Taxes are Nanny's life blood, without the money that her taxes bring in she would not be able to employ the number of people that she does to interfere in our daily lives and habits.However, as we all know, Nanny and her apparatus of state is a very expensive beast to run. The taxes that she raises from us simply are not enough to fund her ever growing legions of busybodies and bureaucrats. Therefore, Nanny has to come up with ever more ingenious ways of raising revenue.
This particular trick of hers is a winner.
Motorists were legally parked a few days ago along Great Peter Street, in central London, close to a protest organised by Christian Aid against the policies of the World Bank.
Nanny's police decided to seal off both ends of street, to allow the 2,000 marchers to pass along Whitehall. However, the cordon caused delays for drivers whose permits expired before police lifted the barriers.
Can you guess what Nanny did?
Yes, that's right, Nanny's traffic wardens fined the motorists!
One of the fined motorists, Lewis Whyld, said:
"The police blocked the road off at both ends for safety reasons.
Everyone left their cars where they were
and waited for police to open the street.
Then the traffic wardens ran in and gave people tickets.
It wasn't just the fact that they were giving everyone tickets
during the road block,
it was the fact that they were laughing about it as well."
Nanny's chums in Westminster Council claim that the matter is being looked into.
Quote:
"We are happy for people who feel aggrieved about their parking tickets to challenge them."
Common sense of course would have suggested that the tickets should not have been issued in the first place.
Common sense is not part of Nanny's vocabulary.
Easy money isn't?
For the first time in about 25 years I had occasion to visit my County Hall today, somewhat unexpectedly. (the tales relates to computer systems (probably) the Student Loans company and their call centre people, the LEA for my county and quite possibly the Post Office who, it appears, failed to deliver a thick A4 envelope to the LEA about 3 months ago. Or not as the case may be.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I delivered a copy of the form originally sent and obtain a receipt, leaving at about 16:25. On my way back to the main road I had to pass the exits for the Staff car parks, where a regular stream of vehicles at each of 3 joining points seemed eager to vacate the parking provided and head off in various directions.
I presume that the daily work hours end at 16:30 for these wonderfully pensioned staff.
The lady I spoke to seemed most eager to help and provide a receipt for my package and rushed off to deliver it before I had left the desk area in reception. I was encouraged by this but it did occur to me that just maybe it was the first thing of any real work interest (if you can call it that) that she had had the opportunity to do all day.
For her sake I hope I am wrong. FOr the sake of the tax payers I hope I am very wrong!
Back to topic - I could see how the nature of the job, 'wardens' and those responding to the questions - might want to do or say something stupidly illogical simply because it offers some variety to their lives and a feeling of empowerment.
Whichever way you look at it is is a pretty poor excuse for an excuse.
Is there any way we could penalise these idiots? Perhaps by waiting to go to court and pleading not guilty. They get the charges or attaching a solicitors fee for the ticket. That way they don't get off with just cancelling them there is real punishment involved. Even if it is one picked up by the taxpayer. Perhaps the local residents would not be so keen then to vote these clown in if it costs them money.
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