Oak St Blues for Beth

A Song for Beth after reading her facebook post of 15th March: "Feeling Jiggered & unsettled!!! And I dont want to go to court on my own! Will you come with me? I have just come off the phone from mediation (HM courts & tribunal services) between myself and Vehicle Control Services. I purchased an all day ticket for the Oak street car park in Middlesbrough - however I took 4 minutes longer than the allotted time to purchase the ticket (machine only took cash & I had to go and get some). They refused my appeal and then sent me a charge notice of £100 which I think does not reflect the 4 minute breech of the contract. The mediation was not the kind of mediation I was used to and the millionaire who owns this company, was represented by his legal team. They kindly offered to reduce the amount of charge from £255 (currently) to £155. I have chosen to not give the owner of the company this amount as its hard for me to imagine that he needs this money more than I do, nor do I think it reflects being 4 minutes longer than the 10 minutes to acquire the cash for the machine. Moreover I want to stand up to people who have the power and wealth to assert themselves over people such as myself with less power. I want to stand up to people who meet their needs in ways that harms others. I have read countless accounts where people have experienced great pain due to the actions of this company..too many details to go into. I wonder if the owner of the company is himself a victim of the capitalist system here as his persistent way of acquiring lashings of money is to create these charges so that he can play the role of debt collector, making a great deal of money in the process. I can not see any evidence that he contributes to our society that evokes a sense of well being and I am sure he must do somewhere. I wonder how it is for him meeting his needs in this way - I wonder if he has an awareness of the pain that some people go through due to the choices he has makes? So some request dear friends: 1. I would appreciate messages of support. I am keen that this does not become a space to incite violence 2. I would love to know if you would like to have tea and cake and maybe music and dance in court with me! I have no date yet! 3. If you know anyone who is a solicitor who may enjoy representing me - please pass this on 4. perhaps share with others who I know Big sigh!!!! the insanity of this world!!!!! PS - to reflect the insanity of it all when the mediator asked me to make an offer - I offered some free Nonviolent Communication Training for the company. - They declined. "