irata

I spoke with the Openreach guys today. They confirmed that they a laying a replacement 2000pair cable to replace the damaged one thieves tried to nick. Would you believe it the thieves cut the cable opposite East Dulwich Police station. How long does it take to join 2000 pair in two places? About 3 days. If you're lucky your line is back tomorrow. But don't count on it.

I know three businesses where line are down: System Solutions Ambo Architects RDA architects I wonder if there has been a major incident in ED area affecting lots of lines.

I very strongly disagree. This not some sort of drivers vs pedestrians issue. After all drivers are also pedestrians. Parking Enforcement is a political issue, a style of governance that gives Private Contractors the right to accuse and penalise citizens without testing that the accusation is correct (it is simply assumed that the accuser is right) and you are liable as charged until YOU prove that they are wrong! Car use is either legal (i.e. permitted in law) or not. Parking Enforcement is necessary (because some simply do not play by the rules) and it is either legal and proper or it is not. Of course the government set the tone with the relevant laws passed in parliament and council employee's are charged to implement and enforce. So this is not an issue of fairness. It is an issue of lawful or not. For starters enforcers do NOT have discretion. They must follow a strict set of rules. And let us not forget that the vast majority of drivers are law abiding, careful and polite. But now and then we all make a mistake. Does this mean we should be harshly treated every time? If so, then what about all those pedestrians that cross the road when the lights are red; and the cyclists that blatendly go though red lights; not forgetting those adults and teenagers riding their bikes on pavements; and cyclists riding at night without lights; and pedestrians blindly walking into the traffic to cross the road... We have not even talked about those that litter... I am sure you would agree that there is a fantastic scope to generate new "Enforcement Businesses". I have observed traffic wardens many times getting ready to pounce in Lordship Lane just before 4pm when the bus lane restriction came into force. I just wonder how many shopper got caught. Do you mind the minutes when you are shopping? Anyway, this senseless restriction has been lifted thanks to the campaigning of the Lordship lane traders. That is why we talk about overzealous enforcement. The main problem, IMHO, is the fact that Councils do not use their own staff for the enforcement of parking restrictions preferring to leave this task to contractors. And that is where things break down. After all these contractors are only interested in issueing more and more ticket's which is the only product they are selling. They are profit making plc's. They are not interested in community issues. Their primary interest is to keep their shareholders happy. Fair enough. So, this is where the problem lies. As soon as the enforcement of the law becomes a medium to make profit the very system of democracy brakes down. If we cannot trust the enforcers then trust into local and central government starts to brakes down, too. This very process is happening now. Add to the profit motive poorly trained traffic wardens on low wages and you have a perfect recipe to seriously upset a lot of generally law abiding tax paying citizens. As a result of this overzealous, for profit, enforcement I am now appealing against EVERY ticket I receive (successfully to date). Mind you, I do not set out to get parking tickets. I respect the law and pay my taxes, too. However, the more time I spend finding out about Parking Enforcement and related issues the more shocked I am about how cavalier this government is with peoples rights. Parking enforcement this is not an issue of disgruntled drivers. The lack of parking and it's enforcement is a serious community issue, questioning how we want to live together sharing an incresingly scarce resource and of good or in this case bad governance. Enforcement for profit destroys democratic values.