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a) My car broke down a few weeks ago, 1 hour on motorway, soaked on one rainy day in god knows how long (with allied risk of short circuiting myself). BMW dealer suggests timing chains might be broken. Anyone who knows the modern diesel engine on the 3 series knows this is fairly major. Oh shit.

Pay car dude to move to another shop. Coupla weeks later - confirmed, car fixed bill is £2300

b) In August I got pulled for speeding, paid the conditional offer and was pretty teed off with myself as barring motorways I'm normlly pretty religious about observing speed limts.

It was returned a few weeks later as I'd only sent the paper license, they couldn't accept payment as they need the photocard too. Couldn't find it and had to apply to DVLA. By the time I got it I had already received a letter saying the case was being referred to magistrates and there could be no correspondence. Did the guilty by post thing for a court date of 26/3. Then received a letter saying I had to attend instead - today. Thought they'd seen the amazing clarity of my case begging for the fine not to be increased due to circs etc.

At court I summarised my mitigation - ie I paid, it was returned, by the time I could pay the case had already been referred. In summary, I didn't try to avoid payment but cirucmstances blah blah. I was thinking what a good job I did and the bench seemed smiley and caring, except for the bastardo in the middle

She didnt really listen, i asked if she listened but she moved on to the fine of £615 pretty swiftly. I said that was very expensive for losing a photocrd. She said they don't have much discretion. I then ranted  a bit. Joke, idiots, why are they called a court if they have no discretion, how much had she raised this week, why was the offence of losing a photocard 10 x that of speeding. By this time she asked if she could speak and I said something along the lines of 'I don't really give a shit'. She had the last laugh though as she mentioned the 5 points on the license.

I did an Oliver and requested 'make it more, why not'. At least she didn't take me up on that

Cost £615 + 5 pts

c) I need a tree removed. A tree. A big one mind. One that needs expert attention.

Experts are expensive - total cost first quote £2900

One week -£5815, + 5 pts

Aah, that was cathartic - crying a bit but I'll be OK

standard

That sucks, not sure how the week could improve to make it better, but I genuinely hope it does :)

Chin up

lol, that may be true for you but I normally run good :-)

heh.

the run good is having a car that can incur a 2.3k repair bill that's worth paying and a house with a garden big enough for a nice tree.  this is the variance kicking in yo. :)

glad you didn't get electrocuted though.  hope the rest of the week is awesome!

It's bad but I'm fortunate, I can pay this stuff so can boil it down to 'it's just money'.. with a few days whining first anyway :-)

Spot on

Hilarious :D

just do the tree next week. that's this week's costs halved. no need to thank me

Re the Tree - had one taken out a few years when we moved into our new house (2007?) and it cost £200 think it was local contractor in Garston and they took it away
Re your bad week - anytime I've seen you, you are always in a good mood, happy, smiley so I am sure you will bounce back - prob due a final table next week perhaps!
Hope to join you there

This is excellent, plus I have 14 days to pay the fine so basically I'm getting all het up about nothing

ALways wondered who the WPIL was and never got round to asking - who are you ?

Garston's close, Ima look up contractors there

Genius - gatters saves Glenn over £2,000 in a week. Incredible value.

 

I would so loved to have witnessed the Glenn rant.

Did you offer her the Car Park?

Oh man, just got all excited having seen this. Thought it might have blown down in the night. It's bloody windy up here

You are minted though so no worries

A+ B + C = £1.50

Swift retribution for improving your lie in the rough.

Winter rules, pick and place - i don't really remember being off the fairway at any point

lol, used to be. Watched some of 865 last night - don't blush but thought you were a natural and analysed in simple concise terms. Very good sir

No more risks taken on potential car park situations Tikay, I'm totes calm these days :-) Was OK to rant at a magistrate as I didn't think she'd offer me out

Thanks for the empathy Kin, much appreciated :-)

Felt bad reading this....the week will get better mate

There's something wrong with me Shaun, when someone else writes something like this it always makes me feel better (as long as its not too obviously personally hurty, damaging or health related).

I'd feel better if it was Vinny :) - you;re one of the nice guys  rotflmfao

So, I was at Crown Court today to conduct my appeal against the sentence of £615 and 5 pts.

What a difference, the wigged prosecutor came out and spoke to me for a while before we went in. Probably realised then that he would be no match for me in court due to my sanguine disposition and my eloquence.

In the court, he summed things up very fairly, the lovely lady judge listened with interest then as I concisely summarised the grounds for my appeal.

TBF, the prosecutor he looked on at my efforts with a combination of resignation, admiration and, it appeared to me, an acknowledgement that though we were both titans of the courtroom - he had been bested.

Good bye £615 fine and 5 points, hi der £60 fine and 3 pts

Proud to be English today, all we want is truth and justice.

Well done Sir!

you represented yourself Glenn?

How did you find that?

Great news Mr Henderson.

well done but don't they say that a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client?

Lol.

Well done!

Nice going

Nice turnaround Glenda. Wp :)

Rumpole of the carpark.

WP.

Congrats on winning your appeal, what happened to the tree's though?

Thanks everyone,

Yes Rich, it wasn't enough money to think about hiring a lawyer and in any case, the winning was less important to me than simply feeling I'd been heard properly.

Have to say, I really enjoyed the experience. Watching highly paid, highly qualified, highly intelligent lawyers coming and going in their shabby chic (think 2 grand suits worn to rags and battered briefcases) was interesting. Hearing the way they all interact with each other, lawyers, ushers, clerks etc was instructional..very respectful of one another.

It's full of pomp obviously with the wigs and gowns and yet, the timelessness of it is somehow very reassuring. Inside the courtroom, I was surprised by the fact that things were not very adversarial at all, also by how it was not a remotely intimidating environment..just 2 sides, giving their take on things and allowing the judge to do their job. In complete contrast to the completely transactional nature of magistrates court, you felt you got a hearing.. which is all I was after.

The environment ensured I showed the utmost respect..wait for my turn to speak, never interrupt, sit, stand etc when required, ask if not sure. I resisted the temptation to go LA Law on their ass and stand up and scream objecctioooooooooooonnn at a few things.

Overall, an experience I wouldn't miss and whilst I was very pleased with the outcome, I would have enjoyed it either way, I think.

Surely the whole point of representing yourself is precisely so you can do things like shout Objection! and call surprise witnesses and that.

It's a brilliant point :-) totally missed oppportunity

Can't believe you denied us the chance of a sporting rail

No, to do this you just do a Reverse Sheep Quiz.