Trying to be the Good Samaritan

A little story from my morning today.

I’ve always been one to support the Underdog, and to do what is right and fair.

This morning, upon returning from my first Adventure to the car park next to the woods, I spotted the parking wardens turning up.

The car park in question is one where you need to have a clock dial on your windshield so as to show what time you arrived. You are only able to park there for several hours. This is to avoid people from the neighbourhood dumping their cars there, and using it as a permanent resident car park.

You set the little clock dial at the time at which you arrive and then you are able to go for a walk. Still free but time restrictions.

The Traffic Warden got out of his car and started taking a photo of one of the vehicles.

I suspected that they did not have a dial in the windshield.

I calmly walked over and greeted the Traffic Warden. I explained to them that when I had arrived 80 minutes earlier I was the only vehicle in the car park and I could promise them that. I explained that I knew what the rules were, but that I just thought I would pass on the information in case they were feeling kind and therefore wanted to come back in a few hours to see if those cars had overstayed their welcome and the time restrictions.

The Traffic Warden beamed with delight and thanked me for the information. He then proceeded to print out a ticket and slap it on the windshield of the car.

He went on to say that my information was very helpful because if either of the two cars in the car park had spiked tyres, and he now knew that they had driven today, he could also find them for this if they hadn’t paid to use spiked tyres.

This man was clearly unbelievably efficient and enjoyed following regulations. However I do feel that he could work a little bit more on Empathy and his Christmas spirit.

I would like to add at this point, that after a recent friendly conversation with a different traffic warden, I found out that they get no commission or bonus for any of the tickets that they give out.

I walked away with my head held high knowing that I had done my best to try and help a stranger avoid what I considered an unnecessary and slightly unjust fine.

You can’t win them all, and were the exact same thing to happen next time I am in that car park, I would absolutely repeat each step of what I did in the hope that it might make a difference.

Doggies: Lulu, Lucy, Odin, Pippi and Haraka