion
I've just received a 'Penalty Charge Notice' from Ealing Council for driving in a bus lane. Circumstances as follows, we were visiting some friends on a Saturday afternoon driving on unfamiliar roads. Driving up a road (through Northolt) and noticed that there was a bus lane so I avoided it. Got to the end of the road where there is a roundabout. I want to turn left, car in front is turning right. I pull into the very last section of the bus lane and take the left exit onto a road that has no bus lane. The picture clearly shows this. Since when do you make a left turn from the right hand lane of a road ?!? I'm betting they position the camera deliberatly to catch out people like me.
Now the fine is £100, but if I pay within 14 days it is reduced to £50. However, if I pay within 14 days then I wont receive an 'Enforcement Notice' and you can only appeal if you have an enforcment notice. So they are basically saying to you 'pay up regardless' or 'pay more and appeal'
I've checked Pepipoo already, they don't seem to have a section that deals with these sort of scams, so I wondered if anyone has any schemes for stopping these thieving highwaymen from ripping me off.
I'm more than a bit annoyed at this, I've been driving for nearly 20 years and this is my first ever fine.
Cheers
Bob
Now the fine is £100, but if I pay within 14 days it is reduced to £50. However, if I pay within 14 days then I wont receive an 'Enforcement Notice' and you can only appeal if you have an enforcment notice. So they are basically saying to you 'pay up regardless' or 'pay more and appeal'
I've checked Pepipoo already, they don't seem to have a section that deals with these sort of scams, so I wondered if anyone has any schemes for stopping these thieving highwaymen from ripping me off.
I'm more than a bit annoyed at this, I've been driving for nearly 20 years and this is my first ever fine.
Cheers
Bob
Welcome to 'Poll Tax'
Sadly, motorists are just revenue earners for Blairs Government.
There can't be many people left without any points or a fine for a motoring offence.
Soon there will be fines for having a clean licence, as you are not earning any money for the government to waste.
Sadly, motorists are just revenue earners for Blairs Government.
There can't be many people left without any points or a fine for a motoring offence.
Soon there will be fines for having a clean licence, as you are not earning any money for the government to waste.
Hard luck Bob, sorry I can't help with advice only sympathise with your problem.
I've seen a few bus lanes like the one you describe, another fine congestion causing scheme! What a crazy situation when drivers are being filmed and fined for using the correct lane of a round-about, albeit cutting the corner of a superfluous bus lane. Somebody actually has a job created for them to enforce this nonsense!
I've seen a few bus lanes like the one you describe, another fine congestion causing scheme! What a crazy situation when drivers are being filmed and fined for using the correct lane of a round-about, albeit cutting the corner of a superfluous bus lane. Somebody actually has a job created for them to enforce this nonsense!
The buslane and camera are solely positioned to catch you out. They have a picture and you are bang to rights (however wrong the rights are). You're caught in the system and I can't see an appeal working
www.parkingtickets.co.uk might help though
www.parkingtickets.co.uk might help though
I have a similar situation elsewhere, though this place does not have the CCTV enforcement, yet.
The bus lane is usually occupied, either by buses, strangely, or people with less scruples. My plan always involves making the left turn by a 450 degree tour round the island but actvely looking for the opportunity to filter left at the 9 o'clock exit first time tus avoiding the round tour.
Sir you have my sympathy, I think 7db advice is about right, you might be lucky and get the traffic order which made the bus lane. Also I'd stick a fiver down that the juxtaposition of bus lane and camera is for the very reason you allege, cash.
Welcome to Blair's Britain and Livingstone's London.
The bus lane is usually occupied, either by buses, strangely, or people with less scruples. My plan always involves making the left turn by a 450 degree tour round the island but actvely looking for the opportunity to filter left at the 9 o'clock exit first time tus avoiding the round tour.
Sir you have my sympathy, I think 7db advice is about right, you might be lucky and get the traffic order which made the bus lane. Also I'd stick a fiver down that the juxtaposition of bus lane and camera is for the very reason you allege, cash.
Welcome to Blair's Britain and Livingstone's London.
Edited by Flat in Fifth on Tuesday 18th July 07:39
Thanks for all the comments, sadly it looks like there is no way out of it then
I did consider the 'thats not my car, someone has cloned my plate option' but two wrongs don't make a right.
I'm now thinking about how to pay the fine, the current favourite is to get £50 worth of 1ps and make the payment in person. I want them to really work to collect this fine, and this one would also give me some entertainment for my money
Bob
I did consider the 'thats not my car, someone has cloned my plate option' but two wrongs don't make a right.
I'm now thinking about how to pay the fine, the current favourite is to get £50 worth of 1ps and make the payment in person. I want them to really work to collect this fine, and this one would also give me some entertainment for my money
Bob
RedLCRB0b said:
I'm now thinking about how to pay the fine, the current favourite is to get £50 worth of 1ps and make the payment in person. I want them to really work to collect this fine, and this one would also give me some entertainment for my money
That wouldn't be legal tender, so they could refuse it.
deva link said:
RedLCRB0b said:
I'm now thinking about how to pay the fine, the current favourite is to get £50 worth of 1ps and make the payment in person. I want them to really work to collect this fine, and this one would also give me some entertainment for my money
That wouldn't be legal tender, so they could refuse it.
Why not? 
50 £1 cheques should do it. (Ok, it's a bit time consuming, but they don't like it up them
)Snap. Got one of the same on Friday for "failing to comply with a sign indicating a prohibition on certain types of vehicle" in Camden.
I am going to fight it on the grounds that there was/is a lack of & confusing sign posts, although I don't believe for one minute that I'll ever win I just refuse to hand out £50 without a fight.
The thing that annoys me is that actualy saw the camera car sitting there, & I carried on because I had no idea I was on a restricted road.
I am going to fight it on the grounds that there was/is a lack of & confusing sign posts, although I don't believe for one minute that I'll ever win I just refuse to hand out £50 without a fight.
The thing that annoys me is that actualy saw the camera car sitting there, & I carried on because I had no idea I was on a restricted road.
mechsympathy said:
deva link said:
RedLCRB0b said:
I'm now thinking about how to pay the fine, the current favourite is to get £50 worth of 1ps and make the payment in person. I want them to really work to collect this fine, and this one would also give me some entertainment for my money
That wouldn't be legal tender, so they could refuse it.
Why not? 50 £1 cheques should do it. (Ok, it's a bit time consuming, but they don't like it up them)You could pay as follows:-
£2 - £ 8
£1 - £13
50p- £ 9.50
20p- £ 7.80
10p- £ 7.40
5p - £ 4.00
2p - £ 0.14
1p - £ 0.16
------------
total £50.00
all in legal tender below Royal Mint limits, plus none of the amounts conveniently fit into a bank cash placcy bag amount.... :devil:
Indeed :Cpl Jones:They don't like it up 'em Cap'n Mainwaring! :/Cpl Jones:
There is a bus lane camera on CIty Road set to catch people turning left at a spot wher the bus lane ends level with the entrance to the side road, meaning that it is almost impossible to turn without crossing the end of the bus lane. The only possible conclusion is that it is deliberately designed to extract fines from law-abiding drivers.
Flat in Fifth said:
mechsympathy said:
deva link said:
RedLCRB0b said:
I'm now thinking about how to pay the fine, the current favourite is to get £50 worth of 1ps and make the payment in person. I want them to really work to collect this fine, and this one would also give me some entertainment for my money
That wouldn't be legal tender, so they could refuse it.
Why not? 50 £1 cheques should do it. (Ok, it's a bit time consuming, but they don't like it up them)You could pay as follows:-
£2 - £ 8
£1 - £13
50p- £ 9.50
20p- £ 7.80
10p- £ 7.40
5p - £ 4.00
2p - £ 0.14
1p - £ 0.16
------------
total £50.00
all in legal tender below Royal Mint limits, plus none of the amounts conveniently fit into a bank cash placcy bag amount.... :devil:
Indeed :Cpl Jones:They don't like it up 'em Cap'n Mainwaring! :/Cpl Jones:
Ohhh, thats mean, and leave it 1p shy so they have to contact you again, wasting yet more time, and then pay that one by cheque
Make them work for their £50 alright!
Dave
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