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| NO TURNING
Out walking in the nearby Derbyshire Dales yesterday I suddenly stopped dead in my tracks,
a not uncommon occurrence as those who are familiar with this lovely part of the country will
appreciate. However on this occasion it was not the sight of a magnificent limestone
outcrop
or some other such breathtaking feature of the Derbyshire countryside that
caused me to pull up short but a sign outside the drive of a house in the
quaint little village of Youlgrave.
'Private, No Turning', was the stark, uncompromising message on the sign. I have seen
such notices before
of course but this time, in such a peaceful and charming setting, it seemed even more
offensive than is usually the case. Not for the first time I asked myself 'Why, for God's sake'? If the driver of a car were to back a yard or two into the drive in order to turn back the way he had come what possible harm could it do? A Centurion tank might cause a bit of damage maybe, but a car? If everyone took the same uncharitable attitude, particularly in the Dales countryside with it's winding lanes and narrow streeted villages, one would sometimes have to travel miles before arriving at the T junction or crossroads that would allow them to turn back. And the mean-spirited owner of the house with the 'Private, No Turning' sign would be well aware of this. I looked at the house. No one to be seen. The front door was closed and there was no one at the windows. I looked to left and right, no one was around. I stepped a couple of yards towards the house, quickly dropped my trousers, shit in the drive, then carried on. The sign didn't say anything about no dumping. |