Drivers have got their angles wrong’

I HAVE been asking a simple question, that no-one seems able to answer, not even a friendly policeman that I accosted in the High Street. The question is this. Why are cars - of all sizes - able to park correctly in a straight line, bumper to bumper, in d

I HAVE been asking a simple question, that no-one seems able to answer, not even a friendly policeman that I accosted in the High Street.

The question is this. Why are cars - of all sizes - able to park correctly in a straight line, bumper to bumper, in designated parking bays on both sides of Market Street and on the cathedral side of High Street, and on any other off-street parking? Yet on the other side of High Street most of the cars are parked at an angle?

Since I became the proud owner of an electric buggy I have had to negotiate round cars that are blocking the pavement (I believe it is an offence to park on pavements), and watched mothers doing the same with their prams and pushchairs, people with shopping trolleys, elderly people with wheeled aids, and people negotiating a wheelchair for a disabled person. There have been many times that I have had to go into the road to pass these badly-parked vehicles.

There was never any problem when the High Street had curbs! The designated spaces are the same in the High Street and Market Street, so it is not lack of room, just a bad habit that is no longer dealt with by a traffic warden (which we have not had for some time).

All the pedestrians that I put this question to all replied "I thought that was how they were meant to park". If this was so, surely the spaces would have been painted with angles lines!

The only cars that I have seen parked correctly have all had blue badges!

The friendly policeman, quite rightly said that they, the police, had more important things to do with their time, and I appreciate that these matters are the responsibility of the highways and footpaths department, so a copy of this letter will be on its way to Cambridge!

BARBARA SHAILES