OK, so I tried and tried and tried to get hold of West Yorkshire police. I have now lost count of the number of numbers I was given to call, and the number of times I called the numbers I was given to call.
They are either staggeringly busy or staggeringly busy with tea and biscuits.
Whatever, they are very difficult to get hold of, but by some miracle, I managed it.
The conversation went something like this:
Me: You have incorrectly sent me a NIP. The reference number is C-blah de blah.
West Yorkshire Police: Let's have a look. Those cameras are rarely wrong, you know.
Me: I'd be amazed if they were right this time. (I describe my car & colour, then point out the car & colour in the "evidence").
WYP: Yes, I see that you live in Aberdeenshire. Were you visiting Bradford?
Me: Nope. Look at the picture.
WYP: What is your registration number?
Me: Same as in your NIP. Look at the picture.
WYP: Address?
Me: Same as in your NIP. Look at the picture.
WYP: You keep saying that. Just hang on while I.....oh. I see. This is not yours at all. The camera misread the number plate.
Me: I kind of figured that out for myself.
WYP: Well, we are so sorry. Really, really sorry. You must have been quite stressed out all weekend!
Me: No, not really. Just stunned at your working hours, and staggered at how difficult it is to actually talk to a man or a woman at your HQ.
WYP: I really must say we are very, very sorry about this.
Me: Happens a lot then?
WYP: More than you would believe.
Me: I thought you said it was a rare event?
WYP: We-ell...very sorry.
Me: Can you send me some paperwork to close this mistake off? I don't wish to be pounced on when I'm not expecting it.
WYP: Ha ha! Don't worry, I'll send something in the post now. We are sorry.
Me: Yes, you said that. Thank you for your assistance. Bye bye now.
I hope the real "offender" challenges them. The pictures are pathetic. The number plate is just about the only thing that cannot be made out. Unless they have specialist software. The error in the end? They read a Y instead of a P.
CR.
10 comments:
Brilliant, it just gives you such faith doesn't it?
Our local scamera "Safety Partnership" have just had to cancel 50+ NIPs as they discovered that their camera calibration cert had expired - I wonder how often that happens too?
Fidel,
Check out this story:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/cars/article-2117083/Hi-tech-parking-enforcement-tricks-leading-explosion-automatic-fines-private-firms-DVLA-figures-reveal.html
And these paragraphs stood out:
"He also said there was a problem with drivers wrongly assuming fines from private firms were issued by the council, and were therefore enforceable under the statute. Private firms label their fines as 'Parking Charge Notices', abreviated to 'PCN', which Mr Smith said was too close to the 'Penalty Charge Notices', also abreviated to 'PCN', issued by council traffic warden and the police.
Penalty Charge Notices are subject to a far stricter regime and are legally binding unless drivers can successfully appeal. Fines from private firms, on the other hand, depend only on rules surrounding trespass.
Drivers can refuse to pay and it is up to firms to convince a judge that an offence took place, including that drivers had been given proper information through clearly visible signs."
CR.
I seem to remember somebody getting off after plod had used image enhancing software to read their number plate. Tampering with evidence or some such was the reason. So I doubt if they could get away with that if challenged.
"They read a Y instead of a P"
Yeah, right.....I do that all the time!
Difficult not to wonder whether this really was a mistake CR, or some means of 'testing the water with a known dissenter'.
Aaaaaaw Bugger !!
Now you wont get to use the Specsavers advert at the door, and the subtle bit of verbal!
At least they still know how to apologise :)
Well, I was waiting for the denouement of that one.
Just received a letter from them saying.....very sorry.
Which is nice.
CR.
exactly what happened to me Captain, as I mentioned in a previous post, but I'm glad the outcome went the way it did.
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