Roll call:
Me
Mr Mustard
Bad Company
The day started at Newham's Temple Mill Lane, in bright sunshine at just after 11am. All three of us turned up within minutes of each other and all three of us were equally surprised to see the nondescript little grey $camera car back in its usual place, parked on double yellows and obstructing the cycle lane (see photo below courtesy of Mr M).
So why was the $car back when Newham council went to the expense of fitting a fixed $camera last year (see:
http://notomob.co.uk/discussions/index.php?topic=5818.msg34682#msg34682)?
Our sources (little birds) tell us that the $car had been returning on a daily basis for many months, so what was the problem with what was supposed to be a highly lucrative fixed $camera?
Another little bird (we have many
) reliably informed us that there have been problems with blurred images being produced by the fixed $camera and that the council wea$els are in the process of purchasing a more up to date system to replace both the $car and the $camera.
Anyway, we commenced $chunting and I am pleased to report business was extremely slow to begin with. Bad Company was disappointed at the lack of saves, but realised that the fewer we save, the less the wea$els take off motorists when we aren't there to assist with compliance levels.
The $car disappeared shortly after we got there, but came back about 30 minutes later, so Mr M went to offer his assistance to motorists at the other end of the restriction. It must have occurred to the driver that we weren't going anywhere soon and that we were going to severely dent her ticket target if she hung around, so it was offski once more.
We hung around and educated a number of motorists about the use of TML, and by about 2.15pm it was clear the driver wasn't going to be returning. By this time my bald head had absorbed a great deal of solar energy (I must remember to take a hat next time), and there were reports that military satellites were recording unusually high levels of heat radiating from what could have been a belisha beacon located in the Temple Mill Lane area.
So me and Mr M parted company with BC and headed of for some lunch at Cafe Buzz in Barnet, before heading off to Connell Crescent.
Connell CrescentWe arrived late (at about 3.50pm) at CC, and unlike TML there was no slow start. Traffic was already backed up along the slip road leading to the Hanger Lane gyratory, and drivers were being tempted to take the now forbidden short cut. Fortunately, we were able to persuade many dozens of them not to do so, with the majority most grateful that we had shown them the potential error of their ways.
By the time we finished our shift at 7pm I estimate we had saved at least 80 drivers, which doesn't concur with anything like the number of drivers that Ealing council admit to fining on average per day. I have grave reservations that the council are manipulating the figures in order to make themselves look better when the press come sniffing round, and my suspicions were only enhanced when both a local resident and Mr Briefcase approached us to say that when we are not there, there is a steady flow of traffic along CC.
I have a plan that should expose any such manipulation of figures. Watch this space.
The Bald Eagle is plotting...
EpilogueAfter leaving CC, Mr M took me to somewhere in Barnet where a private parking company have been allowed to issue private parking tickets on what looks like a part of the public highway. Plans are afoot to put the squeeze on this little $cam too. $chunters may want to keep an eye on their inboxes.