A few days ago, I rang Congestion Charging London to check if the form I had filled out for my wife’s exemption had been received. I was asked if I was a named and authorised contact on the form. I said that I was her husband, and had filled in most of the form. I knew our car registration number forwards and backwards etc. I was told that they had to check with my wife before they could speak to me.
I started to lose my cool. All I wanted was to know if a form had arrived that I had sent. I didn’t want to know what was on the form or anything remotely more personal. I could almost here the slightly monotonous drawl intone “Computer says nooooooo”.
At this point, I gave up and ended the call rather abruptly. I have exactly the same issue with a whole range of bills and communications from various institutions who will only take one contact name, and when that is my wife’s, steadfastly refuse to speak to me about anything.
It was soon after this, that I read about the idiot at Marks and Spencer who refused to speak to a seven year old’s mother, unless the seven year old gave permission first. What is the world coming to?
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