Should I wind my neck in?

twhitehousescat

waamo wrote: »

Mr Cat that actually made me laugh.

sorry I jumped it , I will now start my own thread :rotfl:

Umkomaas

I've suggested in a number of threads where you've added this that there might be an alternative way. I struggle to keep up with reading almost every thread that shows up as 'Unread'. But when I see an emboldened thread title with the last poster showing as 'The Deep', I don't read it as I'm 90% sure what I'm opening up to. After reading all the other unread threads, I then mark the forum as 'Read'.

But I risk then missing the 10% of other posts you make which are not 'This is an entirely unregulated industry ....' and they are often interesting and apposite.

I have suggested that rather than post the copy & paste, you PM the new poster, introducing yourself as a 'senior' (take that whichever way, ) forum contributor, and 'here is some important information' for them. No need to enter into any PM dialogue with them, just set your PM inbox to accept only from your nominated 'Contacts'.

I remember your 'VAT' campaign via a similar copy & paste extended exercise. I'm not sure whether any of that was fruitful, and unless there's any way of evaluating the current 'unregulated industry' campaign, then I'm not sure where this goes. You're just trusting entirely to serendipity.

Any thoughts on following up those to whom you've imparted this advice, to evaluate progress? Results from that exercise might provide a more outcomes-based answer to whether or not you should 'wind your neck in'.

Hope you take my comments in the spirit in which they are meant.

NeilCr

Part time reader of this forum, me, so I am an "inbetweenie". Not a regular but not a one off either

The obvious idea would be to have it as a stickie. I know they don't get read straightaway but, perhaps, if you put a link to it that would be a middle ground? After all, that's where many of the newbies get directed. I would agree with Umkomaas that there is a danger that some of your other posts may go unread because people begin to associate The Deep with one thing only.

To be honest, while I completely get the motivation, I suspect many newbies skip these posts because all they are looking for is a direct solution to their ticketing problem. Maybe only add it where it is a long thread where the poster gets involved and begins to understand the wider implications?

I wouldn't in any way want to detract from what is, clearly, a worthwhile campaign. But just repeating the same thing time after time can be a turn off. It can feel a bit like a bot

As with Umkomaas I hope you take these comments in the spirit they were meant

Umkomaas

Good objective post @NeilCr - as per usual. Your inputs here are welcome. Hope you can find the time to continue to contribute balanced views to the forum.

NeilCr

Umkomaas wrote: »

Good objective post @NeilCr - as per usual. Your inputs here are welcome. Hope you can find the time to continue to contribute balanced views to the forum.

Thanks. That's very kind.

I am not sure I have that much to contribute. As a director of a communal estate I have quite a bit of experience of the parking problems and (possible) solutions in that area but, beyond that, it's not a big subject for me. Apart from some of the appalling parking in my home town! That is normally council, though.

Quite often, I suppose, I can see both sides of the argument...:beer::beer:

Coupon-mad

I was going to post something similar to Umkomaas, then saw he had!

NeilCr, your objectiveness balances our ranty and PPC-hatred-biased posts. Your input is very useful to the forum.

Umkomaas

On the 'residential' front I think there is a disproportionate number of cases, compared to much larger parking environments. Your expertise on that front alone would really add significant value to the forum - your time permitting.

Not necessarily on the technicalities of the parking charge and how to defend, but perhaps more on tenants'/lessees'/owners' rights?

waamo

Dear Sir Deep. Stop skiving and get back to work.

I've actually wondered is it KCMG or CMG?

NeilCr

Umkomaas wrote: »

On the 'residential' front I think there is a disproportionate number of cases, compared to much larger parking environments. Your expertise on that front alone would really add significant value to the forum - your time permitting.

Not necessarily on the technicalities of the parking charge and how to defend, but perhaps more on tenants'/lessees'/owners' rights?

It's not easy to quickly identify residential threads from others. I drop in here from time to time so finding them can be difficult. Happy to comment if I do come across them and have anything useful to add.

As a general statement freeholders/managing agents only tend to act on parking because of resident pressures. And, in my experience anyway, these pressures need to be loud and persistent. I do accept that PPCs are the go to response to this - the problem is that, talking to MAs and other directors, they are, also, the quickest and most effective solution. I have learnt a lot about PPCs from this forum and do see what issues they bring and why some dislike them so much.

It might have been Umkomaas who said, though, that it is rare for folks on here to offer alternatives which, I think, might help some posters. As a director I'd be more inclined, for example, to listen to someone who suggested a different way of controlling parking as opposed to waving a long thread from this forum in my face! And I am pretty easy going and strongly agree that no one should be "done" for parking in their own space.

I would say, while taking in the broad comments about PPCs, there have been cases discussed on here where I have had very little sympathy with the person who was ticketed!

System

there have been cases discussed on here where I have had very little sympathy with the person who was ticketed!

+1

.... but as they come for help but not judgment, they get help.