When I consider . . .

Where, you might ask, is human nature shown at its most basic? Warfare? Disaster? Triumph? The Christmas Sales? No. After considerable research I have come to the conclusion that, if you are a cynical observer of the human condition, the place which will confirm all of your Swiftian disgust of the Yahoo is . . . the Supermarket Car Park.

I have never (NEVER) been in a supermarket car park which has been entirely full. It follows, therefore, that there has always been, in my experience, a parking space for a customer in a supermarket car park. So, why, oh why do customers have to part in inappropriate places?

Let me give you some examples.


The Disabled Parking spaces are always filled by those who do not have disabled cards which allow them to park. I am very much in favour of what was on the signs for disabled parking in a supermarket in France, "Share my space: share my disability." To my mind this gives a vision of a Gallic parking attendant with a sledgehammer lurking behind a car waiting for able bodied miscreants and then smashing them in the knees so that they would be entitled to park in their chosen place.

Double yellow lines. They have the same meaning in supermarket car parks as they do in real life. Do not park at any time. The lines are usually near the entrance. They are usually linked to a series of bollards to ensure that people do not park, thus allowing easy access and egress for all customers. But, if you want cigarettes or money from the hole-in-the-wall then you must, of course, park as near as possible, ignoring other spaces, no matter how near, and all road markings.

And the supermarket trolley. Why do people leave them next to their cars rather than in the little huts for that purpose? I've actually heard people say that, "There are blokes who are paid to put these away. Not my job!" Now, given the profits of the major supermarkets, I am disinclined to donate them anything (including my time), but to me it just seems to be bloodymindedness not to put away a trolley.

I could go on, but I donate the idea to any sociologist as the basis for a study in depth for a thesis. I wonder if there are major differences in the way that people use car parks in different countries? I understand that the Germans are the worst for queueing in Europe, i.e. the tendency to push in and ignore patient waiters and due order. Is that true? given the way that Turks and Greeks drive, I would have thought that they would have been worse. Any suggestions?

All this from calling into Tesco on my way home from the BBC in Llandaff after participating in "Something Else". A lively programme today with the usual eclectic range of items discussed from the length of fingers being an indication of essential character to the death of the lawn. Never let it be said that we ignore the essential questions of our time! I thoroughly enjoy these broadcasts, I wonder if the listening audience does as well.

Is it just me, or is it possible to 'enjoy' football on TV on an almost continuous basis? Why is there not the same coverage for classical music? (That is a rhetorical question.)

Tomorrow, I have to make some sort of decision about the house. Is it overpriced? Should I cut the price, or is the open plan nature of my home something that is exactly right for the right person and it is irrelevant to compare my home with a traditional three bedroom semi. If you want traditional then you won't want mine etc etc. I'll sleep on it.