F.Y.I.

Dear neighbour or perhaps neighbour's neighbour's neighbour (I'm not sure),

Unfortunate circumstances, caused by a series of quite coincidental engine failires, battery deaths & ignition failures (not uncommon in such an elderly vehicle), have prevented me from moving my car. I am having it/her towed on Wednesday at which point we may all resume an entirely democratic parking process.

Warm regards,

Christopher

DEMOCRATIC RIGHT OF REPLY

Sorry to hear about the car. It looks like a 78 Valiant, probably a Hemi 225. I would love to be doing it up myself.

Anyway, read this in good humour:

Notwithstanding it took me 2 years to get RMS to move the centre line across 600mm so that it was possible to safely park out the front I claim (and am certainly not entitled to) any special parking privileges.

However there is certainly nothing democratic about the parking allocation as it currently exists. Parking democracy sounds like an interesting idea, which probably sounds strange coming form a parking Feudalist. Stranger even, having been suggested by parking Imperialists who have colonised the street on the assumption of Terra Carlessness. Even more surprising is that the colonial power is acting as the agent of a street alien and pursuing democracy on behalf of a disinterested foreign power! Looks a bit like a motor occupation from here!

Notwishstanding, a system of parking democracy would require some careful thought. Should it be based on the system applied to the House of Representatives, where by spots may be allocated to each residence on the basis of population? If so, do we assume universal suffrage, or do only the car owning gentry have the vote? What will be the age of suffrage?

Alternatively we could base the system on the Senate where each residence would be entitled to exactly the same number of spots.

And should visitors to the street even get a parking vote at all?

These are questions that would have vexed poor old Henry Parks (pun intended) at Federation. Bob Carr may have answers but would have insisted on his own private spot, or at least made a Valiant attempt to get one. He things he is a VIP.

But to occupy a space with no intention of ever budging and as the proxy of a foreigner is more like a Quisling form of parking Fascism.

In reality it is not at all about democracy, it is about luck. It is only fair that car on the street should leave it from time to time and face the parking Chook Wheen on return. Clearly some may see it as not fair when one car never buys a ticket and just hogs the chook.

I hope your mate gets it going soon and it would look great in a deep plum.

My husband has a '78 Triumph.

Cheers to everyone,

Filippa