A NATIONAL newspaper reports that someone is attacked every 12 seconds on Britain s streets. The police in this country must all be very busy tackling crimes round the clock. I run a small Thai restaurant in St Ives. I have a parking driveway next to my s

A NATIONAL newspaper reports that someone is attacked every 12 seconds on Britain's streets. The police in this country must all be very busy tackling crimes round the clock.

I run a small Thai restaurant in St Ives. I have a parking driveway next to my shop, so I don't normally need to park my car on the street. One night recently I went to Cambridge, came back at about 11.45pm and parked my car just opposite my shop with half of the car on a double yellow line. Since I had to get up early the following morning to play golf, I thought it might be all right.

I found a parking ticket on the screen next morning and it was quite surprising to find out that the police in this town really don't have much to do because according to the ticket it was issued from 00.01 to 05.50. That means the police had observed or watched my car for five hours and 50 minutes during the middle of the night and then decided to give me a ticket.

It took the police more than 24 hours to respond when I reported a break-in four months ago and two occasions when some mindless persons parked their cars blocking my driveway. Although I complained to the police, after three hours the car was still there on a double yellow line in daytime and no police turned up to give a ticket.

PERRY YUNG, Carlisle Terrace, St Ives