Friday 11 June 2010

A Day In The Life

Boo!

Did you miss me? Yeah, OK, don't answer that.

I've had a hell of a day.

It's been emotional. A guy came round from the council to say that the parking we have used for 5 years wasn't available anymore. They had an anonymous complainant, you see, and their computers said no.

So they're charging for it now. And painting lines. And posting clamping notices.

It won't bother us much as there are roads surrounding which are free of yellows, so we'll just park our vehicles there instead. The neighbours won't like it one little bit, but the council guy said it's OK so they won't get anywhere. They'll just have their own parking options severely restricted. Everybody loses.

The upside is that the council owned car park (for an old people's home) will be free of us. There are two staff and 22 spaces, so the car park will, as it was before we turned up, be devoid of all but two vehicles. Meals on wheels will struggle to get anywhere near the other entrance as a result but the anon must be satisfied.

It seems the way of the world these days, empty pubs with users outside, empty car parks with those who wish to make use of them elsewhere. Public sector logic.

What fun, eh?

Then, in the evening, I went to the IEA for the latest Voices of Freedom do. And boy did it crackle!

Our blog mascot (see sidebar) played Devil's advocate and pretty much pissed off most of the room. I must be consistent and offer a first-hand Mascot Watch on the back of it at some point.

Plus, I met some rather interesting No2ID types and Alex Deane from Big Brother Watch. None of them told me to fuck off, so we proles aren't persona non grata just yet.

Chapter and verse later.


11 comments:

JuliaM said...

"...but the anon must be satisfied."

One complaint? Just ONE..?

Madness!

Captain Ranty said...

Check yer inbox about No2ID.

CR.

J Bonington Jagworth said...

"the anon must be satisfied"

Ain't that the truth? It doesn't occur to the jobsworths that the minimum condition for a complaint should be knowledge of who is making it! The complainant can't mind very much if they won't reveal themselves. A reason would be good, too...

Umbongo said...

JBJ

Obviously not "anon" to whoever had the power to send out the jobsworths to do their bit. I suspect that our host's councillor is completely powerless in all this unless, of course, s/he is the "anon" in question.

Anonymous said...

The complainant can't mind very much if they won't reveal themselves.

Don't be a sodding idiot.

there are plenty of people out there that would brick the compainants house to shut them up.

But yes, 1 complaint in such a matter as this should not warrent any action/

Dick Puddlecote said...

Yes, it only takes one grump and the public sector jump. I've written about the 'anonymous complainant' on many occasions here. Never been a victim of one before, though.

Anonymous said...

Our church bells ringers have just spent months raising cash to pay for simulators to fit in the tower for practice because ‘someone’ complained about the bells. This is in a village of 5000 people and the complainant arrived and moved into a house opposite the church called ‘Old Rectory’.

bayard said...

Sounds to me like some jobsworth in the council was simply waiting for someone to complain so that he could order you off the car park. You see, to the official mind, the car park for an old people's home is for the use of that institution only. You can't have the general public using it, because it's not a public car park.

J Bonington Jagworth said...

"there are plenty of people out there that would brick the complainants house to shut them up"

About a parking area? I'm daresay there are other situations that might demand caution, but some equivalence could be devised so that, say, 5 anonymous complaints equal 1 identifiable one...

I sympathise with the bell-ringers, as I am one, and our bells have been operational since the previous Elizabeth was on the throne. That they could be silenced by an incoming Nimby tells you all you need to know about the state we're in.

Dick Puddlecote said...

Anon: That story makes one despair. The selfishness of such a complaint is staggering.

Bayard: I wouldn't be surprised if you were proved to be correct with that scenario. It's going to be dead funny when all our vehicles are parked up the street and the car park is empty, though. It's no significant skin off our nose. We'll get complaints from the locals, but we'll just politely refer them to the council ... and we'll provide the relevant extension number. ;-)

JBJ: I've mentioned such an idea myself before (can't be arsed to look for it). I suggested that unless a complainant is prepared to be named, the complaint should be ignored unless there is a REAL possibility of risk to the individual.

Miss E. J. Frogster said...

Oh dear. Have some angels and cheer up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCEWhEuhRoo (lyrics annotated)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znUtocdwnYw (BETTER SOUND QUALITY)

Brahms Lullaby

Gordon Brown! Gordon Brown!
Will you be my angel?
Guardian angel is what I meant
Will you rescue my soul?

For you are in charge
Of these people I wrote to
Stephen Timms, Jack Straw
Let me place my trust in you

Gordon Brown! MP’s!
Let me sing out loud
For what you do, for my country
For my reproductive system

You right wrongs! My right’s been wronged
I am desperate for you
Not just you! There’s Jon Herring
I’m a violated woman

Gordon Brown, help me sleep!
Help me sleep like a baby
Will my babies ever come out?
Maternal desires!
I lost my womanhood
In a sinister curse
Gordon Brown! Bring it back!
You are perfect for that!