Which? magazine - for consumers

It just crossed my mind that it would be a good idea to recommend Which? magazine to readers.

As far as customer care is concerned, I can't imagine anything better. Granted that some of the subjects will be of no interest to us here but there are many others which are an eye-opener to us too, making it very worthwhile.

Those who are interested to subscribe should contact Which? PO Box 44, Hertford X, SG14 ISH, England; e-mail: which@which.-co.uk Tel: 0044-1992-822-800. I believe they also send sample copies. (Vincent Chetcuti)

Yes, as far as consumers are concerned, it is indeed a magazine well worth reading. As regular readers know, from time to time I do feature excerpts from Which? It always carries very interesting and highly valid articles and although it is mainly based on the UK marketplace many issues referred to are similar to issues applicable in Malta.

For example, here are excerpts from the current August issue under the heading "Exposed: Councils that issue dodgy tickets":

Last year councils forced about 37,000 drivers in Britain to go through an independent appeal before they would cancel an unjust parking ticket.

These 37,000 dodgy tickets may be the tip of an iceberg since it's not known how many tickets councils cancel before they reach this appeal stage.

Figures obtained by Which? show that nearly two in three appeals last year to parking watchdogs by motorists led to a council ticket being cancelled.

Birmingham, one of the worst in our league, had a bonanza in 2004, with 81 per cent of appeals going against the council...

Councils' revenue from parking charges and fines hit a record of nearly £1 billion last year, according to the RAC Foundation. By 2004, 155 of about 200 eligible councils had taken over parking enforcement from the police. The foundation says that whenever a council takes over, there are more fines. In some areas, tickets are £100 if you pay late.

The number of tickets - and appeals - is rising.

Although less than one per cent of tickets get appealed, the figures indicate problem councils.

If you think a parking ticket is unjust, challenge the council. If it rejects you, follow advice at www.parkingandtrafficappeals.gov.uk for London and www.parking-appeals.gov.uk for the rest of Britain.

On August 7, I featured a letter by Chris Xerri who was unjustifiably fined when he was taking his daughter to school on having turned into a street in Gharghur, next to a school. A warden suddenly came out, as Mr Xerri aptly put it, of wherever he was hiding and stopped him. In a nutshell, the warden charged Mr Xerri and he was subsequently fined Lm20.

However Mr Xerri duly contested the fine and won.

Comments from wardens would be appreciated. This issue must be sorted out.

Therefore, whenever we are unfairly charged, we consumers should stand up and be counted - follow Chris Xerri's example.