KEY POINTS:
Parking wardens must be one of the most unpopular breeds in the world.
Most people accept they have a job to do, and it's fair to say that our roads would be a lot more chaotic if they weren't around. The threat of a ticket is enough to persuade most people not to park illegally, or at least to do it for just a few minutes and then make their escape as fast as possible.
However, it's difficult to be understanding when, having shelled out what seems like quite a lot for the right to park your car for a couple of hours to do some shopping, you turn the corner and see one standing by your car writing out a ticket - and you're only two minutes late getting back. For many people, reason and understanding seem to fly out the window, and parking wardens endure some pretty horrendous abuse, threats and even physical violence. Recently someone even used his car to ram a parking warden on a scooter.
In some places, parking wardens are paid by a commission system, and are faced with tough targets - which just encourages them to ping people when they have the slightest opportunity.
Matters have been made even worse for traffic wardens in London, where a couple of years ago a TV documentary revealed rampant corruption, with some traffic wardens accepting backhanders in return for turning a blind eye to blatantly illegal parking - and in one cases actually stealing motorcycles.
Well, here's some good news for a change. In Scotland, a traffic warden by the name of James Dewar was told he was surplus to requirements, but was reinstated after a campaign to save him by local residents and motorists. He was apparently very popular with the locals, because as well as handing out tickets, he voluntarily took on other, perhaps more rewarding work - such as helping children get home safely after school, and assisting tourists.
And not only did the campaign succeed, it looks like his duties may be expanded next year.
It's not often that public campaigns save jobs, so all in all it was a pretty happy ending for Mr Dewar.
Greg Cain
Greg Cain is an employment lawyer at Minter Ellison Rudd Watts.
