14 May (Part 2) - Notomob support Martin Peaple
Because
Bexley council called in the cops to try to scare Mr. Peaple, the Sidcup man who tried to
warn potential customers of the perils of parking outside his shop, the Notomob
turned up in Bexley in considerable numbers today to show support.
While attending the event I heard how Bexley council, if not actively spreading
misinformation to its parking contractor’s staff, is certainly impeding Notomob’s message to them.
This is that Notomob are there to help them conduct parking
enforcement lawfully and to assist in their proper aim of reducing parking
infringements to zero. They are against ‘revenue driven’ enforcement. i.e.
hiding up side streets
with long lenses and not making their signage obvious, but basically Notomob
is on the side of the enforcement staff and their assistance would, if
circumstances demanded it, extend to helping parking enforcement staff should
any member of the public become aggressive towards them.
It’s a win-win situation; while Notomob is on the
scene parking staff are safe and motorists are dissuaded from breaking parking
regulations. Councillor Craske may not be happy that revenue from fines is
decreasing but if he could possibly bring himself to be honest with himself he
may remember that extracting the maximum fine revenue from motorists is not what parking
regulations are all about - not if he obeys the law anyway.
On the way home I spotted a gestapo wagon parked at the Bexley end of North Cray Road. (Photo 3.)
Why it was there is anyone’s guess as no one is very likely to stop on a
bus stop on a dual carriageway with very few houses nearby. As a safety measure
it is an utter failure. Why aren’t they in and around the shopping areas on a
Saturday morning? Scared it might give Notomob too much publicity perhaps? It’s
a bit late for that, most motorists seem to know who they are after the News
Shopper publicity and give them a friendly hoot as they go by.
Photo feature.