Bastards!

I didn't enjoy my walk today, and I should have. I went to Studland with its dunes, its long broad and wild sandy beach, undoubtedly the best beach for miles in either direction. I've been coming here since childhood, I love the place!  It took me 30 mins to get to Sandbanks, you used to be able to park in the back roads for nought, walk to the ferry and cross the harbour mouth for a quid return. It made walking over Studland far easier, cheaper, less fuel consuming (so less polluting) and less time consuming than the long drive across the conurbation and around the harbour. But no, our greedy new God 'Economy' has sent forth two of his most prized horsemen, monetization and enforcement, to kick sand into our ice creams. Pay meters now line all the roads on Sandbanks, and charge £1.50 an hour! One pound fucking fifty! And that's the out of season tariff, yup, there's an in season tariff, the cost of which I can't imagine.  Now, I'd give myself 4 hours to walk, for the crossing each way, and to allow for missing the ferry.  That's £7 (£6 parking, £1 for the ferry) to go for a walk now, when it was just a quid. That stinks, man. Although still more expensive, it's now cheaper for me to drive the hour each way to Studland. Most worrying is that it also subtly gentrifies Studland (Sandbanks already being one of the most exclusive post codes in the country), by putting a substantial financial burden on a visit, or the imposition of a long, and during the season untenable drive, especially if you've a young family. So on today’s walk I was annoyed at the monetization of everything possible, and rushed as I only had £3, so only 2 hours. As a consequence my walk left me disappointed and more than a bit downhearted at the path my country stumbles down. Bastards! (shakes fist in Basil Fawlty fashion)