Car park attendants

I refer to the letter Car Park Attendants (March 12).

Could Daniela Borg Mizzi, the Malta Transport Authority's manager, public relations and marketing, explain to us what we should do in the event that we are approached by someone "posing" as a car park attendant demanding money for parking in a car space that I thought I already had a right to park in having a licensed vehicle with paid road tax disc clearly visible?

I recently came home from a little ordeal with such a person in Spinola Bay. After 30 minutes stuck in a traffic jam up the road, my patience was already running thin. As I wearily approached the "parking area" near Ryan's Pub, I could see this person who was wearing no such "black cap" or any type of uniform or identification "hanging around" the cars. You could see his exaggerated hand gestures (which you can't make out anyway); whether he meant it's full or there's an available space I would never know. I simply ignored him as I'm sure my eyesight is quite clear and I'm sure I could manoeuvre my car into any parking space like I've done so many hundreds of times before. But, alas, the bloke thinks I'm not seeing him! So he almost gets himself run over trying to get my attention!

In the end he approaches my car and by then I've lost it. I ask him why he bothers people who clearly are showing him they are not interested in conversing with him. He looks hurt and says he's only trying to "help" me. I said: "Well thanks but I'm sure I don't need your help, especially seeing I never asked for it". He goes on to tell me how insulting I am and that it's his "job" to "look after the place". I asked him who's employing him, or if he's got a licence for the "job". He mumbles some obscenity under his breath and I drive on into an available parking space.

I was only going to be away for a few minutes, maybe that's why I trusted to leave the car there after having words with this man. Why are such "illegal parking attendants" left to pester people even a few yards away from a police station? Clearly they think they're above the law. Isn't demanding money from people in any case of parking attendants against the law?

I've never been approached by a waitress demanding tips! Tips or gratuities are supposed to be given out of free will, not out of fear or pressure. Most of the time these parking attendants even have the audacity to demand a said amount depending on how long you've occupied "his car park".

Who is supposed to monitor such activities? What can a person do in the event of being approached by such a person as the one who approached me, apart from write a letter to The Times?

When I went back to my car (with no flat tyres(!)) the attendant knew better than to come running, hand outstretched for money!