Congestion charge querry
14 July 2003, 08:52 AM
#1
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I was driving down the A501 past kings cross, had no intention or need to go into the congestion charge zone. Suddenly four police cars come flying along lights and sirens and all that. Get to the next junction and the road has been closed, officer is waving traffic to turn right. I do this and then go left down then next street parallel to the A501, then left again a few hundred yards further on to rejoin the A501 past the closure.
Have now got a fine in the post for not paying congestion charge. Looking at a map i see that i crossed into the zone when i was forced to turn into it by the police. I cant have gone more than 100 yards into the zone. Considering that i was directed to enter the zone by a police officer and therefore could not avoid it,will they let me off paying the fine?
Have now got a fine in the post for not paying congestion charge. Looking at a map i see that i crossed into the zone when i was forced to turn into it by the police. I cant have gone more than 100 yards into the zone. Considering that i was directed to enter the zone by a police officer and therefore could not avoid it,will they let me off paying the fine?
14 July 2003, 09:32 AM
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Write them a letter clearly explaining the incident and see what happens.
I would hope there are some reasonable people there. I'm not sure about whether the system times you in and out or just in? If they get you in and out, then there is hope, as your story can to some extent be proved.
Hope you sort it out.
You did commit a serious crime in driving a car in London
so I wish you the best of luck.
I would hope there are some reasonable people there. I'm not sure about whether the system times you in and out or just in? If they get you in and out, then there is hope, as your story can to some extent be proved.
Hope you sort it out.
You did commit a serious crime in driving a car in London
so I wish you the best of luck.
14 July 2003, 10:04 AM
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Why not pay the five quid?
Its got to be cheaper than all the expense and aggravation of getting fined and then appealing the outcome.
I know you feel you are in the right, and for what its worth I agree that if you are charged, its patently unfair. The thing to bear in mind if you don't pay it, is how much of a ***** ache its going to be to get it all sorted, remember the scheme is being run by Capita on behalf of TFL, and they suck at most things, I doubt they will make life easy in the event of an appeal.
I'd just pay the fiver then go around calling Ken a **** for putting in the scheme in the first place..........
Its got to be cheaper than all the expense and aggravation of getting fined and then appealing the outcome.
I know you feel you are in the right, and for what its worth I agree that if you are charged, its patently unfair. The thing to bear in mind if you don't pay it, is how much of a ***** ache its going to be to get it all sorted, remember the scheme is being run by Capita on behalf of TFL, and they suck at most things, I doubt they will make life easy in the event of an appeal.
I'd just pay the fiver then go around calling Ken a **** for putting in the scheme in the first place..........
14 July 2003, 10:14 AM
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Reffro - I think the point is that he's got the fine without realising that he'd entered the congestion zone. Paying the £5 isn't an option now - more like the £60 or whatever it is...
14 July 2003, 10:24 AM
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Hehehehe, i've heard of some money-spinning ruses by the Met, but this one's a cracker! 
Nah, seriously, you'll have to appeal, and you'll definitely get it waived. An all round pain in the bum process though. One of the major downsides of an automated system like the Congestion Charge.
Nah, seriously, you'll have to appeal, and you'll definitely get it waived. An all round pain in the bum process though. One of the major downsides of an automated system like the Congestion Charge.
14 July 2003, 11:39 AM
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dnb you're right, I didn't read the original post correctly, but my advice would still stand for anyone facing a similar situation to the one I assumed had occured.
[Edited by Reffro - 7/14/2003 11:40:28 AM]
[Edited by Reffro - 7/14/2003 11:40:28 AM]
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14 July 2003, 03:20 PM
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Ignorance is not an answer I know but I recently went to London for Wimbledon. In that time I went into a Congestion charge area. Not know how this thing works (no need really as I live near Leeds) I simply assumed I'd get a bill for £5 in the post..... but by the sounds it's going to be a £40 fine? Is that correct?
14 July 2003, 03:37 PM
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My mum went into London earlier this year in her VW Golf which has a personalised plate, as its got six digits on one of which is a 1 she can legally space all the digits equal distance apart - anyway for one reason or another the cameras couldn't decipher it and six months on she still hasn't had a fine..... hehe take that Livingstone!
14 July 2003, 04:04 PM
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as its got six digits on one of which is a 1 she can legally space all the digits equal distance apart
where is that in the regulations then......cos i cant find it.....
14 July 2003, 04:32 PM
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Not sure the exact details but we've got letters of apology from chief inspectors for the amount of harrassement she's had from officers who think its wrong, but after going to Devon & Cornwalls HQ and asked the Duty Traffic Sargeant to check it they've been deemed legal!
14 July 2003, 06:49 PM
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I was driving up to Waterloo the other day and noticed the congestion charge signs on the way up - 5 miles, 2 miles... 1 mile..... 1/2 mile..... '**** that!' I thought, so I took the last road on the left and went past two roads with loads of signs and cameras which I guess was the start of the zone! I got the person I was meeting to get the tube to Stockwell , well £1.50 is better than a fiver 
. Had I entered the zone though I would have just waited for the £5 fee to come through the post 
.
Jay
, well £1.50 is better than a fiver . Had I entered the zone though I would have just waited for the £5 fee to come through the post .Jay
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