Wednesday 25 February 2009

Can you spot the errors in this picture?

Ok, so this isn't actually a picture, but I'll give you a few moments.

Finished? Let's see how you got on.

Number one;

Michelle Keiller was shocked to receive a £120 fine with a picture of a white van bearing her Toyota estate car's registration number illegally parked in south-east London.

Now she has to prove her innocence or pay up.

Number two

Now she needs to send identification – and her car registration documents – to Lambeth Council, to prove that she does not own the van bearing her registration number.

(duplicate omitted there, obviously)

The DVLA said: "Vehicle cloning is something we've come across in the past, it's not as widespread as you think but is something that does happen.

which is in combination with something earlier in the article;

Michelle Keiller was shocked to receive a £120 fine with a picture of a white van bearing her Toyota estate car's registration number illegally parked in south-east London.

To recap;

  • In the good old days (let us say 20 years ago, and for scores of years before that) the state had to prove guilt rather than the individual having to prove their innocence.
  • As the issue here is regarding the accuracy of a recorded registration mark, i.e.is it a van or a car, why is the state demanding other documentation, such as ID? If XX123XXX is a car not a van, who gives a monkeys who owns what?
  • If the state is aware of this cloning, why are they providing the details of a Toyota estate car to a third party when requesting the details of a white van?

Don't worry, folks. ID cards, DNA databases, Phone and Email details databases, Foreign travel databases. You have nothing to fear.

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