It is not my prerogative to be in any way critical of Clara but a thought occurred to me as I headed towards Londis this Sunday morning, to obtain oat milk for the muesli. The town has no traffic jam! Ballydehob, in West Cork, where I have been spending much of my time, benefits economically from a bottleneck in its middle. Cars are forced to slow down. In doing so, these vehicles' inmates are treated to the sight of a delightful selection of shops, cafes, and other minor attractions. They might well pull over, and often do, utilising the allowable style of parking in those parts (i.e. at any angle which suits, up on pavements, over single and double yellows etc.) Then, they might well spend their money, and their time, and often do. Clara, on the other hand, is too well designed, if you like, for the passing petrol-head (of which there are many). The roads are wide and, for the most part, straight. Drivers zoom past, which is no good for us, fellow entrepreneurs! A winding route through the town, with deliberate narrow sections, and obstacles, would be better. Take a leaf from the book used to create those Wizard of Oz type pathways through the 'duty-free' sections of all major airports. Clara has too many rat-run options as well but that is another story. Small town commerce demands artificial traffic jams. People complain about being snarled up and held up or delayed but, deep down, at the libidinal level, they appreciate the experience. A department for the encouragement of traffic jams is long overdue...
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