Before we get into the news proper, can I take a few lines just to have a moan about our old friend the Blue Zone parking?
Whilst realising the Ed has had ‘a right go’ at the parking situation further back in this edition, it was rather brought home to me recently on the seafront, when I parked my extremely classy and expensive motor vehicle, befitting of my lofty status within the Gazette, I noticed that there were several vehicles also parked on the Paseo with tickets displayed.
Asking at a local café if the date of having to display tickets had been brought forward, the owner said ‘no,’ and several customers told me that they had purchased tickets for their vehicles as they didn’t know any better as visitors.
At least in Almuñécar, even though the machines are in place ready to go, they do not allow you to put money in them. Surely, this same ‘flick of a switch’ could be put into effect on the La Herradura machines, or is it just they wish to steal money from anyone who just doesn’t know the system.
Last year, a local became so hacked off with the blue-zone machines that he actually drove into a couple of them, leaving them on the floor. There wasn’t much sympathy at the time, and we can all understand why.
It was clear that something needed to be done about parking in both Almuñécar and La Herradura, and quite a few people, me included to my shame, thought that the blue zones could actually work… and I have to say, that is still the case, but surely it must be as clear as crystal, even to our town hall, that the system needs some ‘tweaking’ to make it work to the benefit of the citizens, local business and the council.
I’m not sure about Spanish law, but in the UK, the theft act states that someone is guilty of theft if they; dishonestly appropriate property (money) belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it. Is the unnecessary money belonging to unwary drivers being stolen?