A short rant - and a poll
 

Picture the scene...

At 4:45pm I leave my house to go and pick up a friend from work who's coming round for the evening.

On surveying my vehicular options parked in the street, I see:

1) My bike. But no Oxford cover on it. It's missing.

2) My car. Actually, I don't. The entire car is missing. But there's a new white line in front of someone's house where it once stood.

Good news - a kindly neighbour took in my bike cover as it was blowing around in the street.

Potentially bad news - he said another biker had stopped and was checking out the cover (with a poss view to nicking it, he thought, so he took it in).

Badder news - the Council had towed away my car for "parking in a restricted street" (oh no it wasn't - they painted the line there after they took the car!).

Badderest news - I've just had to pay the sum of £190 to get my car back, and will now have to go through the nonsense appeal process.

How about that for a bummer of an afternoon?

Anyway, on a lighter note... who's going to attempt to park outside Nero's this Friday?

Bad luck mate, but you should get your money back.

WTF no way what a bunch of W*NKERS :shock: :x, oh yeah i may ride through @ about 9ish, but most likely won't stop.

That's outrageous C. You have my complete and utter sympathy, as well as the steam that's currently emenating from my earholes :evil: . I'd actually say they they've stolen your car and are now demanding money by way of extortion. Best of luck, and my fists (for punching obnoxious and officious scrotes in the face) are now at your disposal.

But I won't be there on Friday :( .


.

AFAIK Before a council can came an area restricted they have to notify the people in advance.
They did the similer to over 30 cars next to my office, put up the restricted parking then proceded a few hours later to ticket every person. Two days later we found out that the council stepped back as they had no justification on making a dead end road with no parking at all (except for bikes in the bay) and everyone was complaining. Result.

Doubtfull i will be there as i still have not got my bike on the road yet.

Caz honey... that sucks!!!

The council will have to show when and where they put up these notices (and if the work was sizeable enough ads in local papers etc) so its easy to catch them out if they screwed up.
Any assistance i can give i'm happy to.

I may show my face friday, it feels like i aint been in ages.

Yep your becoming like jonboy.....i.e. Not part of the Soho Massive without a good reason. Me i have one, OK.

Hang on a mo. In Sicily for 2 weeks and then sick last week.

Yeh, sorry i know its not good enough, but will a note from my mum do? :)

Someone witnessed something like this on visordown. Except they painted a bike bay round the car and "Solo Motorcycles Only". Half hour later the warden ticketed the car.

Sorry but I did snigger at that. :oops:

But I do think towing your car then painting the lines is way out of order. They have a legal responsibility to notify you of this - if they havent they have to pay.

Warning to all north london peeps then, Islington are doing this too so beware! seems like a mass reclassifying of residential parking going on atm.

And yes to the question, if theres anyone there around 7ish.

Doesn't it just seem sometimes people just make life tough for no reason?

Local councils just seem to be especially good at it.

Hard luck Caz, just another of lifes trials to over come, good luck with the appeal.


I'm a maybe for Friday, got a social engagement that afternoon, have to see how it goes.

Cheers Mark.