I find it outrageous! Although it is forbidden by law to "reserve" public space, it is a law that seemingly is not enforced by police.

The worst of all, though, is not that someone wants to keep the space for his car. No. The worst of all is when the residents in the house don’t even own cars, or park their cars in the garage, but in spite of that, they simply want to keep the space outside their front doors free!

And, of course we've all been witness to various incidents like a grandpa or grandma rushing out of their home yelling: "Get out of here! Don’t you see the crates? Parking is forbidden!" They yell at us, but they're the ones doing something forbidden!

I live in a neighbourhood with a big discount supermarket. Consequently, we have a parking problem all day long, so, we have to make the rounds of those winding narrow roads in order to find a parking space. And the old folks on those streets put all kinds of barricades on the street nd yell. There is this grandpa who owns a "supposedly shop" and spends all day "supposedly" fixing stuff. This supposedly store has three entrances so you can imagine how long it stretches down the road. And grandpa doesn't want a single car parked in front of all his doors. And, I don't have to tell you that there is room for five small cars. Of course, when he closes for the day, anyone who wants to park just moves the crates.  One night, I couldn’t find a parking spot anywhere, so I did the same thing. The next morning, when I went to take my car, he really let me have it.

"I wanted to put a refrigerator inside and couldn’t because you parked your car here!" he shouted. (I have a car smaller than a refrigerator).  "Shame on you . . . I am an old man . . . park outside your own door and not mine . . ." What should I have answered? That I never find a space outside my door, because I don't put those stupid hurdles in front? That I had to drive round and round last night after a most tiring day, because he is weird and insists in doing something illegal?

I knew that if I would say just one word we would fight, and this, to me, would be pointless. I don’t enjoy fighting with a grandmas and grandmas. So I did the same as I always do when I cannot change things. I dealt with it with a sense of humour!

So, I opened my wallet, pulled out my PRESS-MME card, and, with my most serious look, flashed it at grandpa saying, "I am a journalist!"  He looked, and without another word, turned his back and hurried inside.

I smile whenever I think of that episode. But it worked. He never bothered me again! As we say in Greece, “even a Saint needs threatening in order to perform a miracle!"