(Parking ticket)
It was going to be the dramatic rescue of son two from the second “Cycle the west highland way” attempt (He felt it was owed to the backers). But in reality he got himself out of that without any help, and the new plan – if time before the Japan advenure – is to cycle something with “cycle route” actually in it’s title, instead of “impassable, boulder-strewn, scrambling way” (there may have been some questionable map reading).
Instead, I offer you a cautionary tale in which I was not a direct participant;
The lovely Chris got a parking ticket in Glasgow city a little while ago. This is unremarkable, and has happened to us all (I’m sure), but when she discovered the penalty notice, she still had twenty minutes remaining on her ticket. Quite reasonably, she chose to contest the ticket.
These days, this is, of course, done on line, where the helpful council also post; “evidence” – a sequence of photos taken by the warden showing the time and location of the violation. So far, so convenient.
Photo one: View of car, front on in parking space, ticket in winscreen, not quite legible.
Photo two: Close up of expired ticket (with time stamp), held in the hands of the warden.
Photo three – ten: parking meter, side shot of car, the sky…..hold on – HELD IN THE HANDS OF THE WARDEN!
It’s sad to see that David Blaine has fallen on such hard times as to be reduced to checking parking for Glasgow City Council.
Chris still had the actual ticket (inside the windscreen), and even at a casual glance, it was quite clear that the ticket being held by the warden, aside from the time difference (and the fact that it was in his hands), was not even in the same format as the one she had purchased. In fact, even viewed on the screen of a mobile phone, it could be seen that the ticket visible in photo one on the car, was not, the same ticket the warden had IN HIS HANDS in photo 2.
My small part in the story was lending assistance in the exact wording of the online “appeal”.
“In no uncertain terms…” “Blantantly fraudulant…” “outrageous disregard…” “!!” and even “!!!”. I wanted to use, “with extreme prejudice…”, but Chris made me take it out. I was also not allowed to use the monologue from Taken : (
Today, some weeks later, I have calmed from my righteous frothing, and put the shotgun away. Chris receives the (unsigned) reply: Ticket repealed, it was issued in error. (The word sorry does not appear).
Error? ERROR!!!
I’ll show them who made an error…..
Dear GCC:
I do have a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you… I will look for you, I will find you…
Net week on IaDL: No, your honour, I believe there were mitigating circumstances….
Dalmallyfest the Asylum 