The country has finally worked out how to give hard working citizens something for nothing, without actually spending anything! Motorists will now be given a 10 minute ‘grace period’ which means they can avoid the need to use air-turning-blue, not-in-front-of the-vicar, choice phrases, favoured by troopers the world over. However the logic for the move is apparently not based upon the need for us to be invited to use more respectable language in polite society. ‘Local shops’ around the country have been suffering from the zeal of ‘jobs-worth’ traffic wardens, who are only too happy to help impecunious local authorities milk the ‘cash cow’ of parking fines. Also under recently published regulations, councils will be barred from using video spy cars to catch out beleagured motorists. So we get 10 minutes free parking, councils lose an important part of its revenue and home and business owners make up the short-fall by being hit by higher rates and council taxes! Amen for free parking! Incidentally the new rules apply only to council parking sites and the ‘offer’ applies only to those who have bought a ticket.
