My Congestion Charge Surprise Ticket!

[neilrr]

You're so right, the scales have been lifted from my eyes. I don't know how I've survived here this long!

Have you got room for me in your HUGE house by the sea?

Well, he does have a valid point. London is pretty hard work unless you are lucky enough to live in one of about 5 or 6 (absurdly expensive) areas, have a tube station around the corner & only need to commute a few stops or can afford to go everywhere by black cab.

 

[MOCAŠ]

Well, he has a point. London is pretty hard work unless you are lucky enough to live in one of about 5 or 6 areas, have a tube station around the corner & only need to commute a few stops.

He may have a point, but I think he rather overstated it.

 

[neilrr]

Well I've never been shot or blown up in London but the rest of it's about right.

 

[ringway]

I think he's been following me around. Not that I'm paranoid or anything...

Yikes!

 

[219]

I think he's been following me around. Not that I'm paranoid or anything...

So said by a compulsive W124 enthusiast and follower

 

[MOCAŠ]

Yikes!

Yep, you've been rumbled!

 

[Charles Morgan]

I love some aspects of living in London, the restaurants, shops, atmosphere, kulchur, human life, ceremonial etc etc, but having lived here for 25 years almost, it is time to move out a little so I can have a place to garage my cars, be able to lavish some time on them without having to dodge rat run cars, and leave the PITA that is parking control well alone. My final straw was being fined £40 for not having paid enough by 40p to use the Battersea Park car park where the charges had just gone up, totally without warning and the signs had been completely replaced by exact copies with the higher charges. Enough, I have paid close to £2000 in parking fines and congestion charges let alone a similar number for my residents parking permit over the years. None of the fines were for egregious violations - towed away from being lawfully parked but had to go to hospital and got out the day they suspended a bay for works planned for 4 years, overstaying on a meter bay as a resident (you can use them til 9.30 in the morning) by 4 minutes, towed away for being 6 inches into a large suspended bay (again when i was away) for a removal van that never turned up.

This does not include the large loss I took on flogging my E500 to avoid the abandoned £25 a day congestion charge that Livingstone was going to impose. I take being burgled twice, had my cars vandalised on numerous occasions, nicked on two and assaulted on one occasion as just part of inner city living (albeit a very nice part), as I do being flooded six times by upstairs flats and forced to listen to little Attila, or Damien as I used to call him have three hour long tantrums of such physical violence until he inevitably got what he wanted. Then to be told off by his mother for listening to a test match...

 

[ringway]

All inner cities have high crime rates.

I lived in and around the capital up to around 9, years of age and always enjoy my return visits, so much so, that I have discussed moving back to to the beautiful South with Mrs Ringway on many occasions.

However, the thought of paying to park outside my own house would take some getting used to.

We're lucky where we live at the moment in that it is very quiet, litter free and crime is almost unheared of. That doesn't stop me hankering for a move back to the South though, more private plates to see, you see.

There are so many things about London that I find hard to resist. We've even been known to hop on a plane on a Saturday morning for a day trip.

 

[MOCAŠ]

Mr M, you clearly love living in London for all the right reasons, so it would be a great shame if you allowed something as mundane as parking arrangements to drive you out. It seems that a large part of the problem is that you live in a converted flat (hence no off-street parking, and a scramble for what space there is), and a basement one at that (hence problems caused by those living above you).

Have you considered moving to a mews house? The stigma they once carried has largely been replaced by a certain cachet, and many still retain their garaging. If that's a step too far, there are usually garages available to rent around the Royal borough.

I'm lucky in having off-street parking, so have never had to bother with parking permits and residents' bays, but I also rarely use my car in town. Most places I need to get to are within walking or cycling distance, and failing that there is the Tube, so my car is used almost entirely for pleasure (and the odd shopping trip).

However, I find that I'm spending increasing amounts of time out of town these days, especially at the weekends, which somehow helps me appreciate London all the more while I'm here.

 

[Charles Morgan]

The fine was the catalyst to a long debated move. The limitations of space, especially garden, garaging and cellarage, plus a focus on business, family and other activities away from London make it the time to move on. I shan't be moving far, but no solution in Central London (apart from something I can't afford!) suits.

 

[steve.o]

like wise,

:bannana:I had a simular problem ,
i was rideing my motor bike,and got caught going through a camera
couple years ago ,i rescived the fine paid right away, little did i know that i had got caught again ( this is befor i knew the camera was working)
the second letter did,nt arrive, the problem arose because their 2 address in my erea with same street / number and all bar 1 didgit the same post code" would they believe me never" i even got testimonials form the other address , and next door,as they have in past had my mail and vice versa ,the post office are awear of the problem ,but it would cost to much to change the address ,so i was given the choice get a criminal conviction and 6 points (they where doing me for failling to provide ) which would have meant dna taken ( not that i have anything to worry about ) but you never know in the future" and my insurance would have gone through the roof" so i had to challenge it, cost me £900 solicitor fee,s only for them to
drop the charge on day of court 18 mths later and give me the original 3 points and £60 fine,
steve.