Penalty for an infringement?

[sapphireblack]

So, I'll put my hands up, i was in the wrong. Anyone who's ever been to Zakinthos/Zante town will know parking is truly a nightmare.

I winged it this morning for a literal five minute visit. I confess i was compromising a disabled parking bay. Upon my return a traffic gendarme was trying to remove my rear number plate, but theyre fixed with double-sided tape. It transpires my punishment for my heinous crime is number plate confiscation for 60 days to render the car unusable? Had they been screw fixed they'd have been removed in front of me.

Given what goes on here, disabled bays are usually ignored, blatant v.fast speeding, double parking, motorcycle riders doing wheelies on the harbour front, outside the police station, to say I'm taken aback is an understatement. I have appealed offering to pay a fine but I'm at the mercy of the chief of police to await my fate.

I could be UK bound a bit sooner that i had planned this year.

[gmc15]

Hope everything goes well for you and the Chief of Police is lenient. Does sound a bit over the top for a minor offence.

[X5Sport]

Blimey….all I’ve ever got was a wagged finger …. nicking number plates is a bit OTT (maybe you need a spare?).

[sapphireblack]

If you dont want to tax you car here, you take off the plates and hand them in to the traffic police. 'Forcibly' removing them as punishment is new to me and very OTT imo. In the light of my 'crime' its ridiculous. I expected a fine, maybe even a big one, certainly not what transpired.

Using double sided foam tape is normal for me. It seemed to fox the gendarme though. The second gendarme took the plates off of an adjacent car while i was being booked.

[Leslie]

No messing over there !

[sapphireblack]

Should anyone be interested, I'm back in the UK now, a friend delivered my Greek number plates to the Police yesterday. All very laid back of course, its Greece, "OK" said the traffic officer, collect them early October. Job done

[X5Sport]

Still a bit OTT, but maybe it’s the only way Greece can actually get drivers to take notice. We could do with a bit of that here too!

[sapphireblack]

Very OTT imo, but it is what it is.

[Leslie]

Best get a spare set printed up

[StuBeeDoo]

Still a bit OTT, but maybe it’s the only way Greece can actually get drivers to take notice. We could do with a bit of that here too!

Quite a few vehicles running around these parts without plates on. I can't remember the last time I saw a traffic cop that wasn't on a major road (A1, A19, A66, A69, M1). Plenty of bobbies in Astras/308s cruising around the local council estates - but they never seem to stop anywhere. I've seen local "lads" blatantly speeding past cruising bobbies who appear totally oblivious.
The other day I saw a woman driving with her dog sat on her lap. Didn't I read that the Highway Code now includes having pets restrained in vehicles?

[X5Sport]

You’re right. When I worked with Surrey Police, the Traffic Fleet had something like 70 vehicles inc motorbikes and motorway vehicles. I now live in a ‘Tri-Force area’ (Herts/Cambs/Beds) rarely see a traffic unit even with the A1 and M11 in the area. I just don’t think that they have the people or budget, hence the shift of everything to cameras - and most of those are empty.

[sapphireblack]

Well, dogs but moreso infants standing on the front seats with a parent or in some cases standing between the front seats is common place in my part of Greece, this never seems to be punished (endangering life?) But park in an incorrect manner and lose your car for sixty days