Forum Topic

Victory at the Parking Meter

Albeint a small one.Parked in Lion Way yesterday to take my daughter for lunch at The Weir.Put 10p (the first of my £1.40) into the machine but it didnt register. Frantically pushed the reject button and blow me down out pops £1.10. Repated the procedure profiting to the tune of £3.70 before my lucky streak ran out.Looked around for a warden to hand the money to but couldnt find one and so am safe keeping it for them in case they want to claim it.

Steve Bonnici ● 6944d11 Comments

Puts me in mind of 'button B' in the old phone boxes!  :-)

Sarah Felstead ● 6944d

Ohhh Sarah, hate to say it, but shows your age!

Steve Bonnici ● 6944d

...I started young ... !  :-)I remember a rhyme, I thought by Spike Milligan, but I can't find it.Something like -When I go past a phone box I press button Bover the years button B, has been good to me.If we see somebody wandering along shaking the parking meters of Brentford, we shall know who it is!

Sarah Felstead ● 6944d

Sarah,there may be a good few of us shaking them from now on ;-)

Keith Iddon ● 6944d

I had wondered how I was going to get by this year on my State Pension..I mean it's only about £80 a week...and so extra dosh found lying on pavements..and windfalls from coin meters should help the cost of living these days!Not that any of us would deny money that's destined for the Public Purse...would we.Oh the joy of pressing "B" buttons in the old days. Those pennies!  Four would buy a doughnut at the Bakery!STEVE: Thanks for your helpful "Firewall" and "Anti-Virus"information messages on the W4 Forum.

Jim Lawes ● 6942d

SteveThese were the old type fittings that I recall from the 1940's and 1950's.We lifted the receiver, put in four pennies I think..and then dialled the number. When we "got through" we pressed Button A.  We pressed button B if the call failed..and obviously some people didn't bother.I would imagine these phones were introduced before WW2...

Jim Lawes ● 6942d

Hi Jim! That's a nice clean 'phone box, not at all like the one I used to have to use on the corner of Hamilton & Windmill roads! Oh it did stink..... and was broken half the time.

Audrey Walton ● 6942d

I understand that they were rolled out in 1925, bit before my time

Steve Bonnici ● 6942d

Here is the first standard Phone box, the K1, introduced in 1921:It's from an interesting website showing the history of the phone box in UK:http://www.redphonebox.info/history.htm

Duncan Walker ● 6942d

http://www.redphonebox.info/history.htmThat was a pleasant phone box website to click through Duncan..and made for happy light browsing.!Those classic designs..painted in "UK red" are the sort of things one misses when you are sent away abroad for two years for some reason or other. In my case..National Service in some third world deserty landscape like Libya..or sandy Cyprus. Red phone boxes and red London Buses were the kind of things our troops miss!It was a surprise to this next phone box in Jermyn Street, SW1 the other day..and of course..the camera got excited!-------------------------------------------------------Any more ..anyone?

Jim Lawes ● 6941d

Sitting in the Dentist's chair the other day with my mouth wide open...and a lot going on!..I was more concerned aboutmy vehicle outside in the street with the Parking Meter approaching the 1 hour limit! I had to leave the surgery at one point to move the vehicle to another road and meter..and then return to another part of the surgery for some extra activity. A story was told that one patient had her car impounded whilst she was having her teeth sorted out..and it cost her over £200 to recover the vehicle!Avoid dental appointments after 3pm seems to be good advice.Have you seen those new cameras? You remain at a parking bay one minute after the 4.30pm "no parking" deadline..and a £40 bill will be in the post to you in no time.With the cameras (sets of 4 or 6) that Sarah mentioned on the Great West Road as well to think about..big brother is certainly taking hold!This view is outside the Dentists, opposite the Isleworth/Heston Fire Station.

Jim Lawes ● 6940d