Yesterday was an eye opener. I had a real busy day, lots of stops to make with good distances between them. It started with an accident in the blackwall tunnel - use of the back doubles kept me moving, but didn't save any time. There followed a journey from East to North-west London, trying to navigate the £8 robbery congestion charging zone, sure that I skirted right on the edge several times, and almost sure that I didn't actually enter. Time will tell.... I didn't pay the charge.
The first stop was entertaining. I parked my van in a parking bay outside a council owned block, duly leaving my 'plumber on call' sign on the dash with a note saying which flat I was in and giving my mobile number in case it needed moving. Met the guy that owned the flat and went up to look at what needed doing. Two minutes later the caretaker is banging on the door, saying that we're being clamped - sure enough! My van was done and they were taking pictures of his car while someone went off for another £75 kick up the nuts. Hats off to Steve, he stopped things going any further and paid for the removal of my clamp. Unfortunately, even though the robbers promised a further clamp wouldn't be applied, the 'official' paperwork complete with an illegible signature and matching embellishment where the operators number should be, indicated that you were fair game if the vehicle hadn't been moved after an hour of the clamp being removed. Consequently, not all the work was done. Camden councils parking department are out of order, the last time I was up there they ticketed me even though I still had 3 minutes on my 'pay & display' ticket. They must work on commission.......
From NW London to Essex borders was OK. Brief stop and homeward bound. This journey was sharply interrupted by an old girl on a motorised scooter at a pelican crossing who must of been colour blind . She didn't even look or stop, from warp speed on the footpath to across the traffic in one broadside. After the screeching tyres stopped she proceeded to point at the 'Red man' as if he was a green flashing one, like we were at fault. The tunnel was clear though. Was back South of the water before the rush, phew.
Several more stops & calls to make and another kamikaze pensioner! By now it's dark and I'm on a dimly lit stretch of road with no footpath and woods on one side, parked cars on the other. Approaching me bordering the woods is death wish man. His battery must of been low, he wasn't travelling at a good rate and his lights were really dim - madness! Any other kind of motorised vehicle can't be legally operated on a public footpath or highway without a licence. Why are we not testing/licencing these vehicles and their operators. I can see many lives ending prematurely and innocent folks liberty being taken from them. Not good.
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Sunday, 15 March 2009
Karma
I like to believe in Karma and took these two recent events as an example of how it works.
I was attending a seminar last week and went outside at our scheduled break for a ciggy (I know it's bad for me). Anyway, while patrolling the car park chuffing away, edging ever closer to a horrendous death, I spotted an open wallet on the ground. I could see it had all the guys cards, driving licence and some paper money in it without actually being nosey. I picked it up and handed it to a staff member at the seminar who took it 'behind the scenes'. A short while later they came out and told me that it belonged to the guy who was servicing the fire alarm the day before. They had phoned his company who in turn would phone the guy and notify him that it had been found. My good deed for the day was done!
A little under a week later I drove away from home leaving my bag on the doorstep. It was found about an hour later by a housemate who phoned an oblivious me to let me know they'd taken it inside. I returned home that evening to find that everything was still inside that bag. My ipod, cheque book and loads of other invaluable items that if lost would cause me no end of hassle were still there! Karma, or just good luck? I wonder if my bag would have survived unscathed if I'd taken that man's money?
I was attending a seminar last week and went outside at our scheduled break for a ciggy (I know it's bad for me). Anyway, while patrolling the car park chuffing away, edging ever closer to a horrendous death, I spotted an open wallet on the ground. I could see it had all the guys cards, driving licence and some paper money in it without actually being nosey. I picked it up and handed it to a staff member at the seminar who took it 'behind the scenes'. A short while later they came out and told me that it belonged to the guy who was servicing the fire alarm the day before. They had phoned his company who in turn would phone the guy and notify him that it had been found. My good deed for the day was done!
A little under a week later I drove away from home leaving my bag on the doorstep. It was found about an hour later by a housemate who phoned an oblivious me to let me know they'd taken it inside. I returned home that evening to find that everything was still inside that bag. My ipod, cheque book and loads of other invaluable items that if lost would cause me no end of hassle were still there! Karma, or just good luck? I wonder if my bag would have survived unscathed if I'd taken that man's money?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)