I've been doing courier work for a good part of a decade. However the last two years or so I've been exclusively long distance driving, so haven't seen any city work in years. Today however, was the exception. I got a call from an old contractor who asked if I could pop down to London EC2A as a favour for which I agreed.
On my last stop I've come to a road named Tabernacle St, right before it bends and becomes Paul street. Right before the bend there is an single permit holders bay that says "Business Permit Only" just before the cycle racks.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5257726,-...3312!8i6656
Just as I'm getting out I get ambushed by a CEO who says I can not unload here, as it is for business vehicles only. I responded by telling him that its a marked permit holders bay which allows me to unload for 20 minutes, he points at the sign and says "business only, no, you are not...."
Confused I asked 'since when can vans unloading not do so in permit bays??' (At this point I'm getting annoyed) He said because it says BUSINESS and that they pay £3000 a year to have this bay and for that reason I can not unload here! I asked him to show me where in the handbook/rulebook it says EXCEPT business bays?! He responded by telling me that he's been doing this for years and I I can't tell him what is right or wrong. He said if I think I'm so right I should contest the ticket! (for which I can't as its a lease vehicle and its part of my contract that all parking tickets are automatically paid and then an addition bill of £30+VAT is added to my account.) When I did show him the PDF rulebook, he said to me that 'those are London rules, hackney rules are different.' I almost lost my mind!!
He then pointed to a bay opposite and said he 'might' allow me to unload there for 5 minutes!!!!! Allow??? ARRRGHHH!!!! He then told me to move back to the double yellow right before it, and unload at a dropped curb blocking in a parking garage!!! WTF?! Like that wasn't bad enough, he then points to the double yellow at the END of the road that bends around the corner into Singer St and says I can unload there for 30 minutes!! BUT I CAN'T ITS A CORNER!! (and even that's wrong, its 40 minutes!) YOU COULDN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP!
I'm now absolutely furious I demanded his name/badge number (what ever it is they assign these mongrel's) He kept giving me random numbers 1048/9 1068/9 he couldn't get it right! He took out his machine and said his now going to issue the ticket, I was forced to swallow my pride load the van up and leave I had no other choice, as it was going to cost me £100+ with the leasing company and I know councils do not pay costs such as these, otherwise I would have stuck it to him!
Out of principle, I cannot let this go! I don't care the cost, this bastard has apparently been doing this for YEARS?!!! What a scary thought, It must be put to and end. Absolute disgrace! He got a proper buzz out of doing this do me, the smug smirk on his face was utterly despicable. He knew what he was doing, and enjoyed every second of it! I simply can not let him get away with it. How many more people is he going to screw this way? He walked off chuckling!
I have to start by writing a letter to Hackney council, however would like to do so properly so its taken seriously the first time around.
All help is appreciated guys, really need your help here.
Thanks!