Cars must have a blue sticker on board

We received a copy of this letter, sent by Arrigo Farrugia Associates, advocates to S. Mifsud and Sons Ltd:

'We are instructed to write on behalf of Safety and Security Management Ltd of 26 Triq il-Wiżna, Swieqi. Reference is made to your November and subsequent correspondence addressed to the Customer Service Column of The Sunday Times.

'Unfortunately all pretensions in this letter cannot be entertained by our client. The clamping action taken by our client was exercised within the legal parameters allowed by local traffic regulations. Moreover, no traffic wardens were involved in the episode you refer to.

'Your representative may have been suffering from physical ailments that our client is unaware of due to the fact that, to date, Safety and Security Management Ltd never received your letter nor any of the supporting documents you refer to. A copy of the letter was brought to my client's attention by The Sunday Times. Nonetheless, none of the documentation you refer to constitutes a permit to park in a disabled parking bay.

'In order for any person to park his motor vehicle in a parking bay reserved for the disabled, a Blue Sticker needs to be visibly affixed to the windscreen. The Blue Sticker service is a reserved parking permit for people with mobility impairment. This permit is issued by the Police Commissioner on the advice of the National Commission for Persons with Disability.

'Holders of the Blue Sticker are entitled to park in public places reserved for persons with disability. Such a permit may be obtained by a person suffering from a temporary disability, which will last for more than a year. The applicant must submit the prescribed form that can be obtained from the NCPD to the Commissioner of Police. Moreover, the permit holder is duty bound to notify the police immediately after any change in circumstances. So much for your guidance and attention.' (Jan-Karl Farrugia) SMS Shipping replied:

'We refer to your letter dated January 17, contents of which have been duly noted.

'We are aware that car owners must be in possession of a blue sticker to park in a disabled parking bay. We are contesting the fact that this was an emergency case and our representative was accompanying a person with a mobility impairment. Surely it would have been more ethical to enquire why our representative parked in the disabled parking bay rather than clamping the vehicle at once.' (Adrian S. Mifsud)

I agree with Mr Mifsud's conclusion. When dealing with a disabled person, clamping a vehicle only makes things worse.