WTF is this charge anyway. Sounds somewhat unconstitutional to me. $20/day to drive on a public road. That is pretty fuked up.
London traffic warden defies five furious secret service agents
- Thread starter Locutus
- Start date
You wouldn't thing it's pretty ****ed up if you have to drive through central London.
It never ceases to amaze me how everyone thinks we're arrogant and presume we don't do what we're supposed to do and yet foreigners do the same in our country and YOU don't know about it. You are all hypocrites.
And I'm not doing your research for you, look it up yourself.
There's a reason why it's called a congestion charge. They ain't charging for the fun of it.
And there are many cities around the world with similar schemes. San Francisco has a congestion charge.
There is nothing wrong with charging everyone the going rate for parking
whether they are dignitaries or not. I wonder what the Ms Clinton thing
was about. Have some forgotten Obama is in the White House still and
after the next election Ms Clinton will be the President because the Tea Party
destroyed the Republicans.
whether they are dignitaries or not. I wonder what the Ms Clinton thing
was about. Have some forgotten Obama is in the White House still and
after the next election Ms Clinton will be the President because the Tea Party
destroyed the Republicans.
We aren't paying you a thing boy! Stuff it!
Go Hillary! Double Park out in front of Big Ben and sight see!
She deserved a ticket and she can afford to pay the ticket but it has
nothing to do with her image as a leader this is petty. I suppose the
picture is supposed to be funny but in this case it is not, as it has
nothing to do with the incident
nothing to do with her image as a leader this is petty. I suppose the
picture is supposed to be funny but in this case it is not, as it has
nothing to do with the incident
I hope that was tongue in cheek eaglesmack, or some will determine its the
American attitude abroad as well as at home that Americans don't have to
pay for anything. Sooner or later we all pay in spades for everything.
American attitude abroad as well as at home that Americans don't have to
pay for anything. Sooner or later we all pay in spades for everything.
I'll post it again because you obviously missed it the first time.
Diplomats are exempt from most taxes, but NOT from "charges levied for specific services rendered" - such as the London congestion charge.
If they are exempt from paying the charge, London Mayor Boris Johnson would not have complained about the American embassy not paying it when he met with Obama in London in May 2012. This shows that diplomats are NOT exempt from the congestion charge. Some diplomats recognise this and PAY it.
In fact, since Johnson complained to Obama, American congestion charge dodging has RISEN.
The Yanks are not the only offenders, but they are by far the worst.
Johnson's spokesman said: “The continued failure of several embassies to pay the congestion charge is unacceptable.
"The charge is absolutely not a tax, it should be paid and the Mayor will continue to make that very clear when meeting the representatives of any embassy failing to pay.”
The Foreign Office says that the charge is for “a service rendered for which there are no legal grounds to exempt diplomats”.
None of the embassies are entitled to exemptions from the congestion charges or parking fines although the American embassy has consistently objected to the requirement. A spokesman for Transport for London said: "While some embassies have raised objections about paying the congestion charge diplomats and consular officials, and their families, engaged on official business or otherwise are not exempt or entitled to a 100 per cent discount. Diplomats and consular officials are subject to the general laws of the United Kingdom and are not entitled to general exemptions from those laws."
Foreign embassies owe £28 million in unpaid congestion charge<p></p> - Telegraph
The Yanks owe us £7 million. Don't worry. They'll pay up eventually.
Here's a bit more from wikipedia;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_congestion_charge#Present_scheme
Do we even have to get into what happens around the United Nations building in New York City or in Washington DC regarding parking and traffic?
Give me a break.
Don't hold your breath.
74% of embassies pay the London congestion charge. This would not be the case if they are exempt from paying it.
How shameful of America that its embassy isn't amongst them. But don't worry. It owes us £7 million and the longer the US embassy dodges paying the charge then the amount it owes us increased. And they will pay up eventually.
Liberal Democrat Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon said it was "shameful" that embassies evade the charge.
Ms Pidgeon said: "British diplomats respect the law of other countries and it is only right that diplomats do the same in this country.
"The congestion charge is exactly what it says on the tin. It is a charge for driving a vehicle at certain times of the day within highly congested parts of London.
"It is no more a tax than road tolls in France or tolls to cross bridges in the US."
'Not a tax'
At the moment the unpaid bill is picked up by Transport for London (TfL) and the Mayor of London.
That means the cost is effectively handed to the public, Ms Pidgeon warned.
She said: "The £40m owed by embassies is money being denied to all Londoners.
"By not paying the congestion charge Londoners are having to pick up the bill, either through higher fares or investment being denied in much needed transport projects."
A TfL spokesman said: "TfL and the UK Government are agreed that the congestion charge is a charge for a service and not a tax which means that diplomats are not exempt from payment.
"TfL has held discussions with a number of embassies about payment of the congestion charge. As a result of these discussions, a number of previously non-paying embassies are now paying the charge."
BBC News - Embassy C-charge evasion up 40%