Scarecrow's 14TGE

[messerschmitt owner]

What is your point? We all know that petty fines such as these hit the poorest hardest - whilst the rich swan about in all their glorious vulgarity oblivious to such trifling matters. But that's okay, right? Because we all see that if you're rich enough you can do whatever you fucking want. What the wealthy need to realise is that their laws become progressively less relevant with increasing poverty. Eventually there is a point at which one has nothing left to lose...

I see the BBC have cottoned on to the growing movement towards Marxist ideals http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14764357

my point was a light hearted 'joke' related to your cock-eyed ideas about redistributing my hard-earned wealth to some undeserving workshy so and so.

If you can't pay the fine, don't do the crime. You overstayed, end of! Don't come bleating to us cos you got caught.

Spend some of your time planning your days a little better.

<--- smiley - implying a light-hearted comment and a piece of banter rather than the author venting off about lazy people who want everything given to them on a plate rather than doing what I have done and worked for it.

If you are going to try ram your anti-capitalist comments down our throats, do expect some of us (the ones who grew up in council housing, especially (oh, and that's me, by the way), and have worked hard to better ourselves) to disagree with you. Or is freedom of speech next on your agenda. <--- note use of smiley once more!

[scarecrow]

Yes - but I am not so stupid as to fail to recognise the underlying bigotry of your comment - with some justification I might add.

It strikes me as amazing that the passive-aggressive types on public internet forums think they can get away with saying anything they like just by attaching an ill-meant emoticon.

Edit: I'd also like to point out that freedom of speech is a subject which you might like to research yourself. And well-done for growing up on a council estate - I guess your the type who voted for their sell-off, eh?

[mat_fenwick]

This is something we're obviously never going to all agree on, but can we at least respect each other's right to have those opinions? We could go back to how it used to be, where threads discussing politics were not allowed, but in doing so would miss out on some interesting and (in the main) thought provoking debates.

Can we draw a line under discussing the topic in this particular manner.

[Defender110]

There I was - doing the right thing................. my ticket had run out by 5 minutes!

Slight contradiction here Scarecrow????

the big, fat Hitler bitch parking slut gave me an enforcement notice

The poor lady was doing her job, should she get this abuse for doing so?

I find one of the biggest single let downs in today's society is people not being responsible for their own actions. You have admitted your parking ticket had run out so you were clearly responsible here so why not accept that?
I've got to say scarecrow this particular rant does come across as very hypocrytical of your usual socialist preaching.

[messerschmitt owner]

I guess your the type who voted for their sell-off, eh?

I'll qualify that I grew up on a Scottish council housing estate and therefore most definitely have never voted for those who voted for the sell-off of social housing stock in the UK. I even think people should be banned from owning second homes that lie vacant for 50 weeks of the year or be taxed punitively on their ownership. So, don't assume I'm some rabid right wing fascist. I can see the evil in all extremes of politics - and that doesn't make me a liberal either, just someone with common sense and a balanced perception of the world.

And just a further qualification - I think that self-respect, self-reliance and a protestant (with a small 'p') work ethic are what has put me on the course I have taken throughout my life. It does mean that a bit like Linegeist, I can take a rather forthright attitude to things - for what is the point of not speaking your mind?

And I too have been fined for parking for too long and have taken it on the chin. However, I feel the lady in question, the one you so eloquently described as a 'big, fat Hitler bitch parking slut' may have just have had some justification in fining you. Interestingly, she didn't have to wait very long to 'try harder.' I also agree with her about the dog - don't do it - a car can heat up in minutes as soon as the sun is out.

And, now I shall sign off from this topic for we shall both have to agree to disagree in our opinions.

[Mike E (uk)]

I do have some sympathy for Scarecrow regarding parking fines.

OK, he broke the rules-and the parking restrictions are (often) existing for good reasons. But it was a minor infringement and perhaps a warning and an apology would have been more appropriate and effective.

In the towns around here, the privatised parking 'enforcers' are numerous, and the fines are hefty ( if you are on a low income) for minor infringements.

If you are a professional footballer this will not bother you, and I do find that irritating.

The scum who do not register & tax & MOT & insure their cars pay nothing, this is much more than irritating.

So I understand 'otherwise' law abiding folk getting brassed off when they get fined for a very minor infringement.

Mike

[Dollywobbler]

Yeah, I could have had some sympathy - but his description of the parking attendant is unnecessarily offensive in many different ways.

Sorry he's felt the need to leave the forum though. Would it be too much to apologise for that comment and make a return?

[Defender110]

But it was a minor infringement and perhaps a warning and an apology would have been more appropriate and effective.

Warnings are a thing of the past now with the Private sector; they have to be seen to be doing their job with quoters etc. needing to be reached. How often have they heard ''but i'm only 5 minutes late''?? which in reallity is probably often anywhere between 5 & 20 minutes
If you get caught it is purely your own fault, kick yourself not the person who caught you.

[MULLEY]

I got a parking ticket once, the bastxxxs had changed the parking rules from a free 2hrs to 1hr. Of course when i got the ticket i laughed thinking they'd gotten it wrong as i'd been less than 2hrs (but more than 1hr), i double checked the parking sign which has plenty of small writing on it, & bugger me, they'd changed it, so i was totally fuxxed & had to pay up. Needles to say, there was no sign actually saying that it had changed, just a replacement sign with the new rules on it which looked exactly the same unless you got a foot away to read the damn thing.

[Mike E (uk)]

I have a real problem with the privatisation of law enforcement.
The profit motive is not a good motivator for justice.

It may be your fault, but the fine is not proportinate to the 'harm' caused.
Plus do you want to live in a world where a few minutes time keeping can cost you a days pay?

In Brussels, I overstayed by an entire weekend in a metered zone (I did not understand the sign) and I got an invoice for the amount I should have paid under my wiper,and an address to send the money to.

I would only be fined if I had not paid the outstanding amount within 10 days. That is how it should be.

The cost and high level of parking enforcement/restriction in my local town is so high that now I hardly ever go there.

I spend my money via the internet and out of town shopping - hardly surprising half the shops in town are boarded up.

Mike

[Wooscary]

In Brussels, I overstayed by an entire weekend in a metered zone (I did not understand the sign) and I got an invoice for the amount I should have paid under my wiper,and an address to send the money to.

I would only be fined if I had not paid the outstanding amount within 10 days. That is how it should be.

In Berlin at new year, we were instructed by the guy we were staying with not to pay for parking, as the fine per day was less than the cost of actually paying for the parking in the first place. And we didn't get fined anyway as the car was covered in snow.

[Defender110]

I have a real problem with the privatisation of law enforcement.
It may be your fault, but the fine is not proportinate to the 'harm' caused.
Plus do you want to live in a world where a few minutes time keeping can cost you a days pay?

''Harm''???? There is no harm caused if you pay your dues? if you have any doubt how long you will be just pay an extra 20p for peace of mind, where's the ''Harm''??
I fail to see where privatisation even comes into it apart from people being complacent from when it was council run

[messerschmitt owner]

the issue of parking fines is not a monetary one - the reason we have extortionate parking costs, all of the wardens and fines is to discourage us from using our vehicles - it is Government policy and has been for years, hence the phasing of traffic lights to cause inconvenience rather than good traffic flow, the proliferation of speed cameras, sleeping policemen and road humps, plus the fine collectors.

I find the best policy is not to go to places where such things are encouraged, but when I do to ensure that I do indeed pay the ticket price for the allocated parking time.

Yes, the fine is out of all proportion to the lost revenue and hassle caused to the owner of the parking place but what good would a fine be if it wasn't a deterrent.

Personally, what annoys me most is machines that don't issue change - or give extra time for overpayment. Councils and parking companies must make a fortune on those.

[Philip Chidlow]

Personally, what annoys me most is machines that don't issue change - or give extra time for overpayment. Councils and parking companies must make a fortune on those.

Chelmsford Borough Council made over £38,000 in 2009 from overpayment because - of course - it's not in their interest to have machines that give change.

[Tim Leech]

You have to pay to park wherever you go these days, just accept it, pay the moneys, if you dont and get caught then pay the fine. I did, even though it was rather unfair. Thats life, getting wound up over it wont help, its the same as general taxation, if you want to live in this country you have to pay!.

Anyway, I love BX's! "group hug"!