It's not all doom and gloom; every so often a bright ray pierces the dark and angry sky and we can find a positive in a haystack of negatives.
I have been asked to manage key worker parking passes for our nurses and carers working in the community in London, so that they could park, within reason, and as long as they obeyed the major rules and didn't cause an obstruction, without charge.
A few days ago, the Local Government secretary told all Local Authorities in the UK that the Government would subsidise the cost of this, and all seemed well.
But each Council has interpreted this in a different way; one or two gave just said "we aren't enforcing it, park where you like".
So residents bays or parking metered slits are free to use, just don't park on red lines or cause an obstruction.
Others offer a permit to leave in your car.
Still more want you to send in each person's details and they will add them to their database as if they had paid to park
So I contacted all of our staff and offers to collate this, and it's taken me three full days so far.
I'm ok with that, I'm being paid and doing something useful.
One lady, a qualified Paediatric Nurse, whose job is to oversee and manage life preserving equipment- ventilators, PEG feeds, etc for children with complex healthcare needs so that they can live safely at home rather than occupying a hospital bed- was asked for her car reg number, the make and the model.
Her reg number was easy, and she knew it was a Nissan, but gave the model as "grey".
I pointed out that Nissan don't make a car called the "grey", and perhaps should might reconsider her answer.
She kindly did so, and the following day, she updated the information, and this time she apparently drives a "Nissan 2016".
But I am made of sterner stuff, so went back to her a third time, asking her to go to the rear of her car and read what was written there. I saw the obvious trap, and told her to ignore the number plate, as I already had that information.
To her surprise, someone had put a plastic badge there saying "X Trail".
I may take up knitting bicycles from wet string next, as it might be easier.
I can't possibly understand where these absurd stereotypes about female drivers originate.............
