Mall car park exit nightmare

Dear Betsy, I want to know whose idea of a joke the parking arrangmements at the new City Centre mall are?

It is the stupidest, most thoughtless car park design I have ever seen, and I used to think the Sheraton Mall had the worst car park!

It took me almost as long to get back out of the car park as it did to wander around each floor of shops. With the added frustration of selfish, ignorant drivers in front of me and those blocking the road whilst they chat on the phone or stop to chat to friends passing by without a thought for other drivers and the fact that some of us have young, tired, hungry kids in the car who need to get home.

Who designed this? Why do they make us go round and round in circles getting angrier and angrier? Do they realise that we have to drive on the opposite/wrong side of the road to get out of the car park? Of course for some people this is not a problem as they drive like that every day anyway.

I just want to reassure the management of the Seef Mall that if they were worried about losing customers to the City Centre then they should worry no more. It is just too stressful to shop there, and I am not alone, all of my friends have complained about the same thing.

I for one will not be going back to the City Centre to endure the nightmare that is their car park. Seef Mall here I come, credit card at the ready.

SMJ

Dear SMJ,

What can I say? I too have been stuck in the no-man's land that is the car park exit trail at the City Centre. I have only been there once and much as I would like to visit again I just cannot resign myself to wasting so much time trying to get out of the building! Like you, I would much rather spend that time shopping ... what girl wouldn't?

I can't help but think that there must be an alternative way to reach the supermarket without having to run the gamut of the five-floor tortuous descent to the exit afterwards. Has anyone discovered the secret? Share it with us if you have and email me your thoughts on parking in the kingdom. Do we have enough parking spaces? Are some of the charges too expensive?

BETSY SAYS RELAX

Read your way to relaxation ... rediscover one of the classics that you didn't bother to read (or didn't understand) when you were at school.

Nothing beats a good bit of literature ... not even the Beano! Hit those bookshops this weekend.

IF YOU ONLY DO ONE THING THIS WEEK

Get your blood pressure checked. It is amazing how many of us have no idea what normal blood pressure should be (120/80) or what their blood pressure actually is. Many people can suffer from blood pressure disorders without experiencing any symptoms and regular checks can help avoid potentially serious illness from developing. Regular exercise, good nutrition and a low sodium diet can all help keep your BP in check.