From Charlie Atkins.
I JUST wanted to warn all fellow motorbikers out there about our new parking regime.

Actually it would be well for car owners to be aware, too, as although parking was amended in January this year and a notice was supposedly put in the JEP (I say supposedly because I can’t remember ever seeing it) there are many of us not adhering to the new rules.

So I write to help save the public from parking fines. Please pay special attention to our newly-erected parking signs. They are now different to what they used to be and not all of them being fair.

For example, I parked my motorbike in a paycard area recently and when I returned 20 minutes later I was very surprised to see a parking fine glued to my seat. The parking offence was ‘Parking in a controlled area without using a parking device/incorrect parking device’, at a cost of £30.

This really irked me because, as far as I was concerned, as long as I didn’t park on a yellow line motorbikes could park anywhere and for free.

How on earth can we use pay cards on an open vehicle? Are we expected to carry around tape of some sort to stick the pay card to our bikes (which could duly be stolen anyway) and something waterproof to put it in when it is raining? Surely if we are expected to follow this new rule we should be provided with something to keep the pay cards safe and waterproof?

Now I am the first to admit when I am wrong about something and so at home that evening and at work the following morning I discussed this with others, to see if maybe it was me who had the incorrect perspective on this. To my relief everyone thought it was totally ridiculous and duly criticised our system for trying to make money from people unfairly, with comments like ‘typical,’ ‘you’re having a laugh, a motorbike?’ and ‘How are you supposed to stick a pay card on a motorbike?’

One person voiced what a lot of us thought when he said ‘Now a lot of people can’t afford to park their cars in town during the week because it’s an extortionate amount of money to have to spend, so the public are starting to use scooters and motorbikes which get free parking, especially in the summer months.

Isn’t it typical of this place to find another unfair way of trying to make money out of us who aren’t as well off as many others? Next they will be charging motorbikes and scooters for parking anywhere, I bet.’

I have to admit, I am saddened at how cynical we have become concerning the way our Island is run, but am hardly surprised when time and time again they prove to us they really don’t give a damn.

I have yet to dispute this fine, but after talking with a warden he said we have all had enough notice since January to have adjusted to the new parking regimes. Now, if anyone is still not aware of them, they have to book them.

I don’t blame the wardens, they are just doing their job. However, I am annoyed with the States for making such decisions and upon discussing this with rather a large group of people, I now realise I am not the only one.

I think it’s time we started up a local online forum to do something about this (and a lot of other things I know Islanders are annoyed about concerning the States of Jersey). We need to start fighting back. We do, after all, live in a democracy.