Call Sign July 2011
Page 7
In the March Call Sign, we told of the victory
Mystery of the Vanishing zigzags?
DaC driver Sid Nathan (K88) achieved over
the City of London after his passengers had
opened the taxi rear doors to get out while he
another procedural irregularity. He wrote in his
was stuck in traffic. Sid was on the zigzags out-
appeal:
side St Paul's Cathedral when suddenly the
"The last letter sent by the City of London
traffic moved forward, leaving Sid stranded on
enclosed a Notice of Appeal but when looking
the lines and unable to move as the tourists
on the internet, I came across an item saying
were still exiting his vehicle. Thanks to advice
that I should have received a Notice to Owner
from DaC's parking expert, Barrie Segal, Sid
before I actually received this Notice of Appeal
appealed the PCN and won his case.
-- is this correct?"
Several months after Sid, another Dial-a-
His letter obviously struck a note but not
Cab driver, Russell Bamber (N27) also
the correct one. Instead of allowing the appeal,
began his battle with the City of London fol-
on March 10 the CoL sent him a form to fill in
lowing his PCN for stopping by the zigzags
to see the arbitrator on May 20 at Angel Square!
just before Sid's those by the layby entrance
Then on April 13, the bumbling bureaucrats of
to Paternoster Square and before the rank.
the CoL sent Russell a Charge Certificate which
Russell had tried to squeeze into the layby but
said that his £120 fine (reduced to £60 if paid
a white van was causing a problem with
within 21 days etc) had now increased to £180
room. However, Russell's fight against author-
because he hadn't paid it! Again Russell had to
The "evidence" failed to show any sign
ity was very different from Sid's.
explain that because he was going to the arbi-
of zigzag lines...
Russell appealed to the CoL complaining that
tration service, he could hardly pay the fine
because on February 28, the City authority
the PCN he received (dated 29 January) for the
which would then admit any guilt! He also
answered Russell's appeal - not by agreeing
spotted that the PCN Date of Notice read 29
alleged offence contained a photo that obvi-
with him but by sending further images that
January 2011, whereas the Charge Certificate
ously showed his cab, but failed to show any
appeared to prove their point. But Russell
date said 28 January 2011. Polite to the end,
evidence of the presence of zigzag lines. As
hadn't denied being there, his claim was that
Russell asked whether this further discrepancy
Russell put in his appeal (dated 31 January), he
would have any bearing on his appeal?
they failed to send any credible evidence, so
had even used a magnifying glass but couldn't
On May 13, almost 4 months since the PCN
should cancel the PCN.
see any indication of zigzag lines and that
issue, the City of London sent Russell a two sen-
On 7 March, Russell again wrote to the City
under those circumstances the CoL had failed to
tence terse response. It read: "It has been decid-
of London. In this appeal he pointed out yet
show that any contravention had taken place.
ed not to contest the above appeal. This decision
another irregularity in addition to the obvious-
What Russell failed to realise in asking for
is not to be taken as a precedent for the future."
ly incorrect photo being sent as evidence until
the PCN to be rescinded was that he wasn't
All Call Sign can add is that we agree with
over a month after the "offence." Writing that
dealing with an organisation famed for its' use
the CoL in that we hope their actions do not set
there surely had to be a time limit for sending
of commonsense! So when almost one month
any precedents, because on this showing they
out additional evidence when they obviously
had passed, Russell assumed the matter had
are nothing but a bunch of incompetents...
had better photos, Russell also pointed out
faded into obscurity. But he was wrong
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