Beware the DPS disease!

Fri, Jun 29. 2012

EDITOR: There is a new threat affecting Vincentians. This affliction, while not life-threatening, can be quite annoying and may lead to injuries. Motorists, beware the DPS (Disappearing Parking Spaces)!{{more}}

Prime free parking spaces are disappearing around town. This epidemic is being spread mainly by vendors. Two early signs of this disease are:

1. The appearance of food/drink trailers – black, orange, white or green. They usually appear around foreday morning and spread themselves over no less than two parking spaces. Some sell all day, some open only in the evening and some close at 6 o’clock, but regardless of the time, once these appear they don’t go away and those parking spaces are dead.

2. The appearance of a balustrade with the “No Vending” sign. These are usually seen in non-parking areas and their effects are felt on Saturdays when agriculture vendors, who used to sell in those spaces, move to the other side of the road and spread their carts of produce – blocking at least one parking space per vendor. This is especially frustrating as they often refuse to shift aside when asked and block parking spaces close to popular supermarkets, forcing shoppers to walk longer distances with heavy loads.

I would be grateful if the relevant authorities would look into this DPS threat before it becomes uncontrollable and leads to violence. And don’t even talk about those carnival bars!

Lisa