Focus On The Bollard

We’ve all been there, concentrating on the driving, staying alert to what’s going on around us and focus on the bollard! What? Focus on the bollard? Look at the photo above and you’ll see the Ford Focus well and truly on the bollard. It’s not going anywhere, not forwards, not backwards, not anywhere except the scrap yard.

Dastardly Lumps Of Concrete

You often see these phallic lumps of concrete lying about the place, probably broken off by a passing lorry, unbeknown to its driver of the damage he has caused. I doubt any humans are capable of pulling them out of the ground, they are solid and weigh an absolute ton! This one was definitely broken off at ground level.

Waiting For A Victim

This particular bollard was situated outside a local fish and chip shop, to stop people parking and driving on the space immediately outside the shop. There was a row of the things, lined up along the pavement with a gap, like a missing tooth, that was the culprit, lying innocently in the road, waiting patiently for a victim!

Friday!!!

It was Friday and we always enjoyed fish and chips on a Friday evening which wifey used to collect on her way home from the local shopping centre. As you can imagine, it gets quite busy around 6:00 pm, so when she arrived at ‘The Fish Plaice‘, there was already a considerable amount of traffic moving in and out, yet there was one space right outside the shop. I wonder why?

My Chips Were Cold

It was dark and apart from the huge crunching sound and the car seemingly lifting off the ground, all seemed well. Just another happy Friday evening. Obviously, the car came to a complete halt and despite managing a few feet in reverse, it was the ‘end of the road’ for this particular Ford Focus. The innocent concrete shark had just found its victim and ripped the belly out of him. I was annoyed, not because of the damage, but because my fish and chips were cold when I got to eat them!

It’s How We Learn

These things happen and to be honest, how would we learn if we didn’t make such mistakes? Luckily, the insurance company came, collected the car and disposed of it as a ‘write off.’ There was enough to go and buy a smaller car, affectionately known as the ‘Ninky Nonk‘, (eyes roll around my head) which, I’m happy to say, survived all concrete bollard infested roads and kerbsides. I forgot to add that this happened about 8 or 9 years ago.

Who knew you could buy these things online? Here’s where.

And here’s a random link to another post of mine. Day At The Seaside.