Scooby Snacks

The wife got a fine for being caught in a bus lane in Croydon this morning. It's a £40 fine if you pay within the next two weeks, or £80 fine thereafter. It gives a date and time which might not make it her and so I told her to request photographic evidence and that the two weeks to pay £40 should start form when that photo was received if she's satisfied it was her.

She's been in touch with Croydon Council who have said that there is a £5 charge to get photgraphic evidence!! When she lost it with them, they said the alternative was to come in to view the photo - she told them that unlike the rest of Croydon, she actually works during the day and it's not possible to view it.

Is this right?? You hear all the time how people are paying fines for crimes they didn't commit because of a mis-read/mis-spaced number plate or new owner not registering car etc, so I would have expected the photo to be free!

If it is her car, I have suggested to her that she pays £5 for the photo, and then pay a £35 fine, totalling the £40 they originally asked for.

Any similar stories or comments??

Andy

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

You/she doesn't have to say who was driving.
Refuse to tell them, and see what they do.
Alcazar

MarkO

If she did it, then stop arguing the point and pay the damned fine. If she didn't do it, then ask for the evidence, which will clearly prove that she didn't do it.

Easy, really.

Oh, and not telling them who was driving the car will simply result in the registered owner getting the fine regardless.

Jolly Green Monster 2

Agree with Marko..

Although if the photo proves it was not you then you should get your 5pound back surely..

I do hate the way driving offences are guilty...until proven innocent..

A mate got a gatso picture sent and it was a photocopy of the picture and cost nothing.. looked at it and it was obviously him no question so paid up.. he like you are saying could not be sure he was there before seeing the picture.

I'd ring and ask if they can possibly photocopy it.. worth being nice too as it usually gets you help than getting angry which just means they give you less info and you get stressed.. imho..

Might be worth taking a long lunch and visiting..

JGM

TelBoy

I also agree with...


...no, sorry, just can't type it.

Scooby Snacks

Thanks for the "mixed" comments - if it's her (which I guess it is) we will pay up.

I just wanted the photo for nothing to frame it and put it on the wall in the toilet!!

Jolly Green Monster 2

Mate has his photocopy in a frame on the wall...

JGM

Reffro

I don't know about the fine going to the registered owner bit if you don't admit your guilt. Bus lane fines are civil offences and are administered by the local councils, much like parking offences if I remember correctly. There was a stink about this in the beginning as it turned out that initially the councils did not have the legal right to dish out fines for driving in the bus lane.

That has been sorted, but as its a civil offence my guess is they are pretty much stuffed if you refuse to pay, short of hauling you into the small claims court to recover the money, same as with parkign fines. Don't rely on what I have just said though because I'm not 100% sure about it, but it would be interesting to see what a solicitor would say about it all.

Velryba's chick

I requested mine and didn't pay anything for the photo.

Mind you I only found out from the picture that it was me and I had to pay the fine ..



Kate

Velryba's chick

sorry I don't know how to make the picture smaller ........

chiark

ooo, I hope you've got prior consent of the copyright holder

Scooby Snacks

"there may be a loss of quality"!!! That's an awful picture - interesting that you didn't pay for it though.

beemerboy

LMAO at the PIC....

its worth the fine!!!!

BB

dsmith

Could you not have argued the Bus obscured your view of the "Bus Lane" signs

MarkO

Which one is your vehicle, Kate - is it the one with 'Oxford Circus' written on the front?

beemerboy

now there's a decent car, to the left of the bus!!!!

can i have a picture of it please!!!

BB

Jolly Green Monster 2

BB,

Off topic totally...

I travelled through Rayleigh last Friday and it struck me then.. do Rayleigh bikes come from Rayleigh or just a coincidence?



JGM

ChrisB

LOL

This isn't a wind-up right?

It's Raleigh, used to be made in Nottingham, now in the Far East AFAIK.

TelBoy

JGM,

The bikes are Raleigh you berk!!!

I used to live in Rayleigh. What HAVE they done with that High Street??
What was wrong with the one-way system??

Ratman

LOL @ MarkO

D'ya think she might have a get-out clause there?!!

Ratman
MY98 Double-decker

Jolly Green Monster 2

That is the beauty of it as no noe other than me knows...

for sure..



JGM

Jolly Green Monster 2

Telboy,

Berk - a stupid person; a person for whom you feel dislike and lack of respect...

Cheers mate..

JGM

TelBoy

<Delboy>

Shut it you tart!!

</Delboy>

Jolly Green Monster 2

Tart- 1)Having a sharp pungent taste; sour.

2)Sharp or bitter in tone or meaning; cutting.

That is much more like me!



JGM

Velryba's chick

I thought it was worth it having that photo now

And it cost me 40 quid Not cheep this London transport is it.

I wrote back to them saying that I don't remeber driving in bus lanes ....... and that I want to see a proof and within a week I had my proof with the bill.

At least its a nice docaration in my kitchen

Oh and they send me two pictures as well, here's the other one.

Can't beat two pics for one penalty, can you

img]http://upload.turbosport.co.uk/getpic2.asp?File=20021030163038774151.jpg[/img]

Velryba's chick

not it's here ........