My options are one of two i think ?

I need to give you some background information first, and then I’ll tell you about the letter!

I’ve done well since February I’ve gone from a road bike to a fully prepped overlander in the form of a Yamaha TT600RE, also I’ve just about got all the stuff I need to hit the road. I’m wasn’t planning on leaving on my BIG adventure until 2011, enough time for clearing debts and saving the funds for six months on the road.

I’m in regular work at the moment and I’m crashing back at home with the parents because I had a move went wrong and I needed a bed. Living back at home is cool because I can pay big lumps of the credit cards that I used when prepping the bike.

Looking back now I wouldn’t spend half the cash I did, I put a lot of mods on that bike and if you ask me now how I’d do it next time, this would be my ideal setup:

By the lowest mile Yamaha TT600RE you can find.
Big Tank
Hand Guards
Bash Plate
Use throw over soft bags and spend the money on the trip.

The Letter

It’s from the CSA (child support agency) and it says…

Amount to be paid
Your employer should take amounts as follows.
£212.22 payable WEEKLY from 16/09/08

Now, I only get £205 in my wages each week so it’s deemed only fair that I can keep £90.50 - all amounts after this are taken and the 90.50 unpaid is rolled over, which keeps getting bigger and bigger…

I quit my job today, if they think I’m working for £18 a day, they can FK off that’s £18 per day less some bills leaving 0.05 pence. I’d be working 8/10 days for a chocolate bar!!

My options are?

Sign my bike over to a life long friend, who would also stash all my quality bike items which is just about all I have. Then, bankrupt myself and they’ll probably still want the cash. No access to cash or cards after this option is taken, no trip.

Or

Draw money from the cards needed to fund a six month trip, buy greenbacks and euros and hit the road. Having said that if I could come up with 2k and turn that into dollars I’d have about $4K (almost) add that to the $2K I already have that’s about $6K without touching the cards. While I’m on the road use internet banking to shove money around, cards to pay cards, and with nothing going in, at some point, all the cards will be stopped and, upon return, I’ll have a big mess and a bankruptcy to deal with, BUT I’ve had my trip.


If I stay I’ll probably still bankrupt myself, still have to pay and never get a chance for years to go on a trip, 90.50 a week doesn’t do much. So, that’s just about it until my child is 16, and then they’ll probably still want the cash.

If I do disappear for 6 months, question is, which way? East is getting cold this time of year. Trans Africa maybe? Down and Back! I’d like to ride the bike home in a defiant gesture!

A lot does happen in 7 days and in the next se7en, I need a plan.

Shaun

PS ::: Before anybody starts on the subject, I love my girl very much, I see her one week a year and try to help anyway I can. her mother left me after sleeping with the chap next door.. thanks, got a bike soon after

Tough one this.... how about upping and moving to somewhere else where you can still earn some money and get yourself sorted . The long arm of the CSA will have trouble finding you by which time you are ready to roll. I'm thinking another EU country rather than just somewhere else in the UK. It's highly unlikely the CSA will have the time or resources to try and obtain an attachment on earnings judgement in another EU country and like I say by the time they get their act together you are gone. You can alwasy register your bike in another country and it remains yours.
I guess it depends on how much contact you would want with the kid. I don't need to know the personal side of your dilema - only you know the answer to that but as you are thinking about taking off on the road anyway I'm guessing you aren't really a doting parent. I'm sure there are plenty of folk out there that would frown on such an idea but when I was getting divorced a couple of years back my ex was suggesting long term alimony payments and I pointed out that her lawyers would have trouble finding me ..... I would have been long gone had that been the outcome. It rather focused her mind
Good luck whatever you decide - it can't be easy but you only live once so 'carpe diem' - sieze the day my friend because tomorrow may be too late.

__________________
...on the road to nowhere...

Biking roads by bikers for bikers www.bestbikingroads.com

Thanks for the replys people.

It’s more the system wanting my cash. I’m on talking terms with the X, thing is I’m on the south coast UK and she’s up north living the high life with a guy who has plenty of cash. I see my kid once a year in the school holiday and phone/text or email rest of the time. The CSA will chase you even if the X said don’t, they want £212.22 but I only get £205

Not thinking about running for years, just a few months. I’d be back in time for next year’s school holidays with a big story for my kids, and a mess that needs sorting.

UPDATE

I’m going to try and get a loan on Wednesday; one has just run out so I might be able to get re-signed as an existing customer. Get one bigger than I need so I’ve got some cash in the bank for 6 or 8 payments buy greenbacks and euros and hit the road in about 8 weeks time…

I like the sound of doing some work in the EU - but, a Trans Africa sound warm and wicked fun

To the do-gooders criticizing him for not supporting his kid, the CSA waste more money than they pay out. Keeps someone in a job, thats all. Better off if you come to a private agreement with your ex but the CSA always interfere, cause bad feelings that often weren't there in the first place, etc, etc.

I used to work for the Child Protection Unit of a local Social Services Department. We actually did the job the NSPCC claim they do in their TV begging ads. In my experience, the CSA couldn't organise a fart out of window, let alone track you round the world. Also, the CSA don't seem to communicate, share or access information at all with any other agencies, at least not effectively anyway.

Not that I'm suggesting you attempt to defraud or mislead the CSA into thinking you've disappeared off the face of the earth but something to bear in mind

Enjoy your travels

Hi mate,
Feel for you cause i got screwed over by a bird who had my kid, used the girl as a weapon against me. I was paying her in cash but she still got the csa involved.
However, they are a useless bunch of w£$kers, and i basically made myself untracable.. ie. not on electoral role, and heard no more about it. Shame because i had a work permit for Oz and stayed here to do the right thing by my new born daughter, but hey ho.
Anyway, I dont know what you do for a living, but if you can go self employed, they cant take the money straight out of your wages. Because by the sounds of it you are paye, they got you over the preverbial barrel.
Just a thought anyhow, good luck!!

Hi Guys.

Thanks for the input, I quit my job and I’m off. I’ve put a lump on a credit card and I’m going to morocco for 3 months, leave on November 5th till February 7th, or until the money runs out! I’ve got a couple weeks work in Portugal on the way down on some eco-farm, in return, free bed and 3 meals a day. Will press on down to morocco from Portugal on November 24th

Shaun

If you only see your Kid once a Year MOVE TO SPAIN......... its cheaper, the CSA cant touch you, and you can work cash in hand on the costas for 50-70 euros a day.....
food n booze n fags cheap
gas is 1.09 euros a litre

Hi, I am on your side on this but-----Be very careful to cover your tracks: Your ex knows you like bikes. CSA interview her to find you. They scour bike interest areas and Hey Presto-HUBB. OK so your ID is enigmatic but I'd be careful to not give out any idea of what you're likely to do and where to go! I know it is quite legal in UK to take any name one wishes as long as it's not to avoid the law. I don't know if that includes the DVLA. A few years ago a friend of mine changed his name to his mother's maden name and changed ALL his documents: Passport, NI records, driver's licence etc.
Another thought is it would be good to leave a false trail. He sold the bike, turned to drink, took up with an Icelandic chick, left the country. They now have a direction of enquiry to follow. Keeps them happy.
I'll put my thinking cap on for you, Linzi.

Hi, one further thought. Make a MONSTER effort to avoid being stressed. I know that's a lot to ask but stress kills. Get a book on the symptoms, work out some de stress tactics ( not a pint of !), make a plan and do not think hate thoughts about your ex. Apparently it's best to think red roses thoughts about someone you really want to stick pins into. TRY and make the process for you the best. I can only illustrate it so. Two people break a leg each. Six months later one has recovered and forgotten about the little problem. The other has sat around tearing himself up, hating the health system and the things he can't do. He's now an unpleasant person to know and suffers headaches, ground down teeth and a stiff neck. Try and make the best of it. Lastly, sit down and ask yourself, ( Is this situation life threatening? If the answer is No, then it's not too bad. )
First thing is CCC, be cool, calm and collected as you think it all through.
Many of us are with you, Linzi.

I wish you all the best of luck. Maybe one day you'll have to face the music but it probably won't be any worse than the situation you are in now. I think I'd do the same as you if I were in your position.
Enjoy your travels for as long as you can.

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If you think you are too small to make a difference you have never spent the night with a mosquito.

Yep, you get off on your jollies and escape your responsibility. Don't you worry. the rest of us mugs will pick up the tab.

Sure there are loads of people ripping off the state and others avoiding their responsibilities but: Isn't there some responsibility for a female partner to remain loyal? Linzi.

Poor bloke sees his kid once a year. Nothing 'jolly' about that.

__________________
I've a feeling I'm not in Kansas anymore.

My now X had a kid [which I helped finance for 7 years] the father paid nothing even when he was working, a similiar situation with 2 of my friends developed and Im sure in both cases filing for bankruptcy was what stopped the problems with the CSA.

I would also like to point out that in both cases the woman did not want the money as they had moved on in their lives and us mugs[well apart from me, can u refinance a kid?] didnt pay anything more than they would have got in benefits anyway.

The CSA have their head well up their bums relationships do break down and not every guys some lunatic running around spreading his seed, IF the mother doesnt need the money or want the money they should at least respect those wishes.

You should read the original f#####g post pal.

What part don’t you understand ?

A: £212.22 payable WEEKLY from 16/09/08

B: Now, I only get £205 in my wages each week so it’s deemed only fair that I can keep £90.50 - all amounts after this are taken and the 90.50 unpaid is rolled over, which keeps getting bigger and bigger…

Now, let me get this right! You’re telling me that you’d work for....

0.05 pence PER DAY? I think not!

Now, unless you’ve got something worthwhile to say, don’t push my F###ing buttons