Motorised scooters....

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.