Weekend ahead; time for relaxation. But that’s the last thing on my mind as I exit my workplace to go back home on a Friday.

The planning of parking in Sliema is pitiful. Some of the parking spaces are smaller than a medium -car while those who are lucky to have a garage may several times have to encounter a bigot who blocks access to their precious space. Before managing to find a parking space as they swerve through Sliema’s streets, they will have to avoid the baker who conveniently reserves two slots for himself using barrels. You do not want to park in the area of Manuel Dimech Street either, although the double yellow lines are contradicted by signs that give you the go-ahead to park in specific hours.

The part that irritates me most is a stretch of road on The Strand, Sliema. A bottleneck forms in the area of MedAsia and Tex Mex. patrons’ cars can be seen double parked irrespective of the time of day, sometimes even parked on the pelican crossing causing an obvious hazard. But I have never seen a warden or police officer asking the drivers to move their vehicles.

Now if you have ever tried to walk on the pavement you would also notice that the restaurants have taken over a great part of it. Walking by, especially on busy days, is impossible and people are often seen walking on the road to bypass the tables and people standing at the doorways of these restaurants/bars because it is easier to walk among the cars than on the safer pavement.

Either things will improve after this letter is published or someone will get hurt. I certainly hope it will be the former.