I mentioned in Punitive Pettiness #1 that I often use industrial estates for lessons in the evenings when there’s no one around. Colwick MPTC (the driving test centre) is on one of these, and about ½ mile away is Colwick Quays Business Park.
I’ve been using this area for years at nights and weekends. It is usually dead out of business hours – apart from the occasional lorry doing a sleepover, or dog walkers taking their mutts to foul the wasteland round the back.
To be honest, I also think I provide a service, because when I’m there on a lesson I am a deterrent to anyone thinking of breaking into any of the units, the majority of which appear to be vacant anyway.
I cause absolutely no inconvenience whatsoever to the businesses or any of their employees. However, it is obvious that my mere presence is a problem to someone somewhere.
Colwick Quays has been there for years. In all that time it has not changed (other than for businesses which have gone bankrupt vacating various units from time to time. The picture below shows what the entrance looked like up until Friday of this week.
This one shows what it’s like now, with the shiny new barrier.
Maybe it’s just my suspicious mind, but I’m convinced that simply because someone resented the presence of the occasional learner down there the cost associated with installing this barrier – a barrier which has been totally unnecessary since the place was built – is considered a worthwhile expense. Looking at the huge gaps, it’s hardly going to stop any footpads (or dog walkers). It’s specifically designed to stop “unauthorised” vehicles (i.e. learners).
I’m sure the businesses down that way will now prosper dramatically now that they have this shiny new barrier in place, and that it will result in enormous profits for them that they’ve been missing out on over the years.
The owners of the business park have tried to victimise driving instructors previously. They weren’t too eager to target anyone else – just instructors, and that’s in spite of the DSA being tenants on the land. Naturally, the end to private clamping no doubt put a damper on their source of satisfaction.
Mind you, although this particular location has typically been free from learners, over recent months a few more instructors have found it. I know of at least one who has been stupid enough to use the car parks back there during working hours when the tenants are actually using them. Prat!
As I’ve said before, some instructors are an olive short of a pizza. Their stupidity just plays into the hands of those petty-minded idiots who recoil at the idea of learners being allowed on the roads.