Simple impossible things

For example, parking in a space reserved for pregnant women or handicapped people – even on a zebra crossing. Don’t say it has never happened to you…

But what’s certainly not “kosher” is to enter into this kind of behaviour on a daily basis. Unfortunately, however, there are those who seem to have made habits of these “manner lapses” – with absolutely no qualms of conscience.

While police are busy fining commercial vehicles transporting their wares – for failure to show a “Guia do Transporte” (delivery papers) for a tin of paint – the “law of the strongest” rules the car parks of the majority of regional shopping centres that embellish contemporary Portugal.

During the weekend pilgrimages to our cathedrals of consumerism, anything goes. Recently, in one of these elysian fields of the “new Portuguese economy”, a pregnant reader told us how she asked a gentleman – almost as rotund as herself – to do her the favour of removing his car from the space that was reserved for her albeit temporary condition. She was lucky to find him – normally these spaces are just pure and simply filled.

The gentleman conceded to her request in an extremely ungracious manner, backing his car out as he spluttered unpleasantries and general complaints – and before he’d even finished his manoeuvre, another car arrived and parked alongside.

The lady driver and her teenage son inside showed no visible signs of reduced mobility – and were delighted that they’d found a parking space so near the door. Who cared if it was reserved for people with physical handicaps?

Let’s face it, cars belonging to perfectly “normal” people can be parked in these spots for the whole day: something that makes life even more difficult for those who really do have physical handicaps. But who cares? These drivers are rarely held responsible for abusive parking. Is this because it would be bad for business?

An old proverb says that the degree of culture and civilization of a society is measured by the way it treats its weakest members.

Today, this premise has no place – as there is simply less space available for anyone who exhibits any kind of vulnerability (be it physical, mental, social, economic, etc.)

The degree of civilization is measured by the capacity of each individual to trample over his or her neighbour. The flip side of this equation is that in doing so, these individuals don’t realise that they’re also stepping on themselves…