Shiny Happy Traffic Wardens...

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Sat 31 Jul 2004 23:49
Shiny Happy Traffic Wardens... - HF
They exist!!

Or, at least, one does. Seen in the vicinity of good old leafy Orpington, Friday around 4pm.

Mindful of the horror stories about wardens jumping out from behind lampposts as one tries to obtain one's parking ticket, I was a little worried when, the second I had finished parking, one was ticketing the car next to mine.

Contrary to normal HF wallflower behaviour, I called to him that I had only just arrived, and he responded, very politely and jovially, with a traffic-wardenly-style joke.

Got my ticket, keeping an eye on my car all the time just in case, by which time he was ticketing the car on the other side of mine.

Thankful to be legal and without a fine, I called over to him and said that he may now check my vehicle.

With a nice smile, he thanked me, and we both went on our way.

Maybe most of them are bad Hitler-types, but this one was an exception and put me in a good mood for at least 5 minutes.
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Sun 1 Aug 2004 00:29
Shiny Happy Traffic Wardens... - Civic8
I havent come across a bad one in Orpington yet.makes me wonder if they are just fed up with treatment they get from those that do try to park where they shouldn`t.I think diplomacy forgive spelling goes a long way.and do.think they are doing a good job.in most cases are correct.I`ll expect 12 bore`s to come out and shoot me for this comment:-)or traffic wardens to look for me.
--
Was mech1
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Sun 1 Aug 2004 10:33
Shiny Happy Traffic Wardens... - SlidingPillar
Hint for anyone in an open car.

Write your registration number extremely obviously across your ticket, and if you have the chance, tell the warden/ car park attendant you've done so.

My guess is the amount of rubbish "excuses" that they are told is so high, that you stand no chance of being belived for a minor apparent transgression. That and the amount of abuse they get must mean even a nice person is going to turn into a jobsworth.

Perhaps we should have a national be nice to traffic warden day.
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Sun 1 Aug 2004 10:30
Shiny Happy Traffic Wardens... - Anglesey Ian
'and he responded, very politely and jovially, with a traffic-wardenly-style joke'.


Would you like to share that with us HF ?

Go on...give us a larf

AI
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Sun 1 Aug 2004 13:32
Shiny Happy Traffic Wardens... - Quinn
...all traffic wardens I've experienced have been perfectly
polite...

...the last one I experienced was in the middle of Walsall
(drove through an area restricted fer buses and taxis...BUT
that's where the cash machine is!!)

...anyway...she even, graciously, pointed out that me sideskirt
was coming away from the car...and then gave me a ticket
...with a lovely smile...NOT sure what my point was
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Sun 1 Aug 2004 13:49
But He Must Have Seen You Coming! - lezebre
Put him to the test, Helpless. See how jovial - I like that word, and I realised that it's a little sad that we don't seem to hear it that much these days - he would be if you had transgressed in any even teeny way.
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Sun 1 Aug 2004 22:52
But He Must Have Seen You Coming! - HF
>>'and he responded, very politely and jovially, with a traffic-wardenly-style joke'.


Would you like to share that with us HF ?

Erm - it really wasn't very interesting, Ian! Along the lines of 'Hah hah hah you've been sitting there trying to fool me, haven't you, hah hah hah.' That's it. That's why I didn't bother printing it before.

LeZ - not testing any traffic wardens, anytime! Not willing to gamble a £60 fine just to prove a point - sorry! (I know you're probably right but it was just nice to have a 'jovial' conversation with one of those who are normally deemed the satans of this world.)

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