Things I’ve done in the last 24 hours, version 2.0

[badger1963]

it became apparent at the beginning of july that the numberplate on one of cars in London had been cloned. i found out when i received a parking ticket from islington, and noone knew anything at all about ever having parked in that particular road. certainly not at 1.30am in the morning. then another parking ticket arrived, this time from hammersmith & fulham.

so we guessed the number plate had been cloned. some muppet is driving around in a similar looking car with my numberplate on it. looking at the PCN photos it has a different set of alloys, and a different Audi dealer on the numberplate, so its definitely not us!

i got on to the metropolitan police who seemed not particularly interested, but at least did issue me with a CAD reference number. although no crime reference number could be issued. i did ask isnt this a crime? but apparently its fraud and of no particular interest to them.

then onto DVLA, dealt with a nice lady over the phone, who then sent an email explaining their process for registering the plate as cloned. it turns out you have to send them a physical letter (rather charming but a bit old fashioned), and they say they will take 6 weeks to process the matter.

then of course you have to appeal and fight the parking tickets (with no guarantee of success of course). I have already appealed the islington one, but they have responded with a thinly veiled “we dont believe you”. more proof / information required.

i appealed the H&F ticket this morning, and it took me an hour and a half to do it. first off, i completed all the boxes, attached files, then pressed submit. the reponse? “operation failed”. did the whole thing again, then their website rejected my attached jpg files, as according to their systems they were not jpg format (despite the fact they actually were). spent some time trying to resolve the issue, and had to resave everything form jpg to jpg (!?!?), and this time it finally worked.

A LOT of time wasted on rubbish admin. i actually do wonder whether i would be better off paying £60 for each ticket to get them off my plate, although i didnt actually incur any of them! and so it seems right to refuse to pay.

More PCNs to come? possibly. maybe the odd speeding fine too? everything has to be fought individually with me submitting bits of evidence to try and convince a sceptical local authority who is simply after their PCN cash.

just in case this is useful information to anyone who is unfortunate enough to have a similar experience.

[Gazza]

We have had this too, a pain. We did have cctv fitted some time back and have been able to prove our car was not where they claim it was, and they have backed off. But you may not be able to do thus.

[Collywobbles]

@badger1963

i did ask isnt this a crime? but apparently its fraud and of no particular interest to them.

So Fraud is ok?.

This must be effing annoying.

[badger1963]

Car parked on the street Gazza so no CCTV. What happened in your case? Did the PCNs simply dry up? Did you have to change your number plate?

[badger1963]

To be fair she was polite and helpful. But yes the “crime” itself didn’t seem to register. The plate is now on their ANPR system and so there is a chance the miscreant might be stopped. But that could happen to our car too.

[Guinnless]

@badger1963

then of course you have to appeal and fight the parking tickets

It’s up to them to prove it was you. The pictures show the cloned car as being different to yours so your proof is there.

Just tell them you have reported it to the police, you have evidence, and you are not paying. Demand a court date and say you will bring the evidence to court.

[Gazza]

It was reported to the police, cctv evidence to the car park company and the fine was dropped. Think the car got sold by my daughter a few weeks later, so that more than helped. We have used cctv since though, as these car park companies are just dreadful, prove they made the mistake…..not even an apology.

In your case cctv would be difficult, though i wonder if dashcam footage could be helpful, they are relatively cheap to buy.

[AndyP]

@badger1963

rather charming but a bit old fashioned

The DVLA refund any tax when you sell a car by cheque. As you say charming but a bit old fashioned.

[Guinnless]

@AndyP

The DVLA refund any tax when you sell a car

As it is not possible to sell a car with road tax you may as well claim a refund if applicable.

[Willy]

Took Mrs Willy’s car for its MoT this afternoon. Passed, although the tester suggested that one of the front control arm bushes could do with being replaced sooner rather than later. It was already booked in for an engine and gearbox service next Thursday so we’ll add that to the list.

Willy.

[AndyP]

I visited Derek Jarman today.

[MWatBR]

Had a bit of a week with medical appointments, GP for injections, hospital Ortho to check hip progress, Oncology, X-ray and bloods, and two sessions of radiology at the cancer unit. Asked the GP about my foot, had a conversation, no I didn’t drop anything on it, I would remember with that damage, which is why the X-ray and bloods. Couldn’t see a fracture, but difficult to walk on and rather painful. First picture shows day one, and the second day four. There is a clear epicentre over the metatarsal where the pain radiates from.

[Dynaudio1]

Florence Nightingale’s final resting place yesterday.. Brief inscription per her instruction apparently (the near relatives got essays).

In a beautiful village between Romsey and Salisbury. Handy for Naim HQ on the way back.

[Filipe]

Saw a cardiologist yesterday because my brother after a myocardial perfusion nuclear scan got a false negative a year ago. Now after an angiogram (they didn’t want to fit 7 stents) he needs extensive bypass grafts complicated by branch problems. He is wary of surgery and his consultant didn’t recommend surgery but on referral to Bristol it is being considered.

Needless to say as there is family history going back several generations I am concerned even though younger with no signs of angina. I can manage 3.5 mph on the flat but so could my brother a few years ago. Statins now seem an essential medication. Medical ethics excludes invasive angiogram just to diagnose without some need.

Any thoughts?

Phil

[Pete_the_painter]

God just got back from walking the dog, damn cold, coldest morning this year. Overnight it dropped to -2c and it was zero when we set off, must’ve been cold Mrs Pete stayed in bed and the dog didn’t take his normal morning dip.

[Ian2001]

That looks very painful, hope things improve

Best wishes

Ian

[porkyg]

At least you didn’t have to take the dog out Peter. I wished God would take ours out.

[MrDom]

Since I can’t listen to music without interconnects and speaker cables I might as well make myself useful.

Resorting albums in alphabetical order.

Surprised how out-of-order they are

[paulbysea]

Ouch. You have my sympathy.

[MrDom]

It’s not that bad really

Kind of therapeutic I suppose