Vehicles block driveway

Dear Editor,
I write this letter to once again highlight a problem that has evolved from an occasional inconvenience into an annoying and exasperating problem. I am referring to persons parking their vehicles in front of other people’s driveways.

Back in 2007 I had written about a popular hair salon  whose customers used to park their vehicles and block off my driveway. I had sent two letters, attaching in the second a photograph to corroborate my claims. Subsequently, I had a conversation with the proprietress of the institution, and we came to an agreement that she would do her part in building the awareness among her patrons to not park their vehicles in front of my driveway. The problem had abated for a while, but it seems as though the awareness has evaporated, and a reminder needs to be sent out. Unfortunately, this time around there are a few added twists to the whole thing.
On Saturday May 2, my aunt was about to leave our residence to go on her usual Saturday shopping. She observed a vehicle [number supplied] parked smack in the driveway, and called the salon. The proprietress herself answered, and my aunt identified herself and indicated the problem and asked that the owner of the car unblock our driveway. The proprietress then very sweetly informed my aunt that it was not her responsibility that someone had parked in our driveway. My aunt then just as sweetly told her that she would be taking legal action against the salon, to which the proprietress rejoined that my aunt could take whatever action she wanted, and hung up the phone.

This was the second week in succession that we had to call this establishment to complain, and it seemed as though we were getting nowhere with it.

So, since the salon’s owner was apparently as unmovable as a badly parked vehicle, we decided to call the traffic police. The officer who answered the phone was very polite and professional, and after taking the information he told us he would send an officer around. But there was magic a brewing, Lo and behold, when I went back to the window to check on the car, it was gone! As if Chris Engel had come and done one of his famous magic tricks, the vehicle had vanished, all within the time it took to make a three-minute phone call. Editor, I can’t tell you how shocked I was, when the thought that supernatural forces might have been at work crossed my mind. Anyway, the police showed up.
My aunt went and had a few words with them, and related that the vehicle was moved apparently while we were on the phone with the station. Again, the two officers who came were very polite and professional, and they took the car number and promised to follow up, after which they left. By now, my aunt who was already delayed from her weekly shopping, left to go, and I went about my normal activities. About 45 minutes later, another vehicle [number supplied] had manifested itself in the driveway. Wow! I had seen two magic tricks in one morning. I can tell you, this was starting to take its toll on my mental energy, and as I was about to call the salon and enquire if the magician was fixing their face and hair, my aunt returned home and went straight over to the salon.

She came out with the driver, a female, who seemed a bit rattled that she had to be brought out. We indicated to her that if she had utilised the free parking space on the clear parapets, then she would have had no trouble and would have been left in peace to finish her transformation. So she jumped into her vehicle and moved it away from the driveway.

Great! When she came out, she was all the way over the road, and she was gesturing something, so my aunt told her to come on over and say what she had to say, since the traffic was drowning out her words. I indicated to her that she should really know better about parking properly, at which she indicated to me that “I know.” Once again in shock, I enquired, “So you know, and yet you parked in the driveway?” at which apparently her magic making up stupid answers energy had run out, so she shrugged and proceeded back to the salon to complete the transformation. It seems as though the brain cells that control proper parking had evaporated while she was in the salon under the dryer.
Well, well, what a Saturday! Editor, if I knew this was how my Saturdays were going to be, I would ensure that I was out of town for the weekend. Leaving out the fact that we need to get in and out of our yard, the company that supplies us with drinking water delivers on Saturdays. I certainly would not like to die of thirst all because some careless person decided that my driveway was appropriate parking. Maybe I should check to see if there is some kind of magnet under my bridge that just attracts vehicles.

Seriously, what annoys me more, is the apparent indifference of the salon over the whole situation. It is unfortunate that someone who has had a business for so many years does not appreciate that those who don’t still need to carry on with their daily activities. The purpose of this letter is to highlight how ridiculous this occurrence has become, and the fact that I have to be taking up your column space to write about it again almost two years after my last letter proves this.

I am asking all drivers who read this to consider for just one minute how they would feel if they came home and saw a vehicle blocking off their driveway. I also urge those who have businesses in residential areas to ensure that they provide proper parking facilities for their valued customers, to avoid any inconveniencing or embarrassing moments.
Yours faithfully,
M A Hassan