Car park courtesy

sir – I tried to use coins to pay for parking, but the meter wouldn’t take them (report, May 8) – so I stormed off to an identical machine, where a uniformed “operative” was attending.

She inspected my cash. “Your coins are out of date,” she informed me.

I then remembered that my shorts were rather old. The attendant patted my arm, smiled and gave me a courtesy ticket.

Frank Stewart

Poole, Dorset