In the past, the drivers have pulled up at the closest point to the school gates so teachers can see Ernest Morozova arrive.All together now: aaaahhh. See what happens when people co-operate to help one another, and understand one another's problems?
They then go to his aid and help him into the school as he cannot walk by himself.
Well, this can't be allowed to go on:
But unbeknown to them, a council's new spy camera car that drives around and automatically detects illegal parkers recorded the taxis while on the zig-zag lines.No problem, you'd think. They obviously aren't aware of the reasons. Once they are made aware, they'll see sen...
Four drivers were stunned when they were sent letters warning them of their crime and threatening them with fines if they offend again.
Oh:
His mother and the cab drivers are demanding the council show some common sense (Ed: good luck with that!) and allow Ernest to be dropped off outside the gates of St Michael's School in Bournemouth, Dorset.And the council's response?
Miss Morozova said: "He can't walk by himself and it causes him a lot of pain when he has to walk far.
You can tell what's coming next, can't you:
James Duncan, transport manager for Bournemouth council, defended the new camera car.*bang*
He said: "Some may see it as a means of taxing the motorist, but this is simply untrue; our prime concerns are the safety of children.
"We have been working closely with head teachers across the borough to introduce this and we have already noticed improvements at some of our schools.
"It is not acceptable for any motorist, including taxi drivers, to risk a child's life through irresponsible parking.
"We take a zero-tolerance approach with irresponsible parking on zig-zags; they are there to keep children safe."
That was the sound on my head hitting the desk. Good job council drone James Duncan wasn't within arm's reach, or it would've sounded a bit more like:
*bang* *bang* *bang* *bang* *squelch*
Let me explain something to you, James Duncan.
Now, I'm typing it e x t r a s l o w l y so that even a council-employed cretin like you can understand: this little boy is disabled and cannot walk without pain.
He isn't being dropped off because his mother is too damn lazy to park elsewhere, or too damn scared of paedophiles/other drivers to allow him to walk an extra few yards. He can't. Not without pain.
Do you know what pain is? I so very much hope you do. You deserve to.
Because 'keeping children safe' also includes 'not forcing them to walk on their disabled legs because you are too much of an idiot to realise an exemption should apply in this case'.
I know! Amazing, eh? It's possible to have exemptions to your rules. And not just for trough-wallowing council staff, either.
I'm creating a new blogtag, James Duncan. Just for you...
Update: The Ranting Penguin has tracked down a picture of this ghastly boil on the bum of humanity. And you know what? It's just as I imagined he'd look...
This would not have happened if we still had proper (Police)Traffic Wardens. The ones with the yellow hat bands. Al right some of them were 'tin Hitlers' it goes with the job, but at least they had discretion.
ReplyDeleteThe increased use of cameras for these purposes is a scandal
“We are not building any new roads in Bournemouth and the council sold off Yellow Buses a few years ago, so what exactly does a ‘transportation services manager’ do?"
ReplyDeleteSomething to do with shuttles to the Mother Ship, perhaps?
He's got the public sector beard and the consultick's well-paid smile.
It wasn't supposed to be like this, was it?
"Not without pain".
ReplyDeleteHaving now informed the Mr James that the child is in pain, it seems pretty straight forward that this is a man who is prepared to inflict pain on a disabled child.
Abusive and a demonstrable danger to children, I'd say. Isn't there a number you can ring about that?
Sorry, Mr Duncan, James Duncan - not Duncan James.
ReplyDelete"...at least they had discretion."
ReplyDeleteIndeed. Someone has discretion here too, they just don't intend to use it...
"It wasn't supposed to be like this, was it?"
No. It certainly wasn't.
"Isn't there a number you can ring about that?"
They can hardly complin bout being hoist with their own petard, can they?
Well, they can and will. It'll be such fun to watch.. ;)
That such a jobsworth represents the new face of National and Local Government is another heavy stone in our backpacks.
ReplyDeleteThe overpaid Architects of misery never had it so good and long gone is the charity of pioneering humanitarians who once dominated our Town Halls.
Dr Gray, this is just one symptom of the managerialism that has crept into every aspect of public service. Everything must be measured and every cost justified and documented on a balanced scorecard.
ReplyDeleteCommon sense and sense of duty are now concepts of a bygone age.
"contract terminated". Fantastic. Hopefully someone will sort him out so he can't walk ten yards without pain, either. Some empathy clearly needs to be literally beaten into him.
ReplyDelete