Got a ticket while collecting free wood

[HOUGHTON PIG]

I called a Traffic Warden "Job's Worth" once for putting a ticket on a pizza delivery scooter. At one point it looked like he was gonna belt me one.

I've not had much time for them since

 

[Mike Ameling]

Last time we had a ticket we couldn't wiggle out, it was paid in person in pennies, tuppences, and five ps all counted accurately into money bags that were then emptied into tescos carrier bag and mixed up. We emptied the bag into the payment tray, the woman behind the counter gave us a class dirty look. She tried to refuse payment, as the office didn't have coin counter. We asked for the supervisor if payment was going to refused we should get the ticket canceled. The supervisor, the counter lady, and another member of staff, counted out the money. There wasn't anyone behind us in the queue before I get moaned at. It put smile on our face.

One older couple in a nearby small town went in and paid their NEWLY INCREASED property taxes in one dollar bills -- over $3000 worth. They went to their bank 2 blocks from the Court House, and had everything properly counted out and banded. The people in the Clerk's office tried to refuse payment, but could not by LAW - that "legal tender for all bills" language.

But the refused to accept the Bank's counting, so the counted it all themselves. And accompanied it with lots of grumbling snide remarks to the older couple and everybody else who stopped in! Some of this was recorded by the local newspaper who had a "tip" about this protest for the new higher property taxes. And the older couple personally knew several of the workers in the office for years. So much for "public service".

Well, their count came up exactly $200 short! The couple called their bank who sent up one of their VP's to look into the matter. Low and behold, the workers "found" a couple $50 packets of banded up one dollar bills that they had somehow forgotten to count! The bank VP still looked through and counted up all the torn bands from the bundles of bills. Of course, that "shortfall" was accompanied with lots more grumbling, disparaging remarks, and accusations of trying to "cheat" the City.

Everyone who witnessed this laughed and made comments about "justice", and "making them work for their extorted money". After it was all over, the office workers made no apologies to anybody. But people who came in later in the day said that all the workers were in a very bad mood! It got worse after the newspaper started printing letters-to-the-editor about the incident (they never printed any story - under implied threats of the City pulling all their paid announcements from the paper).

But several governmental groups here in the US have passed regulations against any similar type of payments - including FINES for trying to do so! And some "licensing/permit" offices won't even accept cash - check or credit/debit cards only - even though the Federal law requires that they accept cash. The IRS just declares that you filed a "frivolous" income tax return, and throws you to the wolves in their private court system - fines, fees, penalties, audits, etc.

So it goes.

Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

 

[helixpteron]

The post about making the payment in change reminded me of buying my Montane jacket during a sale.

I asked if it was okay to pay in (correctly bagged) change, as that's how I'd saved up to buy the jacket, and was told that it was.

The pile of bagged 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2 coins was quite large as the jacket was £180:00!

The poor guy lost count a few times and was interrupted on several occasions with the same result, but we got there in the end.

I'd counted and checked the money and was certain that there were no errors and it was great not to have to lug that much weight around.

A drawcord in the hood became undone after 3 weeks and when I returned the jacket I was surprised to be given a new jacket and £30:00 cash as the jacket was being reduced even more.

And no, the £30:00 was not in bagged change!

 

[Tadpole]

Last time we had a ticket we couldn't wiggle out, it was paid in person in pennies, tuppences, and five ps all counted accurately into money bags that were then emptied into tescos carrier bag and mixed up. We emptied the bag into the payment tray, the woman behind the counter gave us a class dirty look. She tried to refuse payment, as the office didn't have coin counter. We asked for the supervisor if payment was going to refused we should get the ticket canceled. The supervisor, the counter lady, and another member of staff, counted out the money. There wasn't anyone behind us in the queue before I get moaned at. It put smile on our face.

they could have refused and made you pay in either pound coins or any other legal tender
Coins are legal tender throughout the United Kingdom for the following amount
50p - for any amount not exceeding £10
25p (Crown) - for any amount not exceeding £10
20p - for any amount not exceeding £10
10p - for any amount not exceeding £5
5p - for any amount not exceeding £5
2p - for any amount not exceeding 20p
1p - for any amount not exceeding 20p

source Royal mint

 

[verloc]

Tadpole stop being a spoilsport - it's a great story and a victory for the little man!