The story that started it all off:
Through the post I received a Penalty Charge Notice from
Lambeth Council for:
37 Failing to comply with a give way to oncoming vehicles sign.
This alleged incident took place at the bottom of Salter's Hill in London and the image that Lambeth cited as proof that the offence took place was this one:
I was driving the white mini and it appears to show me failing to give way to the black mini at a speed gate in the road. (Despite anything else, as any Mini driver knows, one Mini driver would NEVER fail to give way to another Mini Driver!!) Anyway. . .
On the Penalty Charge Notice there is a link to the facility to allow you to view further images on their web site here:
Now, I had the "Penalty Charge Notice No.", I had the "Validation Reference" but what on earth is a "VRN"? I sat there for a moment, puzzled and thought to myself, "well, this website is approved by the Plain English Campaign, maybe they know the answer, so I clicked on the Plain English Campaign logo on the site and got:
Hmm. . . Not so plain after all. . .
Anyway, I eventually realised of course that a VRN must be a "Vehicle Registration Number" (why didn't they just say that)? "Have they something to hide", I thought?
Well, yes. It appears so! So I enter my PCNN, my VR and my VRN and. . .
You remember the original photo?
Well, it appears to have been cropped to make the 'contravention' look a little worse because here are the other two photos taken from the same camera:
Here's me going around the obstruction in the road, incredibly, the other black mini is suddenly no-where near me. The give way point (that I was accused of not stopping at) is not even on the shot, infact as I went past it, the other mini probably had only just turned onto the road.
Even more damning for Lambeth is this shot (which clearly shows me well past the other mini at the point at which he arrives at that I should have given way to him:
So there you have it. That's how to make this:
look like this:
And earn yourself £100 into the bargain. . .
Naturally, I've appealed and I'll keep you posted with any updates. . .
If you have any comments or are an accredited member of the press and may have an interest in this story, you can contact me at:
