What is going on ??

[Mpprh]

I today received a letter from the 'amendes'. So, I'm guilty of something , but haven't paid the fine.

It was for a parking offence in Montpellier in December 2003 ; apparently I didn't pay the fixed penalty parking ticket. But this is on a road I've never parked on. And I wasn't in Montpellier on that day. The police court ordered the penalty in July of this year ........ time obviously just flies by ?

Now here is the interesting thing :

This parking offence was committed by someone using a Citroen with my registration No.

Even more interesting : this isn't the first time. But the last three times he has been driving a Renault.

And my Carte Grise (and the badges on the car, chassis plate etc.) clearly say this car is a Ford.

So, what is happening ?

Has the same No been issued twice ? Did the man who makes the plates make a mistake ? Is someone slipping plates on with my number every time he parks ? Dyslexic parking warden ? Sticky tape over part of the plate to disguise the true No ?

Each time I've sent a photocopy of the Carte Grise to the police and heard no more.

However it does suggest to me that there are ways to avoid paying for parking in Montpellier !

Peter

[David584]

Sounds to me that someone is driving around using false number plates i.e. a copy of yours on their vehicle.
When registration numbers are issued in France, are they an initial issue i.e. have never been issued to another vehicle before or
what I call a  "rehash", whereby if a vehicle has been scrapped then the number can be reissued ?

I personally have no knowledge of the issuing of vehicle registration marks in France OR how easy it is to obtain them.
Can a person walk into a car accessory shop and order a set without documentation alledging say, that the originals have been stolen?

[Mpprh]

Hi

in theory every number is unique and the people who make the plates insist on seeing the Carte Grise. Also, they told me that the plate must be attached with rivets : screws are not allowed.

Peter

[David584]

Good evening Peter

I will revert to the first line of my earlier post then, someone has got a copy of your plates OR of course altered another set so that show your registration number. The latter seems more than likely given the hsitory you portrayed at the start of this topic.

I think you may appreciate that I know a little more about this particular subject. If you would like to email me I will enlighten you. 

[Deby]

Would agree - sounds like false number plates, just make sure you have plenty of copies (certified) of your Carte Grise and keep on sending them to the place issuing your fines.

Similar thing happened to my husband, but in the UK, we kept getting parking fines from Haringay, Hackney etc and we lived in West London at the time, my husband had a real rigmorole (sp) with the various councils until one day the offender drove off from a garage forecourt without paying for fuel - the police then became interested. Fortunately, for us there was one crucial piece of evidence in our favour the CCTV at the garage filmed the event and the culprit was black and my husband is not.  Took months to sort out and my husband was always getting pulled over - in the end we changed vehicles and that was the end of the matter - might be an option to get an new plate/car!