You can actually appeal a penalty. And people win sometimes. For example, if the signs were covered by a tree, or if you had a medical emergency. One woman got out of a fine because her sat-nav was wrong—the tribunal felt sorry for her.
Another time, a man argued he didn’t see the signs because he was too busy singing opera in his car. The judge laughed. Then denied the appeal. But still—imagine the court transcript!
And get this: if you’re driving a hearse? You can enter the zone for free. Death has its privileges. Vampires, rejoice—just lie in the back.
How to avoid the penalty entirely
It’s simple, really. Pay the charge before midnight. Set a phone alarm. Tape a note to your steering wheel. Hire a tiny owl to remind you—whatever works.
Or just walk. Or cycle. Or take the Tube. Or invent a teleportation device. (If you do, please share the patent.)
London Congestion Zone Map London Congestion Charge | Caura
The penalty is designed to annoy you into compliance. And it works. Over 1.5 million penalty notices are issued each year. That’s a lot of grumpy drivers.
